So what does the Abarth 595 Competizione feel like to drive? What you get is a 1.4 litre T-Jet petrol motor that makes 160 horsepower at 5500 rpm with max torque of 230 Nm coming up at 3000 rpm. It does the 0 to 100 kph sprint in 7.6 seconds with a claimed top speed of 209 kph. You feel an initial lag when you set off, after which there is a powerful mid- range that goes onwards to the top end as well. The 595 comes with a 5 speed automated manual transmission (AMT) and that’s the fly in the ointment of what is a fantastic performance package. There is a constant lag of a couple of seconds between the shifts and the gearbox even gets confused choosing a gear at times. There is a Sport mode which is much better and it is this mode that brings in the maximum torque of 230 Nm. Throttle responses are much better and you get the explosive performance that you expect from the 595 in Sport mode. Better still would be to drive the car in manual mode with the paddle shifters. We liked the sweet sounding exhaust note as well. 
The Abarth 595 Competizione has awesome handling capabilites. The stiff suspension setup means that it takes to corners with aplomb. The wide tyres offer superior grip and the steering offers superb feedback especially in Sport mode. This is one car you will love to throw around on a racetrack. Things however, are different for city driving. Virtues of the track turn to pain in the city. The stiff suspension means that you feel every bump and pothole on the road. Even the expansion joints of flyovers filter into the cabin. The 17 inch alloys and low profile tyres don’t help the case either. Go fast over a bad patch and you might end up breaking an alloy wheel or two. The sports seats are hard and not somewhere you want to be when you are driving the 595 on our Indian roads. The low ground clearance is also an issue over our horrendous speed bumps. The 595 has a large turning circle and taking a U turn is quite an effort. The little car features oversized self-ventilated 305×28 mm perforated disks up front and 194×11 mm disks at the rear. The brakes have fantastic bite and are very effective.
Safety features include 5 airbags, that include dual front airbags, knee airbag for the driver and curtain airbags, three mode electronic stability control, ABS and Brake Assist. The 595 Competzione scores 5 stars in the Euro NCAP safety tests.
The Abarth 595 Competizione is a hot hatch in the true sense of the word and can put a huge grin on a petrolhead’s face. It is super fun to drive, has explosive power and has supreme handling abilities. On the flip side, the car is not very practical for daily use. The suspension is stiff for our roads and there is a lack of features for the premium sticker price that this car commands. But an Abarth is all about performance and that it definitely has. That, combined with its gorgeous Italian styling makes it very desirable indeed. Makes you want one for sure. The Scorpion’s sting hits you and how.
Abarth 595 Competizione photo gallery:
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