Equipment & Specs
4-speed manual transmission, left-hand drive, sunroof
Description
We are pleased to introduce the Fiat Abarth 595SS.
The Fiat 500, a small mass-market car affectionately known as the “Cinquecento” (Italian for “500”), was produced for a long period from the pre-war era through the post-war years and underwent a full model change to its second generation in 1957.
That second-generation Fiat 500 was the model known as the NUOVA 500 (New 500), which remained on the market until the late 1970s and became a massive hit. Its charming
, familiar style remains highly popular even today, and many of these cars are imported into Japan.
However, the stock model’s performance was very low; with just 18 horsepower and a top speed of less than 100 km/h, many users were dissatisfied with its specifications even back then. Carlo Abarth, who was developing high-performance aftermarket parts for Fiat, took notice of this
.
First, he developed the Abarth 500, which outperformed the stock model; this was followed by the Abarth 595, featuring even more extensive tuning, and then the 595SS, which took tuning to the next level.
The performance gains were remarkable, achieving an output of 32 horsepower and representing a significant improvement over the original Fiat 500.
This is what’s known as “Abarth Magic.” The series continued to evolve with the 695 and 695SS, achieving excellent results in various racing and rally events.
Now, regarding the Abarth 595SS: since even the original Fiat 500 has significant engine vibration and noise, I imagined this car would be incredibly loud. Surprisingly, however, it isn’t all that noisy, and I was amazed at how comfortably it drives.
Of course, it’s not quiet, and the ride is on the firm side, but it’s not so bad that you’d hesitate to drive it around town.
Once you get used to it, I think you’ll be able to drive it at a decent pace, but it’s part of the charm to keep it in check. With a body that’s smaller
and lighter than even a kei car (weighing just about 470 kg), in today’s world, it might be a car you drive simply to enjoy the atmosphere.
This vehicle is based on the Fiat 500F, which was introduced in 1965 with various body upgrades, including the switch to standard front-hinged doors. This particular car is a model that has been customized to Abarth specifications based on that platform.Since
production of the Abarth 595/695 series (first generation) ended in 1971, this 1968 model can be considered a mid-generation model.
It’s packed with Abarth’s signature charm, featuring a racy instrument panel with an Abarth-badged gauge cluster and a custom exhaust system.
The car is currently on display at our Fujisawa Garage.
