For decades the launch of an Abarth model has been an occasion to savour.
The race and road car maker specialises in taking run-of-the-mill Fiats and turning them into fire breathing hot hatches.
Their most recent effort is this, the Abarth 595.
It’s based on the 500, which is stylish but not exactly brimming with potency.
Abarth has tinkered with the 1.4 litre petrol engine, however, giving it up to 178bhp.
It has also made sure no one’s going to mistake it for a run-of-the-mill 500, adding a bodykit and alloys that leave no doubt it means business.
On sale now for £15,090, the entry-level 595 uses a turbocharged 1.4 litre T-Jet engine that produces 143bhp and 152lb ft of torque.
Above this sits the 595 Turismo, which starts at £18,290 and produces 163bhp and 170lb ft, while at the top of the range is the 595 Competizione, which has the most potent, 178bhp 1.4 T-Jet engine and costs £20,290.
The range-topping version puts out an impressive 130bhp per litre. It can get from 0-62mph in 6.7 seconds, which is 0.2s faster than a Ford Fiesta ST.
A five-speed manual gearbox is standard on all versions but you can upgrade to a five-speed automatic with paddle-shift.
Top spec Competizione models also feature the beefiest brakes, in the form of four-pot Brembo calipers with 305mm perforated discs.
You can make your Abarth 595 a convertible for a £2,000 premium.
Buyers can customise their cars with a Performance Pack, which adds 17” alloys, leather and alcantara seats with carbon fibre shells, 595 badging in the interior and a red, white or gloss black finish for exterior and interior trim.
All 595s come with a Sport button that adjusts the engine’s mapping to offer maximum torque and tweaks throttle pedal and steering wheel calibration for sharper responses.
Standard across the 595 range is a Uconnect five inch touchscreen infotainment system with digital radio, and there’s an optional satellite navigation system.
Additionally, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be offered as optional extras from September, allowing passengers to mirror their smartphones onto a seven inch infotainment screen.
The Abarth 595 is on sale across the UK now.