The Abarth brand is back in South Africa, thanks to the arrival of the Abarth 695 Competizione. Here’s how much you’ll pay for this feisty little hatch (or cabriolet)…

For a moment there, it seemed Stellantis brand Abarth had quietly quit South Africa. But rumours of its local death were seemingly greatly exaggerated, with the 695 Competizione having now made landfall.

Yes, thanks to the vehicle-information gurus over at duoporta.com, we know the local Abarth 695 (rather than 595) range effectively comprises 4 Competizione derivatives: a pair of hatchbacks and a pair of cabriolets. Pricing starts at R579900 and runs through to R627900.

All variants are powered by the Fiat-backed brand’s turbocharged 1.4-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine, which here delivers 125 kW and up to 250 Nm to the front axle via either a 5-speed manual gearbox or a automated manual transmission (for latter for an extra R18000) with the same number of cogs.

Cabriolet and hatchback body styles are on offer.

The obligatory 0-100 kph sprint takes a claimed 7.3 seconds in the manual version and a tenth of a second longer in the automated-manual model, while top speed is listed as 218 kph in both cases. For the record, the latter derivative can be optionally equipped (for an additional R2000) with paddle shifters.

Meanwhile, the 3-door 695 Competizione’s specification highlights include items such as 17-inch alloy wheels, quad tailpipes, rear parking sensors, tyre-pressure monitoring, a cloth/suede upholstery combination and as many as 7 airbags.

As a reminder, the Abarth 695 is based on the Fiat 500 but scores all manner of go-faster bits. The range was last updated in October 2021, before briefly disappearing from Fiat SA’s website earlier this year.

We’ll update this story once more details around local specifications are revealed…

How much does the Abarth 695 Competizione cost in SA?

Abarth 695 Competizione 1.4T – R579900

Abarth 695 Competizione 1.4T auto – R597900

Abarth 695 Competizione 1.4T cabriolet – R609900

Abarth 695 Competizione 1.4T cabriolet auto – R627900

A 3-year/100 000 km warranty and a 3-year/60 000 km service plan are included in the purchase price.

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