The updated Abarth 595 range has touched down in South Africa. Here’s how much you will pay for these entertaining little performance hatchbacks.

The Stellantis Group has announced the updated Abarth 595 range has gone on sale in South Africa. For those who weren’t aware, the Abarth 595 is essentially the hottest and most performance-focused derivative. The recipe is simple, take the city-slicker Fiat 500 (itself refreshed for 2021) and insert go-faster parts, shove in a turbocharged engine and replace the Fiat logo with that of the Abarth scorpion.

Updated Abarth 595 Changes

The updated model features upgraded cabins, there’s a new colour palette plus there’s the introduction of a wild-looking Abarth Yamaha Monster special edition.

The Abarth 595 comes well specced, with niceties like a flat-bottomed steering wheel, updated dashboard and the turbo pressure gauge is now lit in white, which Abarth claims means it’s easier to read. Sport mode is now known as Scorpion mode, and there’s a new dashboard covered in Alcantara, as well as new-look leather seats and a carbon fibre gear knob.Competizione models gain polyelliptical headlights as well as LED daytime running lights as standard. All models in the updated Abarth 595 range feature the Uconnect infotainment system with a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

The array of new colours is impressive, with Abarthplaying the heritage card. Rally blue is a matte finish which is said to be inspired by the Fiat 131 Abarth Rally car from 1970, while the 17-inch alloy wheels are a tribute to that of the Lancia Delta Rally Integrale.

As far as engines go, something this wicked-looking needs the powerplant to match. The 1.4-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder is available in two states of tune: 121 kW for the 595 Turismo and 132 kW for the Competizione. Customers have the choice of a 5-speed manual gearbox or an Abarth sequential transmission with shift paddles.

Sitting at the top of the range is the Abarth 595 Monster Energy Yamaha. It’s a limited edition model with just 2 000units made. It features a two-tone blue and black exterior with Monster Energy and Yamaha MotoGP branding. Inside there are model-specific sports seats, a race-car inspired flat-bottomed steering wheel as well as a Record Monza active exhaust system. Under the skin is a Koni suspension system with adaptive damping. The infotainment system also features a telemetry system.

How much does the updated Abarth 595 cost in South Africa?

Abarth 595 Turismo 1.4L FWD 6MT R399 900

Abarth 595 Turismo Cab 1.4L FWD 6MT R439 900

Abarth 595 Competizione 1.4L FWD 6MT R479 900

Abarth 595 Competizione Cab 1.4L FWD 6MT R519 900

Abarth Yamaha Monster 1.4L FWD 6MT R469 900

Abarth Yamaha Monster Cabriolet 1.4L FWD 6MT R509 900

Further Reading

Fiat goes electric by 2030

What is Stellantis?