Description
The Abarth Fiat 595, launched in the early 1960s, is one of the most iconic cars to emerge from Abarth’s collaboration with Fiat. Based on the Fiat 500, this compact, sporty version received a performance makeover from Abarth that transformed it into a lively city car with a racing spirit. Carlo Abarth’s vision was to take Fiat’s small, economical cars and enhance them with greater speed, handling, and personality, and the 595 became the embodiment of this philosophy.
The 595 was powered by a modified version of the Fiat 500’s air-cooled, two-cylinder engine. Originally just 479 cc, Abarth bored it out to 595 cc and made various tuning adjustments, increasing its power output from the Fiat’s modest 13 horsepower to around 27 horsepower. This boost might seem small, but it had a significant impact on the car’s performance given its very light weight. The Abarth-tuned 595 could achieve a top speed of around 70 mph (110 km/h), which was impressive for such a tiny car. Its responsive handling and lively acceleration quickly made it popular on the streets and racetracks of Italy, capturing the attention of both city drivers and enthusiasts.
Abarth also gave the 595 unique styling touches, with distinctive badges and the iconic scorpion logo. Many 595 models featured Abarth’s signature aesthetic upgrades, like sportier wheels, flared wheel arches, and a lowered suspension, giving the little car a more aggressive stance. Inside, it retained the simplicity of the Fiat 500 but often featured sportier seats and a racing-inspired steering wheel.
The 595’s success was instrumental in building Abarth’s reputation as a tuner of small cars with big personalities, and it inspired a whole series of modified Fiat 500s under the Abarth name. This legacy continues today, as the Abarth brand has revived the 595 in modern iterations, celebrating the car’s role as a symbol of Italian ingenuity and motorsport spirit.