Abarth 595 – Sixty years of the “mean little” car
Sixty Septembers ago, Carlo Abarth unveiled the Fiat-Abarth 595, then presented it to the public at the Turin Motor Show on October 31, 1963. A great expert when it came to engines and a businessman who was never run-of-the-mill, Abarth decided to stand out from the crowd by offering the visitors crowding the exhibition halls at Torino Esposizioni a coupon for a test drive in his new creation, made at the workshops on the city’s Corso Marche.
Two cars and three test drivers were made available to fans, who lined up for hours to enjoy adrenaline-fueled rides up and down the hills. The initiative’s success prompted Carlo Abarth to declare that the first 1,000 Fiat-Abarth 595 cars destined to be type-approved for racing would soon be produced.
Built on the basis of the Fiat 500 D – a model that had been met with growing success since 1961, the exterior of the new Fiat-Abarth 595 differed in terms of its striking 850TC-type perforated front grille, with the horn housed behind. Additions to these features included the wording “Fiat Abarth 595” in polished metal on the rear and bonnet, with the proud statement “Campione del mondo” (‘world champion’) standing out on the right side, referring to the many records held by the creations of the workshops on Corso Marche. Last but not least, the left side bore the Scorpion brand’s logo, crossed by a bolt of lightning in the colors of the Italian flag. To further emphasize the model's racing connotation, it also had an oversized aluminum oil sump that protruded – almost menacingly – below the rear fascia, as well as a “Record Monza”-type dual-exit sports muffler.
Equally important, although invisible from the outside, were the differences in the car's body: displacement increased to 593.7 cc, special cast-iron cylinders cast as a single unit, pistons with raised tops for higher compression, a more powerful camshaft, and a Solex vertical carburetor. The result was a small but highly assertive and even noisy car, noted for its performance: it had 30% more power than the original version, with 27 hp at 5,000 rpm and a top speed of 120 km/h. Positioned at a base price of 595,000 Italian lire, production of the Fiat-Abarth 595 began at 70 units per month, soon increasing to 250 to meet growing demand. In the meantime, however, in 1964 the first special series was launched; named the 595SS, it delivered 32 hp and could reach a top speed of 130 km/h. Even more obvious were its sporty features, with rubber Abarth-branded bonnet fastenings, an enameled scorpion emblem in place of the handle, and an “SS” badge on the bonnet and tailgate. The same series also brought about the first on-demand accessories, including alloy wheels, a three-spoke sports steering wheel, and an aerodynamic roof made of plastic.
As a natural evolution of the 595, Carlo Abarth presented the Fiat-Abarth 695 and 695SS at the Geneva International Motor Show in March 1964. With its less assertive features, the former was intended for the city, but there was no room for doubt when it came to the SS: 38 hp, 140 km/h, new crankshaft, specific camshaft, lightened connecting rods, larger valve diameter, a base price of 695,000 lire. It was clearly a thoroughbred sporting machine.
Alongside these adjustments came the phenomenon of the “tuning kits”, which made it possible for the main Abarth improvements to be carried over to Fiat production cars. Sold by the official network, the kits included everything needed to transform a New Fiat 500 into an Abarth 595 or 695, both mechanically and aesthetically. Naturally, the recommendation was for the tune-ups to be completed at accredited workshops.
The same founding values of the brand that were promoted by these forerunners – performance and style – now form an integral part of the Abarth range, featuring the 165-hp Abarth 595 and an even higher-performance 180-hp Abarth 695, as well as the New Abarth 500e. Both models offer electrifying performance, a roaring exhaust, and playful yet bold styling.
All this goes to show that even 60 years later, the values Carlo Abarth infused in his motoring creations remain very relevant and alive in the souls of the Scorpion brand and its fans.
