Abarth 500 Esseesse 2011 Review

Abarth, a Turin-based tuning house long associated with Italian manufacturer Fiat, has sculptured a primo pocket rocket from the normally benign 500 three-door hatchback, adding heavily revised suspension, bigger stoppers, functional aerodynamic augmentation and a wicked, peppery turbocharged four banger.

The result is an amalgam of hot hatch good bits cobbled together with all the prowess this 60 year-strong brand is famous for. The excitement of finally being able to offer the brand Down Under, too, is evident. Excited hand gestures and passion in the voice of its importers ATECO were early evidence that the Abarth 500 Esseesse (meaning 'SS' in Italian) really is something special, and we can't wait to get behind the wheel.

At $34,990 it's not hard to see why. The car is packed with performance goodies but still manages a degree of subtlety, affording those who prefer discreet performance a chance to blend in with the crowd.

Body changes are minimal, and of those made, all are functional. The longer nose, necessary to house the additional plumbing of the high-boost turbo's intercooler, adds subtle venting, including a small grille that surrounds the famed red and yellow backed black scorpion badge. The pumped front bumper is flanked by brake duct intakes (as is the rear), while a small body-coloured wing adorns the top of the rear window.

But beneath the decals and detail of the 500 Esseesse's diminutive body is where Abarth's true soul glistens. A high-output version of Fiat's 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine (complete with re-mapped ECU and high-flow air intake), lowered suspension, dual exhausts, TCT differential and large cross-drilled brakes are just part of a package that tingles with a raspy snarl each and every time it comes on boost. 

Inside, too, there's plenty of evidence to suggest the 500 Esseesse is something special. A beefy flat-bottomed sports steering wheel, leather-clad gear shift knob, drilled metal pedals and red striped bucket seats leading an equipment list that would look at home on the brochure of any top-shelf Euro hatch.

Switchable dual-mode dynamic settings (including switchable TTC diff.), tyre pressure monitoring, boost gauge with shift light, power everything and single-zone climate control all feature as standard. Further, a pumping MP3-compatible sound system courtesy of Interscope comes complete with Blue&Me Bluetooth telephony/streaming, single-CD tuner and a USB auxiliary input.

Keeping Esseesse's respiratory system supplied is a high-flow filter from Italian specialist BMC, ensuring not only rapid acceleration (0-100km/h in 7.4 seconds) but a lean burning combined fuel consumption tally of just 6.5L/100km and low CO2 emissions of 155g/km. Power is delivered to the front wheels via a close-ratio (C510) five-speed gearbox and Fiat's switchable Torque Tranfser Control faux-limited slip differential.

Shod with Michelin Pilot Exalto rubber (or Pirelli P-Zero in some instances) 500 Esseesse's bespoke titanium-coloured (ET35) 17-alloy wheels house cross-drilled disc brakes measuring 284x22mm at the front and 240x11mm up back. These are grabbed by new high performance pads exclusive to the Abarth-enhanced model.  Like regular Fiat 500 models, Abarth 500 Esseesse offers a space saver spare wheel.

500 Esseesse is suspended by uprated springs and dampers all round with the ride height reduced 20mm. Like all 500s, Esseesse features a MacPherson strut setup at the front and torsion bar rear end. Steering is assisted electrically and offers a weighted 'Sport Mode' for sharper feel.

Vital stats see Abarth's pocket rocket measure up as follows:

The dual-stack instrumentation is funky but effective and the dash-top boost gauge feels apt, in the scheme of things. The thick-rimmed, flat-bottomed steering wheel offers a meaty feel and the seating is both comfy and supportive. All switchgear is well placed and easy to operate with the combination display front and centre relatively user-friendly.

Sure, there's not a lot of room, but then again, this isn't Fiat's 'bambino' for nothing. The rear seat is tight and aft legroom snug. But clever packaging has allowed a decent amount of cargo space (185-litres) with the added flexibility of 60:40 fold back pews -- me thinks you could live with this car day-to-day quite happily.

Featuring seven airbags, traction control, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist and stability control, there's not much left to want for. Hill-Holder technology makes steep starts easy, while tyre pressure monitoring detects any loss in air pressure long before you do.

Add to this Fiat's TTC differential -- which virtually eliminates understeer and torque steer nasties -- and Abarth 500 Esseesse is quite the confident package.

While the VW offers a stronger 132kW/250Nm output, its Germanic patent character can't match the Abarth's head turning retro looks. The 500 Esseesse also feels more spirited than recalled for the Polo GTI and, while perhaps equally as grippy, has such a firm, uncompromising ride that you really can extract every last ounce out of the rubber for a truly confident ten-tenths drive.

Abarth's steering, too, is tremendously tactile in that you have millimetre-perfect control over the direction of the front wheels, something now slightly lacking from the VW product. And, while the Polo may ultimately be more practical, it's not nearly as much fun. Oh, and who can be bothered waiting besides -- Polo GTI deliveries are now out to 2012.

Which brings us to another great name in European motorsport history: Gordini. Recently launched, the Renault Clio RS200 Gordini Edition boasts similar trim treatment to Abarth's 500 Esseesse, even if its naturally aspirated 2.0-litre takes more time to develop its tasty 147kW/215Nm.

Renowned for its razor-sharp dynamics, the French team's efforts are borderline brilliant where the Gordini Edition is concerned and, once on the boil, will do its best to stave off nips at the ankles from the hot Italian.

Considering the price difference, Abarth 500 Esseesse remains fantastic value for money in this category and would be interesting when compared back-to-back with the pair of rivals listed. Who knows, perhaps the light hot hatch segment will one day come to rule in a market where bent-eight-powered taxis once reigned supreme.

You can feel the turbo come on boost, the tyres squirming and compressing slightly as you twitch rapidly through sketchy back lane corners and the cross-drilled brakes biting confidently as you wash off what was probably too much pace to begin with. Get back on the gas and the car's front-drive dynamics wrestle against Fiat's trick TTC differential, successfully baulking torque steer, even in lower gears.

The raspy note of the hard-revving four banger being force fed its turbocharged diet is topped with subtle intercooler flutter as you stab the clutch and grab for another gear, a shame there's not more exhaust note to balance it out. Get it hot and there are a few little pops on downshift, but nothing to instigate the eargasms of MINI's Cooper S, for example.

To say Abarth 500 Esseesse is stiff is probably the understatement of the week. But, in the dry at least, it makes for a purity of grip from the tyres seldom felt in modern cars, bringing to mind fond memories of the original Mini, a smattering of Lancias or even the original Abarth Bambino -- true go-kart-like handling.

Sure, it's an overused phrase, but one that's not been more apt for a very long time. And, for this writer at least, a feeling that recalls a pleasurable, back-to-basics driving experience too often subdued by the same electronics meant to better our enjoyment.

If you can appreciate the looks -- and live with the jibes from your mates -- Abarth's 500 Esseesse will certainly do its best to shame a lot of metal twice the price, and even if it doesn't, you'll have a hell of a fun time trying.

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