­Abarth 595 Scorpioneoro arrives

The latest special-edition based on the Abarth 595, which is itself based on the recently rejigged Fiat 500 micro-car that was superseded by the new all-electric Fiat 500e in Europe last year, has arrived in Australia.

Limited to just 2000 vehicles globally, the Abarth 595 Scorpioneoro is now available Down Under, where just 30 examples will be offered, priced at from $31,450 before on-road costs.

That’s around $4500 more than the three-door Abarth 595 ($26,990 plus ORCs) on which it’s based, but $1500 less than the upcoming Abarth 595 Competizione (from $36,950) and well short of the $45K

The Abarth 595 Scorpioneoro shares its 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with those models but produces slightly higher outputs at 121kW of power (+14kW) and 230Nm of torque (+24Nm) thanks to its larger Garrett turbo.

The front-wheel drive Italian city-hatch comes with a five-speed manual gearbox as standard but can also be had with a five-speed Dualogic automatic transmission for another $2150.

Abarth says the 595 Scorpioneoro will sprint from zero to 100km/h in 7.3 seconds (7.4sec for the auto), before going on to a top speed of 218km/h.

Said to be inspired by the A112 Abarth ‘Gold Ring’ of 1979 – of which just 150 units were produced – the 595 Scorpioneoro brings a host of similar touches, including perhaps the most obvious exterior styling cue: gold 17-inch alloy wheels with scorpion centre caps.

A gold exterior trim line extends across the entirety of the gloss-black hatchback, while exclusive badging, a matte-black chequered flag roof, tinted windows, ‘Tar Cold Gray’ trim elements (door handles, mirror caps and bumpers) and a large scorpion emblem on the bonnet finish off the look.

Inside, new ‘Scorpionflage’ sports seats come trimmed in black leather, while the head restraints feature ‘scorpioneoro’ lettering. Elsewhere, the interior features a matte-black dash, as well as a numbered gold plaque on the centre console.

The Abarth 595 Scorpioneoro also features a premium Beats audio system, while carryover equipment includes a dual sports exhaust system, climate control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, navigation and LED daytime running lights (DRLs).

“Abarth collectors will relish the opportunity to get their hands on this attractive special edition Abarth 595 Scorpioneoro, an authentic representation of the brand’s racing heritage,” said Abarth Australia marketing director, Tom Noble.

“A spirited driver’s car with its manual transmission and punchy engine, we now have a visual guise that truly reflects the character of Abarth, complete with numbered golden heritage scorpion badging making it an authentic collectible for enthusiasts.”