2017 Abarth 595 Pista debuts at Geneva Auto Show

A small but terrible one. Fiat’s performance division may not have one of the most eye-catching cars at the exhibit stands, but the latest racy compact vehicle would be a surefire hit for fans of the Fiat500.

Dubbed as the 595 Pista (or race track in Italian), Abarth’s special edition model will be the newest addition to the brand’s ongoing 595, 595 Turismo and the more powerful 595 Competizione lineup.

Although the new Abarth 595 Pista is basically the upgraded form of the standard Fiat 500 model, the most interesting part has nothing to do with what lies under the hood. in which case, it features the same 1.4-liter T-Jet engine as that of a standard US-specified Abarth 500.

Since it packs the same engine specs as the regular Abarth 500, it also has the capacity to deliver up to 160hp and 170 lb-ft of torque. This allows the Pista to accelerate from 0-62 mph (100km/h) in 7.3 seconds while reaching a top speed of 134mph.

Nevertheless, Fiat 500’s performance oriented version has been added with better features inside and out such as Abarth’s on-board telemetry system, Abarth Record Monza exhaust and new set of matte black 17-inch alloy wheels. It also features the renowned Koni rear suspension and brake calipers either in red, yellow or black.

Aside from offering a choice between manual or sequential gearboxes, customers can also select the color for the front bumper inserts to complement any of the 595 Pista’s five exterior colors. Among the choices of colors are Scorpione Black, Record Grey, Abarth Red, Gara White and Campovolo Grey. Other options include LED lighting technology and Sky Dome electric glass sunroof.

Inside, the new Abarth comes with the latest 6-speaker Infotainment system with a 7-inch TFT color screen, Uconnect, TomTomLive satellite navigation and DAB radio. Moreover, it is offered with a choice between leather and cloth interior trims to go with its leather wrapped steering wheel and dash board fascia in matt grey finish.

In celebration with its partnership with MotoGP racing, the new Abarth 595 Pista will be presented together with the new XSR900 motorcycle and Yamaha 695 XSR Limited Edition during the premiere. The 695 XSR comes with Brembo brakes, Koni rear shocks, Eibach springs, Akrapovic exhaust and 17-inch matte black Supersport alloys.

To go along with its new offering, customers can also upgrade to a more potent 165hp as compared with the 595 Pista model’s 160hp output. Abarth will only be offering a total of 695 units for the limited edition hatchback and 695 units for the convertible. Catch the 2017 Abarth 595 Pista and Yamaha 695 XSR at this year’s 2017 Geneva Motor Show.