Fiat India is going to launch the Abarth 595 Competizione tomorrow. This performance-oriented version of the Fiat 500 hatchback will be imported into the country as a completely built unit (CBU), marking the foray of Abarth into the Indian market.
Though the Abarth 595 Competizione is visually identical the Fiat 500, a host of cosmetic upgrades and decals give it the distinct look of a hot hatch. The aggressive body kit, racy decals, special alloy wheels along with the iconic Abarth badges and stickers make it one of the coolest hatchbacks on sale. The Abarth 595 Competizione houses a 1.4-litre turbocharged T-Jet petrol engine under the bonnet, which puts out 158bhp and 230Nm of torque.
Fiat recently upgraded the Abarth 595 Competizione with a retuned version of the same engine which puts out 180bhp, though it is not yet confirmed whether this model will make it to the Indian shores. Though the Abarth 595 Competizione is globally offered with a five-speed manual gearbox, the one launched in India is expected to get an automatic transmission. The Abarth 595 Competizione gets a top-end Frequency Selective Dampers to aid the hatchback’s handling dynamics.
Being a CBU, the Fiat Abarth 595 Competizione will attract heavy custom duties, which means we can expect it to be priced around the Rs 25 lakh mark. It will compete with the only other premium performance hatchback in the country – the Mini Cooper S.
