Abarth Celebrates 70 Years Of History At The 2019 Geneva International Motor Show

February 25, 2019 by Abarth

•Debut of the new 595 esseesse and 124 Rally Tribute, paying homage to 70 years of Abarth

•The new Abarth 595 esseesse is inspired by the legendary Sixties tuning kit and the later Abarth 500 edition launched in 2009

•Limited edition Abarth 124 Rally Tribute celebrates the 2018 FIA R-GT Cup victory

At the 2019 Geneva International Motor Show, the Scorpion brand celebrates its 70th anniversary. Featured on this year's stand will be the new Abarth 595 esseesse and the Abarth 124 Rally Tribute limited edition, both authentic expressions of the brand's racing soul and its glorious past in motorsport.

The 595 esseesse is a homage to the legendary Sixties tuning kit, successfully reprised back in 2009 on the Abarth 500 while the 124 Rally Tribute, is an acknowledgement to the Abarth 124 rally, after an enormously successful season culminating in victory in the FIA R-GT Cup and the European Rally Championship in 2018.

New Abarth 595 esseesse

The stunning Abarth 595 esseesse is back, breathing new life into a name deeply rooted in the brand's history, when tuning kits designed to boost the performance of mass production cars made Karl Abarth's fortune as the inventor.

1964 saw the debut of the first Abarth 595 esseesse, tuned with the aid of a Solex 34 PBIC carburettor and a special intake manifold, cast in a single piece of light alloy with the valve cover, boosting its power to 32hp. On the outside, the car was recognisable by the rubber ties securing the bonnet instead of the usual lock and the enamelled Abarth logo. Inside, the 'mean little Scorpion' displayed distinctive badges, with the 'SS' monogram in capital letters on the bonnet and boot, and 'esseesse' in full on the dashboard. It was an immediate success with Italian sports car enthusiasts.

This success was repeated in 2009 by the 'esseesse' tuning kit for the Abarth 500, which appeared in 2008. The tuning increased the engine's power to 160hp and modified the suspension setup, with Eibach lowering springs, alongside a higher-powered braking system and other racing-inspired content.

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Today, 10 years later, the iconic 'esseesse' returns to the top of the Abarth range, and is equipped with the brand's most powerful 180hp engine. In the best Abarth tradition, this 595 is made truly special by standard equipment that provides an exciting driving experience, always accompanied by the unmistakable deep roar of the Abarth by Akrapovic exhaust system, which combines outstanding performance with an exciting sound.

The new Abarth 595 esseesse also features a high-performance Brembo front braking system, with perforated, ventilated front brake discs and oversize red brake calipers. The braking system is able to realign the brake pads with the disc's braking surface, for rapid heat dispersal and improved response when braking. The new Abarth 595 esseesse is identified by 17-inch Supersport alloy wheels with a new Racing White finish, Abarth side stripes, mirror caps and matching front and rear DAM.

Also standard is an air filter 'by BMC', providing better intake air flow capacity with obvious benefits for engine combustion quality, power output and performance. The new Abarth 595 esseesse's equipment is completed by Koni FSD (Frequency Selective Damping) rear suspension. The 595 includes navigation with the 7-inch Uconnect HD touchscreen system, including Abarth Telemetry, Apple CarPlay support and Android AutoTM compatibility* as standard.

*Android Auto, Google Play and Google Maps are trademarks of Google LLC.

Apple CarPlay is a registered trademark of Apple Inc.

The Abarth 595 esseesse's racing personality is clearly expressed by 'Sabelt 70' sports seats with carbon rear shell, and the carbon pedals. What's more, a whole new range of Sabelt seats is now available on the 595, marking Abarth's 70th birthday with the number 70 embroidered on the cover. These seats are even further improved in their shapes, inserts and padding, for an even more intense driving experience.

This new Abarth features the 'esseesse' badge which, together with the '70th anniversary' logo, makes this sports car truly unique and exclusive. Full UK specification will be released in the coming weeks.

Abarth 124 Rally Tribute

The Geneva show hosts the global debut of the new Abarth 124 Rally Tribute, celebrating the '124 rally' racing car's triumph in the 2018 FIA R-GT Cup, as well as 40 class victories in the 12 national championships in which it competed.

Produced in a limited edition of just 124 cars and not destined for the UK, the new Abarth 124 Rally includes as standard, a commemorative badge on the mudguards and inside the cockpit, as well as a numbered metal plaque. The exclusive stylistic characterisation and generous standard equipment transform this car into an emblem of the brand's core values: performance, craftsman-like care and technical excellence.

The new Abarth 124 Rally Tribute is available in two bodywork colours, Costa Brava Red and Turini White, both combined with matte black bonnet, a reference to the historic Abarth 124 Rally. In addition, the mirror caps and DAM are in gunmetal grey with Costa Brava Red livery, or Racing Red with Turini White paintwork.

Lifestyle

Abarth will present its new licensing collaboration projects, which evoke the brand's values and pay homage to the Scorpion's 70th anniversary. The two new products on show at the Geneva Motor Show were created especially to mark the 70th anniversary of the Abarth brand: A titan chronograph watch by Breil, with unmistakable Abarth band and the iconic celebratory Scorpion emblem. The new Ixoost HIFI audio system with integrated Bluetooth™ amplifier connected to the replica of the famous Record Monza exhaust, will also be on display.

For more information on the Abarth range visit www.abarthcars.co.uk or to find your nearest retailer visit www.abarthcars.co.uk/find-a-retailer.