Abarth presents the 595 '50th Anniversary', the most powerful Abarth 595 ever.

In the 1960s the 595 proved an immediate success thanks to its extraordinary performance, unusual for such a small car, and became the brand's 'icon'. A history of records broken, victories and passionate people who have bolstered the legend of a car that represents the essence of the brand, expressed in four values: 'size' (it is the smallest supercar), 'shape' (Abarth is the 595 and the 595 is Abarth: all the Abarths in the collective imagination are white with a red band, like the 595), 'speed' (it is a racing car boasting record-breaking performance) and 'spirit' (it is not vintage, but rather contemporary history).

The presentation of the Special Edition also becomes an opportunity to celebrate the brand. The 595 '50th Anniversary' is the car that opens up a new era for the Abarth brand. After 1949, the year it was founded, and 2007, the year it was revived, the two-year period of 2013-2014 presents itself as a decisive step for the Abarth brand that precisely with this car once again demonstrates its outstanding ability to look to the future without betraying its past. So new horizons are opening up for the Abarth brand that from the very beginning showed itself to its public as a brand able to renew itself constantly, accepting and overcoming challenges often considered impossible.

The commemorative car will be produced in only 299 exclusive units. The livery, a modern reinterpretation of the original; the colour; the historical Abarth logos; and the original 'Fiat Abarth 595' graphics, all handmade by the best customisation artists at Officine Abarth in Turin, give the car individuality and character to turn it into a 'contemporary icon'.

Exhilarating performance

Exclusivity that starts from performance, guaranteed by the experience of the technicians involved.

The 180 HP 1.4 T-Jet engine - combined with the 'Abarth Competizione' gearbox - make the Abarth 595 '50th Anniversary' the most powerful 595 ever produced.

Performance is also guaranteed by performance tyres mounted on 17'' alloy wheels with 695 Magnesio Grey design embellished by an aggressive red liner. The setup and braking system have also been further strengthened: Brembo 305 mm floating brake discs that can be dismantled with fixed four-piston caliper and special shock absorbers that guarantee performance in total safety. And of course there is a 'Record Monza' variable back-pressure 'dual mode' exhaust, designed to improve engine performance and deliver an inspiring sound over 3,000 rpm. Performance is a state of mind.

Specific exteriors: a tribute to the historical 595

The style of the exteriors uses the historical features of the 595 without betraying its original spirit.

The historical logos on the car are a tribute to the original and are made with the exclusivity and attention to detail typical of Officine Abarth. The matt three-layer white paintwork, a contemporary reinterpretation of the 1963 model, and the graphics are ensured by the traditional handcrafting machining and finishing processes.

The new Abarth adopts Xenon headlights with dipped and driving light functions for improved light emission and excellent performance in all weather conditions. These devices deliver three times the light intensity and duration of standard halogen lamp headlights. The sun roof completes the tribute to the original car.

Attention to detail and sportiness for its interiors

The interiors are just as personalised and demonstrate the attention to detail and the sporting style of the exclusive 595 50th Anniversary. The red leather sports seats with white inserts and red stitching, combined with the dashboard, are a modern re-interpretation of those of the original car.

The historical logo adorns both the black leather steering wheel with red inserts and finder and the kick plate, giving the car a timeless modernity.

Specific communication plan for digital, TV and social channels

Celebration of the 595's anniversary is supported by a series of commercial activities across the Abarth range and by an extremely digital communication plan which revolves around the new commercial: the essence of the Abarth brand concentrated in 5.95 seconds through an evocative and epic slow motion.

As usual, in the centre of everything is the car - the absolute star of the video - and its performance. That is because according to Abarth, 'Performance is a state of mind'.

The communication also goes through the channels more customary for the brand with the organisation of the first digital 'rally' (where at least virtual 595 Abarth cars will be involved) and the most numerous anniversary ever, also celebrated with a fun App for iPhone, iPad, Android and Facebook through which Abarth fans can 'play' their favourite tunes substituting the musical notes with the powerful sounds of the engines of the Abarth cars. True fans will be unable to say no to playing 'Happy Birthday' to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 595. There will also be events celebrating the important anniversary.

Dedicated extension merchandising and accessories line

In accordance with the tradition of Abarth Special Editions, the already extensive equipment of the Abarth 595 '50th Anniversary' is enlarged with an extension merchandising and accessories line designed to enhance the experience of the brand both on board and outside the car, as dictated by the DNA of the Abarth brand. It is not just about cars, but is a real philosophy of life. Together with other important partners in their reference sectors, Abarth has developed specific products, presently in the manufacturing stage, such as the watch with the exclusive BRM brand, sunglasses made in collaboration with Italian Independent, a symbol of Italian style and cutting-edge technology, leather briefcases that are the result of the craftsmanship of the Tramontano workshop of Naples, the BBR models and a bicycle that will be made with a partner of excellence.

All products are manufactured in limited editions to reinforce the concept of exclusivity and craftsmanship at the core of this project.

by Fiat

With more than four million produced during its twenty-year production run, the tiny Fiat 500 was something to behold. Easy to spot by its rounded egg-like body, the Fiat 500 filled a need for utilitarian transportation for the Italian masses when it was introduced in 1957. The post-war European market needed an affordable option, and the rear-engined Fiat 500 was just the solution. The rear-engine design was taken from the Volkswagen Beetle and proved popular enough to be adopted by several other carmakers.

The designer behind the 500 was Dante Giacosa, who was famed for being one of the greatest designers in Fiat's history who not only dealt with the car design but also had a big hand in the engineering. A cheap and practical town car, the Nuova (new) 500 was debuted in July 1957 and is considered one of the first city cars and lasted until 1960. Giacosa was extremely motivated to construct a car that packed more into a smaller space and he did this by making the engine mount at the rear side. It featured a smaller two-cylinder engine than all newer models and produced just 13 bhp. The Nuova featured a fabric roof that folded entirely back to the rear of the car, similar to the Citroën 2CV. It was one of three models that came with 'suicide doors'. A stylish Sport version of the Nuova came with a special red stripe and more power in the engine.

With kart-like handling, the four-seat 500 was powered by an air-cooled 479cc flat twin, which eventually was boosted to 499cc that gave 18 bhp. With a top speed of 55mph, the 500 was an incredibly popular and practical vehicle of choice throughout Europe. Weighing at only 1,100 pounds, the 500 had a wheelbase of 72.4 inches, a length of 116.9 inches, and a height of 52.0 inches. The 500 had a Cx (aerodynamic resistance coefficient) of 0,38, which was quite impressive for the era.

The 'D' replaced the original Nuova in 1960. Similar in appearances to the car it replaced, two differences set the models apart: the engine size and the roof. The D came with an uprated 499 cc engine that produced 17 hp as standard and continued to be used until the end of the L in 1973. The roof for the D didn't fold back as far as the Nuova, but it that earlier roof was available as the 'Transformable'. The D also came with 'suicide doors'. Torino Motors assembled the 500D in New Zealand and it was locally dubbed the 'Fiat Bambina'.

The 500 was offered as the 'Giardiniera' station wagon variant in addition to the two-door coupe in 1960 until 1975. The wagon had the standard engine laid on its side, an additional 10 cm wheelbase that made room for a useable rear seat, larger brakes, and a full-length sunroof. Called the K or Giardiniera, the estate version of the Fiat 500 is the longest-running model. To create a flat loading surface, the engine was laid under the floor of the trunk. The roof stretches all the way to the rear and didn't stop at the driver and front passenger like other models of the time. The K came with 'suicide doors', and unlike other models, it continued to carry these doors into the 1970s. Production moved to Desio in 1966 and the Giardiniera was constructed by Fiat subsidiary Autobianchi. Production of the Giardiniera tallied at 327,000 which later examples featuring Autobianchi rather than Fiat badging.

The Fiat 500 F or Berlina was produced from 1965 until 1973 and spans two periods of 500 production, the D and the L. Because of the two production periods, the F model is very easily confused and misidentified. The F sported the same badging as the D from 1965 until 1969, but the two models can be easily told apart by the positioning of their door hinges. The F produced from June 1965 finally featured front-hinged doors while the D has 'suicide doors'. From '69 until '72 the F was sold next to the Lusso models as the less expensive 'base model' version. There wasn't much mechanically different from the F and L, but the main differences lay in the bumpers and the interior. The L had an extra chrome nudge bar, and the inside of the L featured a fresher updated look while the F interior didn't change from the original 1957 design.

Introduced in 1968 was the L or Lusso 500 model. It featured a modern interior that included a revamped dashboard and paid special attention to comfort and style for the passenger. The 500 L was produced until 1972.

The final version of the 500 was the R or Rinnovata version. The R model sported a larger 594 cc engine that was designed by Abarth with a more practical power rating of 23 bhp and a full synchromesh gearbox. This final model was much more comfortable than the previous version yet was more simply equipped and trimmed than before. The fuel gauge was removed and only the low fuel indicator was left.

Several custom models of the 500 were produced, including the 'Jolly' version by Carrozzeria Ghia with inspiration taken from the very exclusive Fiat 600 Jolly. The Jolly came with wicker seats, a chopped-roof, no doors, and usually seen with a canopy roof.

Showing that they had a lot of muscle behind their compact frame, seven Fiat 500s contested the first and only Liège-Brescia-Liège Rally in July of 1958. They were beaten by Messerschmitt TG500 and the Berkeley SE492s, but the little Italian cars show their rugged side and proved they were capable of incredible durability. Reputed to be the smallest car to complete a world circumnavigation, a 1969 Fiat 500 traveled 32,000 road kilometers in less than 100 days. In 2005, a 1973 500 took a 16,000 km trip traveling through Russia for a 100-day journey. Its progress was documented by newspaper and television stations worldwide and eventually a book entitled La bizzarra impresa ('The bizarre exploit') was published about the trip. In 2007 this same car became the first Fiat 500 to reach the Sahara dunes was taken around the Mediterranean Sea for over 10,000 kilometers.

The Fiat 500 was produced from 1957 until 1975 and was replaced with the Fiat 126. The 500 R was sold alongside the 126 for two years before the 500 was retired. More than 3.6 million Fiat 500 cars were sold during its lifetime and at the end, the production had been outsourced to a Polish company called FSM. The 126 never reached the same popularity as its predecessor in Italy. In March of 2007, Fiat debuted the all-new 500 model, based on the '04 Fiat Trepiuno concept. Its arrival coincided with fifty years since the original 500. The new 500 is also dubbed the bambino and competes with the Mini Cooper and the Volkswagen Beetle.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_500

http://www.vihti500.info/history-of-fiat500.php

http://www.fiat500america.com/fiat500-history/

by Jessican Donaldson