Abarth 595 Monster Energy Yamaha – A R469,900 pocket rocket

Abarth has unveiled a 2,000-unit, special-edition Monster Energy Yamaha 595 – which packs a healthy amount of power into a compact chassis.

The company also unveiled new Abarth 595 Turismo and Abarth 595 Competizione models, which sit below the Yamaha-branded model in terms of price.

“The Abarth 595 offers as standard all the equipment needed to guarantee the fun and driving enjoyment associated with Abarth, including a flat-bottomed steering wheel, updated instrument panel, and the pressure gauge now lit in white to ensure better legibility,” said Abarth.

The company added that Sport mode on the car has been renamed Scorpion mode.

Activating this mode alters peak torque delivery, power steering calibration, and engine response to the accelerator pedal – making them sharper and increasing driver engagement.

“The 595 is therefore equipped with a high-performance braking system specific to Abarth, providing maximum safety courtesy of the 284mm front discs and the 240mm rear discs.”

Interior and exterior

Inside and outside the Abarth 595’s cabin sits a range of upmarket elements and technology.

The Turismo model features diamond-embossed leather seats – available in a number of colour options, including the new heritage brown.

The Competizione features a new rally blue paint option and new 17-inch alloy wheels – which pay homage to the Lancia Delta Rally Integrale.

A new dashboard covered in Alcantara can also be found, alongside new leather seats and a gear lever in carbon fibre.

“The new 595 range is equipped as standard with the Uconnect system with a 7-inch high-definition touchscreen radio and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility,” said the company.

Abarth has then made the Monster Energy Yamaha model stand out with special paint colours and branding, Abarth sports seats with Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP branding, and a plaque identifying which unit out of the 2,000 the car is.

Power

Powering the Abarth 595 Monster Energy Yamaha is a 1.4-litre, “T-jet” engine.

This motor produces 117kW – which is less than the Turismo and Competizione alternatives on offer.

The Abarth 595 Turismo and Competizione are also equipped with the 1.4-litre T-jet engine, with power outputs at 121kW and 132kW, respectively.

“All variants of the 1.4 T-jet engine are paired with a six-speed manual transmission, and both the Turismo and Competizione can be fitted on request with an Abarth robotised sequential transmission,” said the company.