Abarth 695 Biposto: A Racing Fiat 500 for the Streets!

This week at Geneva, Fiat presented "The Fastest Road-going Abarth" ever produced. Named 695 Biposto, this car is the spiritual successor to the original Abarth 695, unveiled 50 years earlier, also in Geneva.

Tipping the scales at 997 kilograms and pushing 190 horsepower to the front wheels, the 695 Biposto boasts the best power/weight ratio (5.2 kg/hp) of the category, and also the fastest 0-100 km/h time (5.9 seconds). Some modifications that needed to be done in order to extract so much performance from the little 1.4 liter engine: a front-mounted intercooler, an Akrapovic exhaust, and a complete tuning of the ECU. The little Fiat also sports Extreme Shox dampers, Sabelt racing seats, a complete set of brakes courtesy of Brembo, and 18 inch OZ wheels.

• Also: 2013 Fiat 500c Abarth: Fiesty and Fun
• Also: 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth : Coupe and Convertible versions

The Biposto is closely related to the 695 Assetto Corse, which is not street legal. A lot of racecar tech therefore made its way down to the new version: rear seat delete to make room for a rollcage, no xenon headlights and no fog lights (too heavy), no climate control, no radio and no electric windows. No windows at all, in fact. The "glass" is actually made of polycarbonate, and is completely fixed. Only a small slot opens, for a minimum amount of circulation. Another competition-inspired feature is the manual transmission with straight-cut dog gears. Very efficient on a track and allowing quick shifts, this gearbox is not easy to use, and is definitely not designed to be used in traffic!

There is no information yet on pricing (or on an eventual North American distribution), but don’t hold your breath on this one… With the exhaust alone, I doubt it would pass our strict laws.