New Abarth F595: Formula 4 technology and tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Formula Italia single-seater designed by Carlo Abarth.
Direct from the racetracks of Europe comes the roar of the new Abarth F595, the new special series – fitted with an F.4 engine – dedicated to the youngest fans of the Scorpion brand. “Champing at the bit” under the bonnet are the 165 horsepower of the high-performance 1.4-liter Euro 6D-Final-compliant T-jet engine, the basis for the engine in the Tatuus single-seaters used in the Italian and German “F.4 Championships Powered by Abarth Certified by FIA”. The “F” in the name is intended as a tribute to Formula 4, for which Abarth is the exclusive engine supplier and acts as the Title Sponsor. A successful format created as a training ground for young drivers, talents from karting and the professionals of the future, inspired by the legendary “Formula Italia”, established in 1971 with the same philosophy: to provide young drivers with low-cost access to the world of open-wheeled single-seater cars.
The new F595 is a concentration of racing design cues, and was created to appeal to younger customers who expect maximum performance and fun from their cars, fans of technology and those seeking the latest infotainment features.
165 hp of sheer adrenaline "powered" by the supercharged Garrett turbocompressor
Outstanding performance and reliability are the main features of the 165-hp 1.4-liter Euro 6D-Final-compliant T-jet engine, fitted with the supercharged Garrett turbocompressor with a geometric compression ratio of 9:1. At the same pressure, this architecture optimizes the temperature in the combustion chamber and enables the peak torque of 230 Nm already available at 2,250 rpm, while the power is delivered to the upper part of the rev counter. This results in advantages in terms of top speed – 218 km/h – and most of all improves restart: in 5th, the new Abarth F595 accelerates from 80 to 120 km/h in 7.8 seconds. The engine is paired with manual transmission, but can be fitted on demand with 5-speed automatic transmission with shift paddles on the steering wheel. The upshot: acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds with the manual transmission and in 7.4 seconds with the sequential automatic variant.
New “Record Monza Sovrapposto” exhaust with vertical terminals, with a new design
The bold Abarth F595 offers the iconic Record Monza exhaust, now evolved into a new configuration with four terminals – 2 each side, stacked vertically.
The roar is always unmistakable, the same one that has accompanied generations of the Abarthisti fandom and has long been synonymous with power and performance. The active exhaust valve is controlled by pressing the “Scorpion” button on the dashboard. The driver can therefore choose between a “gentleman driver” sound a darker, bolder, typically Abarth roar, all at their fingertips. The result is pure music, a powerful and assertive sound, made possible by the ideal combination of technology and design.
Racing, even in the design cues
Available in hatchback and convertible versions, the new Abarth F595 is embellished with Rally Blue design cues, as seen in the rearview mirror caps and the front and rear DAM. The sporty look is further enhanced by the Sport 17” matt black alloy wheels, the “F595” identification badge on the rear and the fog lamps, included as standard.
The same boldness can be found in the interior: the leather steering wheel and meticulously finished Abarth sports seats – Sabelt seats in sheer racing style are available on demand – embellish a decidedly sporty environment completed by certain design cues in black, such as the new infotainment display frame and the new matt black dashboard.
The new Rally Blue design cues will be available in combination with the following colors: Race White, Campovolo Grey, Track Grey, Scorpion Black, Record Grey and Tarmac Grey.
Technical specifications as standard for maximum driving pleasure, safety and connectivity
On the new F595, all the technical specifications required to ensure the fun and driving pleasure characteristic of Scorpion cars come as standard. These include Koni rear suspension with Frequency Selective Damping (FSD) technology, to improve performance, ensure perfect road holding and simultaneously improve handling and stability, all in complete safety.
The “Scorpion mode” selector on the dashboard acts on peak torque delivery, power steering calibration and engine response to the accelerator pedal, making them more responsive.
The Abarth-designed braking system provides an optimal response and improved safety, consisting of 284-mm front and 240-mm rear ventilating discs.
Last but not least, to appeal to younger fans of technology, not to be missed was the best of connectivity: the F595 is equipped with the 7” HD Uconnect™ system with DAB radio, built-in Apple CarPlay and Android Auto™ compatibility as standard.
F.4 in Italy and Germany: Abarth on track to develop the drivers of the future
Numbers are constantly rising for the single-seater series with Abarth engines that have seen an average of over 28 drivers per race, with a maximum of 34 cars on the track. For the Italian F.4 Championship Powered by Abarth, the 2021 season is the 8th with a chassis-engine package praised by all insiders, so much so it has been selected in multiple national Formula 4 series, including Germany’s ADAC F4 series, the 7th edition is taking place in 2021. Established in 2014, based on an idea of FIA President Jean Todt’s, Formula 4 selected Abarth as the technical partner to supply its engines. Courtesy of its great weight-to-power ratio, the powerful and reliable 1.4-liter, 160-hp Abarth Turbo engine fitted to the Tatuus single-seaters guarantees high performance (a maximum speed of 240 km/h; 0-100 km/h acceleration in around 5 seconds). Its renowned reliability also means the cost of a season in terms of the teams and drivers can be kept under control. It therefore meets the FIA requirement of training for the Formula class drivers of the future, and is sustainably so thanks to the lower cost per season, in line with the FIA’s and Abarth’s values of developing young talents. Since 2014, more than 350 drivers have taken to the track to prove their mettle. In some cases, they have reached the summit of their specialism, for example Lance Stroll, the first winner of the Italian F4 Championship powered by Abarth in 2014, who is now a Formula 1 driver. Germany’s Mick Schumacher, son of former Ferrari driver Michael, also raced in F.4 in 2016 and won the Formula 2 World Championship in 2020.
The establishment 50 years ago of “Formula Italia”
In 1971 the Italian Automotive Sports Commission (CSAI) collaborated with the Fiat brand on the establishment of a new championship reserved for young Italian drivers, aimed at democratizing motorsport by proposing a single-seater identical for all and at a low cost. In August that year, the Abarth brand – merged into Fiat in the meantime – therefore built the first prototype designed by Mario Colucci under the supervision of Carlo Abarth and named it the Abarth SE025. Fitted with the 4-cylinder, 1.6-liter Fiat engine with a twin overhead camshaft, the same as in the Fiat 124 Sport, the single-seater had a highly durable steel tube frame, complete with built-in roll bar. All the components were chosen by Carlo Abarth and were taken from mass-production Fiat, Lancia and Abarth cars. One of the earliest testers worthy of mention was the renowned Arturo Merzario. Formula Italia was an immediate success: demand was so great that the first deliveries were only made in mid-May 1972. It made its racing debut on June 29th, 1972, on the Monza circuit, where Paolo Bozzetto came in victorious. Until 1979, many young drivers took to the track and some of them made it to the Formula 1 World Championship, including Bruno Giacomelli, Riccardo Patrese, Siegfried Stohr and Piercarlo Ghinzani.