Abarth has shown off its heated-up version of the new 600e electric crossover, a 240hp electric performance car that uses clever tech to put that power through the front wheels. Oh, and it's also Abarth's most powerful car ever.
Limited launch edition
The first version of the Abarth 600e will be a limited edition 'Scorpionissima', of which only 1,949 cars will be made - that number being a tribute to the year the Abarth company was originally founded.
Clearly, someone at Abarth is keen to prove that the 600e - a car best known for distinctly feminine-looking headlights in its original Fiat form - is a suitable machine for a high-performance conversion. The press release makes a lot of noise about the car's "evil essence" and its "nasty and muscular look."
For all that, the brand is keen to emphasise that the Abarth 600e will still be safe to drive, thanks to putting down that 240hp through a clever mechanical limited slip differential that: "Guarantees excellent driving stability, improved handling, and traction."
Trick front diff
It's not just the diff that will help the 600e put its power down - Abarth says that this car's tyres have been specifically developed with Hankook, which has a great deal of high-performance EV experience thanks to it being the official tyre supplier for Formula E racing.
The car in the photo, aside from its crossed-up-and-sideways look, gets a rather racy paint finish in Hypnotic Purple, which will be the official launch colour. There's also a massive rear spoiler, 20-inch alloy wheels (with bigger front brake discs than standard), and a specification that Abarth says means that it's: "Loaded with equipment."
"Made to leave the Brand's fans speechless, the Scorpionissima model is built around three main features: a design to reach maximum performance, a car structure to make it the most powerful Abarth ever, and a competitive spirit to attract motor's enthusiasts. Thanks to its loaded equipment, the New Abarth 600e will be able to thrill motorheads, giving them the possibility to drive safely without giving up on the nasty and muscular look of their car" said an Abarth spokesperson. "Abarth's goal - to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary - is once again achieved with the most challenging yet performing project developed in recent years. The new jewel in Abarth's house is a combination of knowledge, tradition, innovation, and performance coming from different expertise and partnerships."
Shorter range?
No word on range nor performance, but given that the standard 600e offers a range of 400km with a 156hp electric motor, we're going to assume that the Abarth version will be closer to 300km with all that grunt and those sticky tyres.
Currently, Abarth does not feature in the Irish market, but that may well change now that there's the opportunity to buy a practical five-door model, complete with zero-emissions. We'll update this piece with any Irish market information as we get it.