New Abarth 695 Esseesse Collectors’ Edition: Top performance and handling

The Scorpio brand returns to make the hearts of the Abarthisti fandom flutter with a new ‘Collectors’ Edition’: the Abarth 695 Esseesse, a name that has its roots in the brand’s history, referring directly to its early days when the 1960s tuning kits made a fortune for Carlo Abarth, establishing him as the inventor of tuning for mass production cars.

Produced in a limited edition of only 1390 models, divided into 695 “Scorpion Black” and another 695 in “Campovolo Grey”, the Abarth 695 Esseesse is the new collectible edition dedicated to those seeking exclusivity, top performance and a racing soul.

In its creation, the team of Abarth engineers and designers drew inspiration from the 1964 model, the “Cinquino” tuned up as a 695 Esseesse with its displacement raised to 690 cc and 38 hp so it could achieve 140 km/h, designed for everyday use and as a sporty city car, but aimed at those who were seeking the best performance on everyday roads, and produced in only 1,000 units. In addition, the “mean little Scorpion” stood out for its distinctive badges with the monogram "SS" in capital letters on the bonnet and "esseesse", all in lower case on the dashboard. And it was immediately a success for fans of Italian sportiness.

In the design of the new Abarth 695 Esseesse, the goal was to improve performance further in terms of acceleration and handling. The research therefore drove at a reduction in weight, a different balance and attention to the aerodynamics. As well as marking out the new 695 Esseesse from an aesthetic point of view, the new doubly hunched aluminum bonnet reduces the weight by 25 per cent compared to a normal bonnet, and combined with the adoption of the Akrapovi exhaust and other targeted interventions, has reduced the car’s overall weight by 10kg compared to an Abarth 595 Competizione.

This distinctive feature is joined in the rear by the “Spoiler ad Assetto Variabile”. As well as marking out its style, all these elements have improved performance, for example: on the quarter-mile (400 m), the 695 Esseesse manages to reach the finish line 1/10th of a second faster than the Competizione version.

Top performance

Available in hatchback version only, the new Abarth 695 Esseesse immediately impresses with a new aluminum bonnet and rear spoiler that recall the world of racing and the Scorpion brand’s legendary history of racing. At full tilt (60°) and a speed of 200 km/h, the “Spoiler ad Assetto Variabile” – adjustable from 0 to 60° – provides for an increase in aerodynamic load to up to 42kg, resulting in improved stability on bends and greater responsiveness in mixed sections.

Combined with the aluminum bonnet, all this translates into a lower weight, improved performance on bends and an improvement in acceleration performance. In sum, the new Abarth 695 Esseesse “Collector's Edition” is the fastest in the line-up.

The aesthetic features of the exterior continue with a series of elements inspired by the past and present, making the 695 Esseesse decidedly exclusive, such as the white details on the front and rear DAM, mirror caps and side stickers.

Also white are the 17-inch rims with red hub caps, red Brembo calipers, 695 logo on the side and 695 Esseesse badge on the rear.