Abarth has built up a brilliant reputation for putting the ‘fun’ back into hot hatches.
These baby sports cars might not be at the cutting edge of tech, but what they’re guaranteed to do is bring a smile to your face.
And nowhere shows this better than a hillclimb – literally the art of driving a car as quickly as possible. But the hillclimb at our disposal is no ordinary one, in fact it’s the oldest unchanged motorsport venue in the UK – Shelsley Walsh.
Nestled in a lovely isolated part of Worcestershire, this 1,000-yard stretch of tarmac has been in almost constant operation as a motorsport ground since 1905 – the only exceptions being the two world wars.
But today it’s ours, as we learn the art of hillclimbing. The day begins as we learn the lines of the hill by walking up it – emphasising the steepness of this drizzle of tarmac. It also highlights the ferocity of it. Unlike a normal track, you have no grass run-off, but rather a steep wall at one side, and at the other, a rather significant drop. It’s intimidating to say the least.
As we return by foot to the paddock of the hill, the line-up of Abarths awaits us. In a variety of different shades and guises, including the rare 695 70th Anniversary model painted in the cool Monza Green 1958 shade.
But our steed for the day is a 595 Esseesse – the most track-ready of the 595 line-up and without a doubt the best-suited to hillclimbing. That’s as it gains a mechanical limited-slip differential, sports suspension and a beefier braking system, as well as a raucous Akrapovic exhaust to add to the package.
All Abarths use a turbocharged 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine, and in Esseesse form it produces 177bhp and 250Nm of torque. That means a 0-60mph time of 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 140mph. But really, Abarths are not about all-out performance, but the drama and fun that they offer.
As we turn the key, the 595 and its exhaust kick into life – crackling and popping even before you touch the throttle, and the tension immediately hits. There are six Abarths going up the hill and we’re at the back, so the suspense is immense, as is the dread of forgetting everything the instructors have just taught us.
There are only really six corners on the track, and it’s not until the fifth that you actually need to brake, either.
Our first run is still about learning the course (that’s what we tell ourselves anyway), so it’s a rather leisurely 46.17 seconds. Our instructor tells us once we’ve returned to the paddock that we’re braking too early – said to be the most common mistake up Shelsley.
Not to worry, though, as we have another five runs to go. And thankfully the next is much better as the lines become clearer and knowing where to turn in happens more naturally. The result is almost three seconds shaved off the time. A result.
The next three times are also quicker, with 42.76, 41.9 and 42.03 recorded, respectively. Yet we’re still not particularly satisfied with a run yet, and it’s the start that’s proven problematic. Given the marshalls put what’s known as a chock – essentially a bit of wood – underneath the back tyre, it’s impossible to stall, but they’ve all been a bit slow off the mark. Thankfully the last run is an improvement, and as the lights go green, the front wheels spin and off we go with far more urgency than the previous runs.
Aside from going a bit wide on one corner (thankfully not wide enough to go off the tarmac), it feels pretty good, and the result is a 41.16-second time. We’ll take that!
As the Abarths return to the paddock, it’s time to reflect on what has been an especially fun day. These little hot hatches have put up with some brutal abuse but have performed brilliantly.
If there is anywhere that shows an Abarth at its finest, a hillclimb is exactly it.
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