autos

Abarth 695C Rivale is a fashion statement with race-tuned suspension and metallic pedals


MOST readers will know all about Instagram – the social media platform on which annoyingly attractive types pose for selfies on beaches with the sole purpose of making anyone who looks feel inadequate.

You can tell I’m not a fan. In fact, I sometimes wonder how these people earn a living.

 Abarth 695C Rivale feels a bit odd in drizzly England and our reviewer thinks it's the perfect fashion statement
Abarth 695C Rivale feels a bit odd in drizzly England and our reviewer thinks it’s the perfect fashion statement

Then something like the Abarth 695C Rivale comes along and all becomes clear.

There is no doubt about it – only a social media “influencer” could have dreamed up this Fiat 500/Abarth/Riva Yacht limited-edition mash-up.

It is essentially an Abarth 595 – in turn, a furious Fiat 500 – that has had its roof chopped off and a heap of nautical knick-knacks thrown into the mix.

The paint, apparently selected by Italian luxury yacht maker Riva, is a two-tone grey and blue with an aquamarine pinstripe running through it.

 Abarth 695C Rivale's race-tuned suspension is very firm and the Brembo braking system seems a tad overkill for what is basically a fashion statement to impress folk at the boat club
Abarth 695C Rivale’s race-tuned suspension is very firm and the Brembo braking system seems a tad overkill for what is basically a fashion statement to impress folk at the boat club

The interior, meanwhile, is festooned with the sort of hard-wearing blue leather found mainly on high-end speedboats.

In certain specifications, many of the interior surfaces are covered in slabs of polished wood.

And there are further reminders of the Italian boat-maker, via some shiny chrome badging inside and out.

It is a garish combination. Even weirder is the potent turbocharger, which sees the 1.4-litre petrol engine develop 178bhp, and the hugely anti-social Akrapovic exhaust system.

Even with Sports Mode disengaged, this thing sounds more like a gaseous tugboat than an elegant wooden watercraft.

Key facts: Abarth 695C Rivale

  • Price: From £24,819
  • Engine: 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol
  • 0-62mph: 6.9 seconds
  • Top speed: 140mph
  • Economy: 47.1mpg (combined)
  • CO2: 139g/km

The race-tuned suspension is very firm and the Brembo braking system seems a tad overkill for what is basically a fashion statement to impress folk at the boat club. But let’s not get too negative here. Because this can be a hell of a giggle.

The metallic pedals are positioned in a way that make the odd bit of heel-toe action really simple, while the silly exhaust lets off hilarious noises.

It probably makes sense in the South of France. But in drizzly old England, it felt a bit odd.

Whether it is worth the £25,000 asking price is up to you.

But then, money doesn’t matter to those getting paid to take selfies. Does it?

Can you name all the famous movie cars in this action-packed Walmart TV ad? Test your big screen knowledge



 





READ SOURCE

Leave a Reply

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies.