New Abarth 695 Esseesse: the new Scorpion limited edition

The Scorpion brand returns to make the hearts of the Abarth fans beat even faster with the new 695 Esseesse limited edition. A name with its roots set deep in the brand’s history, referring directly to its early days when the 1960s tuning kits made a name for Carlo Abarth, establishing him as the inventor of tuning for mass production cars. 

Produced in a limited edition of just 1,390 models, split equally by 695 in Scorpion black and 695 in Campovolo grey, the Abarth 695 Esseesse is the new collector’s edition dedicated to those seeking exclusivity, 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 690cc and 38hp so it could achieve 87mph. It was designed for everyday use and as a sporty city car, but aimed at those who were seeking the best performance on everyday roads. Immediately a success, it stood out for its distinctive monogram ‘SS’ in capital letters on the bonnet and ‘esseesse’ on the dashboard. Only 1,000 units were produced.

In the design of the new Abarth 695 Esseesse, the goal was to improve performance further in terms of acceleration and handling.

Available in hatchback form only, the new Abarth 695 Esseesse features a new dual-hunched aluminium bonnet that reduces weight by 25 per cent compared to a normal steel bonnet.  This new aluminium bonnet, together with the Akrapovič exhaust, reduces the car’s overall weight by 10kg compared to an Abarth 595 Competizione.

At the rear, a new spoiler is fitted that recalls the world of racing and the Scorpion brand’s legendary history. The angle of the spoiler is fully adjustable between zero to 60°. At its full angle (60°) and a speed of 124mph on track, the ‘Spoiler ad Assetto Variabile’ provides for an increase in aerodynamic load up to 42kg, resulting in improved stability and responsiveness. Thanks to these enhancements, the 695 Esseesse is now the fastest model in the line-up.

The exterior design merges the car’s past and present, with exclusive white details on the front and rear spoiler, mirror caps and side stickers, white 17-inch alloy wheels with red centre caps, red Brembo brake calipers, a 695 logo on the side and 695 Esseesse badge on the rear. Twin titanium Akrapovič tailpipes complete the look delivering pure emotion in sound both on the road and on the track.

Inside the new Abarth 695 Esseesse the Sabelt seats include the wording ‘one of 695’ on the headrest to mark its exclusivity. Each of the car’s two body colours matches the stitching on the seats, with red seat belts and the white rear shell. The customisation also continues on the Alcantara dashboard fascia, where the laser-cut wording ‘695 Esseesse’ stands out in the lower right corner. To emphasise its racing soul, carbon fibre adorns the gear lever and steering wheel inserts. 

The new 695 Esseesse is equipped with the powerful 1.4 T-jet engine mated to a manual transmission, delivering 180hp and 250Nm of torque at 3,000rpm, offering a top speed of 140mph (with the spoiler adjusted to 0°) and acceleration from zero to 62mph in just 6.7 seconds.

Demonstrating the commitment by Abarth to provide the best components for exemplary dynamics, Koni FSD shock absorbers are fitted all round together with four-piston red Brembo brake calipers in the front.

Finally, on the technology and connectivity front, the Abarth 695 Esseesse is equipped with the Uconnect infotainment system with satellite navigation, a 7-inch touchscreen with built-in Apple CarPlay and Android Auto™ and DAB digital radio.