Abarth 500 Esseesse

After years in the wilderness, Italian brand Abarth is back in the business of building fun and frenetic small cars. This is the second scorpion-badged model to feature in our Performance Car of the Year showdown in as many years. And if you think the standard Abarth 500 is somewhat lacking under the bonnet, then the hot Esseesse model should provide the answer.

As the car has a lower kerbweight than its Alfa Romeo MiTo stablemate, the turbocharged engine feels even more urgent. This wasn’t enough to stop the baby powerhouse coming bottom of our time sheets at the Anglesey track, though, and the 500 trailed the less powerful but more dynamically polished Fiesta Mountune.

It makes up for this with one of the most characterful driving experiences around. The sporty cabin and boy-racer looks are perfectly in keeping with its feisty chassis. From the high-set driving position, the Abarth doesn’t immediately inspire confidence, but body roll is restricted by the stiffer Esseesse suspension package and the little 500 is very agile. The flagship also features cross-drilled brakes, which provide superb stopping power.

Inside, there are hints of the car’s potential everywhere you look, with sports seats, a thick-rimmed steering wheel and a quirky pod-style boost gauge for the turbocharger. Press the dash-mounted sport button and both throttle and steering responses are sharpened, although the steering would benefit from more feedback.

Hit the road, and the Abarth gets almost as much attention as the cars at the top of our list. With racy anthracite wheels, twin tailpipes, bright white bodywork, sporty decals and an aggressive bodykit, it punches above its weight for kerb appeal. Its ultra-firm suspension compromises ride comfort, but few small cars offer so much flash for your cash.

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