First launched at the
Paris Motor Show last autumn and demonstrated at the
Goodwood Festival of Speed last weekend, the esseesse
conversion kit for the Abarth Punto Evo has now arrived
in the Scorpion's UK showrooms to give the sports model an extra performance
step.The
performance kit, which increases the 1.4-litre
turbocharged engine’s power to 180bhp and adds other
technical and cosmetic equipment, can be specified when
a customer orders their car, or can be undertaken later
– as long as it’s within 12 months or 12,500 miles and
carried out by an Abarth appointed dealership.
The engine’s
Electronic Control Unit (ECU) is upgraded so that, along
with its Garrett GT1446 fixed-geometry turbo, the
1.4-litre turbo unit produces 180bhp at 5750rpm. These
modifications give the Abarth Punto Evo esseesse
a 0-62 mph acceleration time of 7.5 seconds and a top
speed of 134 mph.
Stopping power is
supplied by disc brakes all round (fully floating
self-ventilated at the front, cross drilled at the
rear), complete with Brembo M4x40 front callipers.
Uprated Abarth springs and Koni FSD dampers are fitted
front and rear, which results in a lower ride height. A
six-speed manual gearbox provides the transmission, and
the car features Abarth’s switch to transfer from
‘Normal’ driving mode to ‘Sport’.
Even though this
upgrade relies heavily on modern technology, the
esseesse kit stays loyal to Abarth by being
delivered to customers in a high quality wooden crate.
Once its contents have been emptied the crate then
becomes the property of the customer as an interesting
memento.
The extra performance
is not to the detriment of the environment. The Abarth
Punto Evo esseesse is Euro 5-compliant and
comes as standard with the Start&Stop system, MultiAir
technology and a Gear Shift Indicator (GSI). It returns
47.1 mpg economy on the combined cycle and has a CO2
figure of 142 g/km.
“The Abarth Punto Evo
already has a winning combination of great looks,
technology and high performance,” says Ivan Gibson, head
of Abarth in the UK. “Now the esseesse
conversion will take it to an extra level for customers
wishing to realise their car’s full potential.”
The esseesse
kit in the UK adds around £3,000 to the cost of a
standard Abarth Punto Evo (UK price of £16,852
on-the-road); the figure varying slightly depending on
different regions’ labour costs.
