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So, I ran a couple of shatty little Smart Cars through my business for a while and used one myself for the 7 mile commute and nipping about to clients.

Although completely free, to be honest I got thoroughly narked off with the thing, it generated much parking envy, it also generated much bullying and aggression from other higher beings on the road.

So it was due to go back from its contract hire in August but I couldn't stick it out any longer so I sent it back early. Mainly because a friend of mine introduced me to Abarth's, I went to test drive one and bloody hell what a hoot to drive! I drove the Esseesse on test but it lacked grunt. Then the dealer in Leeds told me they had a Competizione coming in with all the options ticked and a rare interior, after haggling on the contract terms and stealing it because it was end of Q1, i'm now in something that resembles a terrier on steroids!

Running 180hp from factory, It reminds me of my old R5GTT or a tuned Fiesta RS Turbo, right back to the good old days of monstrous torque steer and the damn thing wanting to cock a leg every time you go in to a corer hard, especially with the huge Brembo's up front! It's an absolute hoot to drive and sounds absolutely epic with the factory stainless valved exhaust. £350 map and it'll be running over 200hp easily, for town it'll more than suffice! It's quite a nice place to be too, take a look for yourselves, i'd thoroughly recommend one>

Awesome Jay. I need a go in that.

I really like these. And they sound fantastic. I thought about getting one as a runaround previously but even when tuned it didn't look fast on paper. Never driven one though so interesting to hear they are fun to drive from a fellow RS owner.

As usual, I'm straight onto autotrader... They do one that does 0-60 in 5.2seconds now!

MikeFish wrote:As usual, I'm straight onto autotrader... They do one that does 0-60 in 5.2seconds now!

Don't get me wrong Mike, it's no RS, but realistically for town use, it's easy to be a complete terrorist hooligan and look (and sound) like a complete chav!

I have found one thing, the brakes are that good, you use them anywhere near their potential and the hazards are on constantly! They do have the ability to make the thing stand on its nose!

I think you're talking about the 695, which I looked at, but it's 36k and they wanted £450pm on a contract hire! Stripped out, cage, carbon everything and highly strung, but it does look a bit like a Reebok trainer!

marc1 wrote:Awesome Jay. I need a go in that.

I'll pop round and we'll go give it a beasting out towards Ilkley mate, you'll be surprised how mental it is. It needs proper twisties to get the best out of it.

Yeah both the 695 and the Ferrari one will get to 60 in 5.2, but one is £36k and only has front seats, and the other is about £30k and 5 years old (but has rear seats).
They all sound like good old driving fun though!

jaysrs4 wrote:

marc1 wrote:Awesome Jay. I need a go in that.

I'll pop round and we'll go give it a beasting out towards Ilkley mate, you'll be surprised how mental it is. It needs proper twisties to get the best out of it.

Nice one. I had a chat with a guy in one at Blyton Park, he'd caged it and done a number of performance mods. Gave us a hard time around track in the 944S2.

To be honest my wife thinks I'm nuts! I really like this, she can't believe it! Let's take it to the ring....

Sounds a hoot! Nothing like a quick hatchback to put a smile on your face

Nice camera work too, great pics

The wife's on her second of these , cracking car tbh . First one had the dreaded air con flap snapping fault which means the dash out and a full heater box so that got traded in , the new ones behaving but it's only done about 10k in 18 months .

Shinobi675 wrote:To be honest my wife thinks I'm nuts! I really like this, she can't believe it! Let's take it to the ring....

That's the plan!!!

Congrats on the Abarth, love the looks of the Record Grey with the Tan Sabelts.

My wife and I are now on our second and thought the 160bhp was good
but the 180 is in a different league. The Monza exhaust brings a smile as soon as I fire it up,
great noise and looks make these cars cracking little pocket rockets. All the best Jay with the new toy

Outtlaw wrote:Congrats on the Abarth, love the looks of the Record Grey with the Tan Sabelts.

My wife and I are now on our second and thought the 160bhp was good
but the 180 is in a different league. The Monza exhaust brings a smile as soon as I fire it up,
great noise and looks make these cars cracking little pocket rockets.

P1140444.JPG

P1140445.JPG

All the best Jay with the new toy

Ha good work matey, very fresh love it!! Glad I'm not alone - I think I'm going to do London to Brighton run in it over the summer with the OC for a laugh, then the ring, it's deffo capable.

Zolder in August?