Fiat to Debut New Abarth 595 Specials and 695 Assetto Corse Racer at Bologna Motor Show

There seems to be no end to the release of differently flavored versions of the Fiat 500, the Abarth version of which made its North American debut in L.A. just last week.

Today, the Italian company announced that it would reveal two new production editions and a racing version of the Abarth 500 at the forthcoming 2011 Bologna Motor Show, which takes place in Italy from December 3 to 11.

The new production models are the Abarth 595 Turismo and 595 Competizione, the first of which is said to target buyers that would like a sporty model "without going to an extreme", while the other is designed to appeal to those that would like something a little more aggressive.

Both models are fitted with the peppier 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder T-Jet engine featuring Abarth's customization kit that lifts output to 160-horses and 230Nm (169.6 lb-ft) at 3,000 rpm, for a 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint time of 7.4 seconds and a top speed of 211km/h (131mph).

The 595 Turismo is equipped with an electrically-operated manual transmission with controls on the steering wheel, while the 595 Competizione comes with a 5-speed manual gearbox.

The Turismo stands out thanks to its two-tone livery in black and red, an option first introduced on the convertible model. The aluminum 595 logos on the rear fenders and tailgate along with the titanium-colored 17-inch alloy wheels complete the exterior upgrades. Inside, the Turismo gets two-tone red and black leather seats and steering wheel, and aluminum pedals and trim accents.

Moving onto the 595 Competizione, it sports a special Grigio Record exterior paint finish complemented by matching-color 17-inch alloy wheels, yellow Brembo brake calipers and aluminum logos on the rear fenders and tailgate. The two-tone natural leather and alcantara bucket seats from Sabelt highlight the interior while the same color combo makes its appearance on the door panels and steering wheel rim.

Fiat said that both the 595 Turismo and Competizione are also available with a variety of performance upgrades such as the sports brake and suspension kits.

The third 500-based model making its debut in Bologna is the Abarth 695 "Assetto Corse", which was designed for track racing. The competition model is powered by a specially tuned 1.4-liter turbocharged four-pot with 205HP and it comes equipped with race-spec wheels, brakes, transmission and suspension along with all of the safety equipment required by FIA regulations, including a roll-bar welded to the body.

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