With one in three Abarth 500 hatches already getting the Esseesse treatment, it’s hardly surprising that availability has been extended to the convertible. The Abarth 500C Esseesse also gets its engine power increased from 133 bhp (99 kW / 135 PS) to 157 bhp (117 kW / 160 PS), but a little extra weight means it’s not quite as rapid as the hardtop version. Nevertheless, it’s still a quick car, with top speed of 129 mph (209 km/h) and a 0-62 mph (100 km/h) time of 7.6 seconds.
UK pricing has yet to be confirmed, but the standard Abarth 500C is listed at £17,500 and the existing Esseesse kit for the hatch costs £2,500. On that basis, a grand total of around £20,000 would seem a reasonable guess.
The glaringly obvious rival for the Abarth 500C Esseesse is the Mini Cooper S convertible. That’s priced at a spookily similar £19,965, but it’s faster: 0-62 mph (100 km/h) takes 7.3 seconds, and it’ll go on to 140 mph (225 km/h). Expect the Mini’s fuel consumption and CO2 emissions to be significantly better, too.
Next to both of those cars, the Abarth Punto Evo Esseesse might seem rather a bargain, especially as it uses the innovative 1.4 MultiAir turbo engine as its basis.
Output rises from 162 bhp (121 kW / 165 PS) to 177 bhp (132 kW / 180 PS), although the extra horsepower doesn’t appear to have a huge effect on performance. Compared to the standard Abarth Punto Evo, the 0-62 mph (100 km/h) time only falls from 7.9 to 7.5 seconds, while top speed increases by just 2 mph (3 km/h) to 134 mph (216 km/h).
Again, there’s no word on prices, but the Esseesse kit will probably add £2,500 to the £16,500 that a standard Abarth Punto Evo costs. That will make it more expensive than established - and quicker - competitors such as the Volkswagen Polo GTI / Skoda Fabia vRS / Seat Ibiza SC Cupra trio and the Renault Clio Renaultsport 200.
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