Abarth celebrates hard work and grit with the 190-hp 695 Biposto Record

By Ronan Glon November 19, 2015

Fiat’s go-fast Abarth brand has quietly introduced a limited-edition version of the 500-based 695 Biposto called Record.

As its name implies, the 695 Biposto Record was built to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the day when company founder Carlo Abarth set a new acceleration record in a Class G car at the Monza track in Italy. Interestingly, because Abarth couldn’t find a pilot, he went on a strict diet in order to lose over 65 pounds before the race. Svelter than ever at 57 years old, he was able to slide behind the wheel of his tiny 105-horsepower single-seater.

It’s impossible to miss the 695 Biposto Record because it wears an eye-catching, Ferrari-esque Modena yellow paint job and contrasting gray 18-inch alloy wheels. Although interior pictures haven’t been released, Abarth promises the two-seater cabin gains carbon bucket seats manufactured by Sabelt, four-point seatbelts, a cargo net, a model-specific instrument panel, and a commemorative plaque engraved with the car’s serial number.

Abarth hasn’t made any major mechanical modifications. The Record is powered by a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine that pumps out a healthy 190 hp at 5,500 rpm and 184 pound-feet of torque at 3,000 rpm. Although those figures don’t sound very high, it’s worth noting that the Record boasts an impressive power-to-weight ratio of 11.46 pounds per horsepower — better than a Volkswagen Golf GTI — thanks to a remarkably low weight of under 2,200 pounds. As a result, it can reach 62 mph from a stop in 5.9 seconds and go on to a top speed of 143 mph.

The engine’s grunt is transferred to the front wheels via a mechanical self-locking differential and a manual transmission. Brembo brakes on both axles bring the action to a stop.

Limited to just 133 examples, the Abarth 695 Biposto is on sale now in a handful of markets around the globe. It carries a base price of £36,610 in the United Kingdom, a lofty sum that converts to nearly $56,000. At the time of writing it doesn’t sound like Abarth’s newest pocket rocket will make the trip across the pond.

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Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…

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