THE Abarth 595C Monster Energy Yamaha is one of the most recent special and limited editions (2000 units, in this case) of the small and (very) veteran pocket-rocket, which celebrates a partnership between Abarth and Yamaha, which has been going on since 2015, which has now been joined by the well-known energy drink.
For my part, it's the reunion, after three years, with the pocket rocket of the scorpion brand. I still remember that moment vividly, as it involved the most radical of them all: the remarkable 695 Biposto.
Of course, this 595C Monster Energy Yamaha is far from reaching the same level of radicalism — this special series stands out, above all, for its appearance — but this reunion recalls the “poisonous” character of the small scorpion that, after a few kilometers more hurried, makes us forget about aspects that are less accomplished or in need of profound revision.
Perfect? Far from it
There is no need to go around with a lot of beatings. The Abarth 595C Monster Energy Yamaha is far from perfect and a quick, objective scrutiny highlights its limitations and inadequacies.
Truth be told, it wasn't perfect in 2008, when the first 500 “poisoned” by Abarth was released, and it certainly isn't 13 years later, even though it has received several improvements over the years.
Even before taking off, we hardly find a good driving position — more designed for the city dweller than for the small sports car that he wants to be. We are sitting very tall, the steering wheel only adjusts in height and, besides, it is excessively big.
An exception is made to the positioning of the five-speed manual gearbox, which is excellent at all levels. Always “at hand”, tall and close to the steering wheel — reminiscent of the striking Honda Civic Type R EP3 —, it's just a touch plastic, despite being precise and with a correct course.
The special Monster Energy Yamaha series is available as 595 and 595C, and with manual or semi-automatic transmission. It features a two-tone blue and black bodywork (all black as an option) and Tar Gray accents. It features "Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP" logo stickers on the side and a "Monster claw" on the hood.
A note also for the sports seats, customized in this special version with blue accents and the Monster Energy logo, which also lack greater amplitude in their adjustment and support for the legs, but the side is good.
deep voice scorpion
Everything gets better when we wake up the little 595C. The bass and hoarse noise emanating from the Record Monza exhausts – with an active valve, which opens when we select the Sport mode, increasing the volume – couldn't be more “politically incorrect”, not avoiding a slight smile every time we start the engine.
A noise in line with the machine's showy appearance, surprising even as it comes from a turbocharged engine, nowadays an excessively civilized and quiet type of engine that even bores.
The 1.4 T-Jet that equips this pocket-rocket is not like that at all. Perhaps it's its high age (it arrived on the market in 2003), with its origins going back to the legendary family of FIRE engines, born in the 80s of the last century, that allow it to have this more effervescent character than the norm.
It's the heart and soul of this scorpion, producing 165 hp and a fat 230 Nm available at 3000 rpm, not only ensuring lively performance, but the excellent availability of this engine – wakes up just above idling and maintains a strong, steady thrust without hesitation, even beyond 5500 rpm, where it reaches its maximum power – it allows vigorous speed recovery, with the five ratios proving to be more than sufficient.
Brilliant, but only in specific parts
On the move, this tall, narrow pocket-rocket with just 2.3 m of wheelbase and firm cushioning (low-profile tires don't help either) hardly guarantees the most comfortable or refined ride of all. And this on good or reasonably good floors.
On the most degraded floors, if possible, avoid them. It never stands still, it seems to be constantly jumping around, which ends up being like a “brake” for when the desire to “attack” a road in a more determined way arises.
It didn't help that the weather was always “against” during my custody of the Abarth 595C Monster Energy Yamaha — dry floor, nor did I see it. The light on the traction/stability control (which we can't turn off) had enough flashing, especially when exiting curves made in a more forceful way.
However, there was a “moment in the sun”… during the night. A change of route during dynamic pocket-rocket exploration led me to a more remote country road, better paved and with enough challenging turns to pose questions to the 595C.
Even with the floor wet to its fullest extent, the little scorpion glowed. Master of high agility and immediate responses, the chassis freed from having to deal with depressions, patches and other irregularities, showed a high efficiency, bravely resisting understeer, but without ever showing a character of “Mr. Right."
Is that even though it was not possible to turn off the traction/stability control, they were permissive enough to provoke the rear in attacking some corners and adjust the attitude of this imp while cornering — it was a tremendous pleasure. There aren't that many cars these days that we can accuse them of being genuinely exciting to drive, especially in these lower market tiers.
What the “knife-in-the-tooth” moments brought to light was just how little Sport mode is needed — the 595C is already aggressive q.b. "source". The only feature that I would like to transition from Sport mode to “normal” is the superior sharpness of the accelerator pedal, much more to my liking. The heavier steering on Sport, as with so many others, doesn't make it any better at all.
Backup light already?
When we're having fun, time passes quickly… just as gasoline disappears from the tank – it's like that… Despite the small volume of this scorpion, it has the appetite of grown-ups, in contrast to other turbocharged engines from competitors with similar numbers.
The small tank (35 l) doesn't help, and after several more stiff and convoluted kilometers, the turning on of the reserve light tried to dampen spirits — the on-board computer registered almost 12 l.
On more moderate paces, appetite remained somewhat high, ranging between 6-7 liters on open road and highway, but adding urban driving to the mix, records were generally at 8.0 l/100 km.
Discover your next car:
Is the pocket-rocket right for me?
Perfect? Not closely and objectively and rationally reveals limitations. Even though it has an exclusive character, the price of the Abarth 595C Monster Energy Yamaha puts it in line with machines that are as fast or faster, equally with character to “give and sell” and, certainly, more versatile, spacious and usable.
Machines like the Ford Fiesta ST, the new Hyundai i20 N or even the Mini Cooper S, are more complete proposals and with fewer compromises than those found in the little scorpion. But at this level, reason and objectivity are hardly at the forefront.
The Abarth 595C is “proved proof” that lack of common sense and emotion can be as convincing an argument for choosing the next “toy” as running costs are for choosing a car for everyday use.
It's impossible not to appreciate the 595C for its enormous character, performance and agility — it's a hub of emotions and, as it's easy to see on national roads, there are many who are still “bitten” by it, accepting all its idiosyncrasies and limitations .