Abarth 500 Essesse

The Abarth 500 hot hatch is a car we've already met and began to fall in love with. The relationship is about to get even better, though, with the introduction of the new Esseesse package (pronounced simply SS).

It looks just as funky as the base 133bhp 500, only with chunkier wheels to shout about the higher power lying beneath. There's no official word on figures or performance, but the Abarth Grande Punto enjoys a boost of around 25bhp and 30lb ft when upgraded to Esseesse spec.

An Abarth 500 with a similar performance injection could well break the 160bhp mark and boast around 180lb ft or torque. Ample numbers in such a small, fiery hatch. Expect 0-60mph to take around 7.5sec.

The Esseesse should cost around £16,000, with the kit to upgrade an already-bought 500 (so long as it's less than 12 months and 12,000 miles old) available for around £3,000. Note the wooden crates sitting beside the Abarth... These are what the SS bits and bobs arrive in before being fitted to the lucky 500.

Is it all a bit of a gimmick, or a genuinely fun classic in the making? Head to the forum and share your views.