A YEAR and a half after launching the refreshed 595 micro hot hatch range, Abarth has further refined the line-up by dropping the mid-spec Turismo variant and slashing prices by up to $8000.

Now consisting of two variants – the entry-level 595 and hotter Competizione – the range offers buyers simplified choice with two clear grades of performance, offered in manual/automatic and hatch/convertible flavours.

With sales of the 595 and Fiat 500 sibling falling in 2017, Abarth faces an uphill battle to improve the 595’s clout in the hot hatch segment, which faces competition from the likes of the Volkswagen Polo GTI, Renault Clio RS, Peugeot 208 GTi and Ford Fiesta ST.

Are the latest price cuts and updates enough to reinvigorate Abarth’s pocket rocket?