SPY PHOTOS: Fiat 500 Abarth

Fiat's new in-house tuner

Even before the standard 500 model arrives at dealerships, Fiat has taken the liberty to begin development on a sporty version of the retro re-make of the 1950's classic model. Separately, Fiat has also dug out of the history books another icon of their motorsports past, known as the Abarth. The pairing of both icons was inevitable, especially, after witnessing a successful rebirth of Fiat's new in-house tuner, Abarth, at this past Geneva motor show with the introduction of the Fiat Grande Punto Abarth production car and S2000 racer

Spy photographers recently caught the little canon ball racing around the Nürburgring sporting exterior modifications such as a bigger front air intakes and bigger wheels wrapped in low-profile tires. Under the hood, expect Abarth to do what is already a tradition for the Italian tuner: double the output of the standard engine. In this case, that would mean a 150 bhp petrol engine that will turn the car into a real pocket-rocket. The Fiat 500 Abarth is expected to roll in early 2008.