It's not certain whether the sport-oriented Fiat 500 (more here) seen here circulating at the Nurburgring will be named the 500 Abarth, but the eagle-eyed blokes at Carparazzi are hoping so.
They're also hoping for double the horsepower of the standard 500, which is yet to hit the showrooms.
Images of the new car show larger wheels and a larger front air intake than the standard car's.
A disguised bulge in the rear quarter panel may be an intake, but is likely to be nothing more than a cosmetic device, since the new car has its engine and drivetrain mounted under the clamshell bonnet at the front.
Despite being a front-wheel drive, the new 500 pays homage to the styling of the original Fiat 500, which was produced from the late fifties and featured a flat twin engine in the rear, driving through a swing-axle IRS system.
Abarth was a separate company until acquired by Fiat in the early seventies and the name retained an association with sporting Fiats, much as HSV is associated with high performance Holdens.
Fiat has relaunched the Abarth name this year, so it's a better than even chance the new car will be badged as the 500 Abarth.
-- with Carparazzi
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