[Image Source: CAR]

Well, we knew that Fiat was reintroducing the Fabled 500. What many of us didn't know and do now thanks to CAR magazine's spies, is that the Italian auto giant is creating a tuned-up version of the little hot hatch à la MINI's Cooper S. They caught the above picture of the little Fiat testing at the Nurburgring in Germany.

The normal 500 has a small, but peppy 1.4 liter four cylinder engine that churns out a mighty-for-the-weight 150 horsepower. The Abarth will use 30 more horses that should drop the 0-60 time to around a fighting 7 second range.

Considering that the Torino based automaker was on the verge of collapse two years ago, this little darling of the European automotive press is proving to the little model that could - win big for the Italian auto industry.

[Source: CAR]