Features

It might be a bit tall at the centre of its domed roof, but look at the way it cascades down tight around its wide track and short wheelbase. That speaks for agility, fast turning and a rare talent for urban chicanes, not to mention the tight sections of the Balocco infield.

Through that huge gripping seat comes an intimate sense of what the tyres are doing, and the confidence to make the most of them. It reminds me of my old Panda 100HP, a car that has far more cornering smarts than its cereal-box looks would have you believe.

Oh, and the 500 Abarth has a third more horsepower. And an even bigger torque increase, because it uses Fiat's brilliant little turbo T-jet engine. It gets up and at 'em from low rpms, thanks to a lag-free variable-geometry turbine. (They're rare on petrol engines, but a 911 Turbo has them.) That helps the cause as you barrel out of a tight corner. So does an electronic torque-distribution device, and lightweight and good fundamental traction.

Like any proper Italian engine, the T-Jet wants to rev high as well - it's smooth and sweet-sounding in a Bravo, but the Abarth farts with extra resonances from the twin tailpipes that poke out from either side of the rear diffuser. Remember, old Carlo Abarth made his name doing fruity aftermarket pipes.

A sport button on the dash modifies the throttle and boost characteristics, as well as the steering, to make the car harder-hitting when that's what you want. And it gives more torque, taking it from to 133 to 152lb ft. Hard to see why you wouldn't stab the sport button every time you started the car.

The gearbox has five speeds and with all that torque behind it, it doesn't need six. The lever emerges from the usual 500 position at the base of the dashboard. It's short throw, and because it's close to the steering wheel, your hand won't get lost as it guides the lever around in hectic changes. You are not supposed to drive this car calmly.

I mean does it look calm? It's covered in scorpions. Even on the exhausts. It was Abarth's birth sign. They're on the nose and behind the doors, and the seats and steering wheel and several other places. There are no Fiat badges. You will have noticed another none-too-subtle visual theme. Red. Red stripes and red door mirrors and red brake calipers and red rings on the wheel centres, and, if too much isn't enough, red seats too.

But the other modifications are functional. The big front bumper section houses extra grilles to gulp air in and out of the twin side-mounted intercoolers. This makes the car 20mm longer than a standard 500. Oh and it just happens to echo the jutting chins of the 1960s Abarth-modded Fiats, especially the 850TC. Puffed-out side sills and a big high-mounted rear spoiler, plus a spectacular rear diffuser, reduce lift.