Grande Punto Abarth news - Scorpion rising - 2007

When looking to back up the argument that Fiat is at its best when building small cars, you need look no further for evidence than the new Grande Punto Abarth.

It ushers in a new era of Abarth performance versions of Fiats and comes with a turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol engine punting out 150bhp, or 155bhp if you fill up with super unleaded.

Even more entertainment is available if you choose the aftermarket booster kit, which ups power to 180bhp.

Fiat is keeping mum about performance until it takes the covers off the Punto Abarth at Geneva next week, but it has told us it will campaign a rally version, called the Grande Punto Abarth S2000.

The rally car will compete in the Italian Rally Championship and uses a 270bhp 2.0-litre engine, but without any turbocharger.

Complete with four-wheel drive, the car is a development of last year's championship-winning machine, and insiders at Fiat hint that they could be tempted into competing in the World Rally Championship at some point in the future.