160-hp Fiat 500 Abarth SS to follow in November

You have to admire Fiat's spunky rejuvenated Abarth division. Its first model is barely on the market yet, its second model is about to be unveiled, and it's already taking on challengers and shouting "What's next?" At a media preview for the new 500 Abarth in Turin, Italy, Fiat confirmed speculation that an even more powerful version would be offered as soon as November of this year. The 500 Abarth being shown in Geneva is equipped with a 135-hp turbo four, while the "esse-esse" (read: SS) kit will offer a host of performance and visual upgrades to bring the sprightly retromobile up to 160 hp.

The availability of the optional equipment makes sense, since a similar package was revealed for the Grande Punto Abarth, and the 500's kit is likewise expected to be available direct from the showroom, or retrofitted to an existing 500 Abarth up to one year or 20,000 km after purchase. If the 500 Abarth "esse-esse" is to hit the market in November, we could see it unveiled at the Paris auto salon in early October.