Fiat is extending the range of his baby Maserati with a sporty version wich should be closer to the character of the Italian maker.This 200hp hot hatch will be sold with the Abarth title , and will be inspired from the Rally Super competition car.

The most powerful model in the current line-up is the 130hp diesel-powered engine,  but its 1.9-litre Multijet diesel motor will be surpassed by the new model.

The car will use a  twin-turbo engine, that should guarantee a 0-60mph sprint of around 7.0 seconds.The rally car, which won this year the European Championship will provide some of the styling detailes for the new Grande Punto Abarth.This sport-version will compete with rivals such as the Renault Clio Sport and the Opel Corsa OPC.

The design of the new car will reflect the increase in power, and will include a roof-mounted air intake as well as a wider track for im-proved handling.

Bigger alloy wheels and a black grille the same as the one fitted to the 100bhp Panda along with a discreet rear spoiler and lower side skirts will  set the new Abarth apart from the standard car.

Like the AMG for Mercedes and the M-sport division for BMW , the Abarth became  Fiat’s racing division, after was bought by the Italian carmaker in 1971.The car will be priced on the region of $30,000 and will came on the market on Europe in late 2007.