Fiat's Abarth brand to create its own sports car
 

<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/coupes/" rel="tag">Coupe</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/sports/" rel="tag">Performance</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/fiat/" rel="tag">Fiat</a></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/abarth-ss-concept-by-ied/#335809"><img vspace="4" hspace="0" border="1" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/abarthssconceptbyied1-630op.jpg" alt="" /></a>
<div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong><sma ll>Abarth SS Concept by IED - Click above for high-res image gallery</small></strong></em></div>
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While <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/fiat/">Fiat</a>'s in-house tuning brand appears to be intensely occupied tweaking <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/17/hotter-versions-planned-as-abarth-500c-and-punto-evo-hit-the-mar/">Punto Evos and 500Cs</a> for the European market - and supposedly a <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/28/report-fiat-500-to-launch-in-the-u-s-with-abarth-performance-m/">500 Abarth</a> for us as well - <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/Abarth/">Abarth</a> also has an eye on its own sports car. According to <em>Autocar</em>, this wouldn't be a microwave job on a Fiat, but a unique creation to serve as a halo car.<br />
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We've heard this <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/16/rendered-speculation-abarth-coupe-ala-i-autocar-i/">rumor</a> a <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/02/fiat-may-be-planning-abarth-only-models/">number of times</a>, with the most recent reports indicating Abarth has been working with <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/make/lotus">Lotus</a>, perhaps using the next-generation <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/elise">Elise</a> chassis as a base. Apparently, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/29/next-generation-lotus-elise-to-underpin-abarth-sports-car/">that idea</a> has been nixed. However, the specs being discussed are quite Elise-like: two-seater, mid-engine, 200 horsepower, around 2,000 pounds. Whatever it is, Abarth's head of marketing said it will arrive within two years.<br />
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<div class="postgallery"><p><s trong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/abarth-ss-concept-by-ied/low/">Abarth SS Concept by IED</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/abarth-ss-concept-by-ied/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/08/abarth_ss_concept_by_ied_ 1_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/abarth-ss-concept-by-ied/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/08/abarth_ss_concept_by_ied_ 2_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/abarth-ss-concept-by-ied/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/08/abarth_ss_concept_by_ied_ 3_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div> <br />
[Source: <a href="http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle.aspx?AR=25055 5">Autocar</a>]<p style="padding:5px;backgr ound:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/23/fiats-abarth-brand-to-create-its-own-sports-car/">Fiat's Abarth brand to create its own sports car</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblo g</a> on Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:27:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle.aspx?AR=25055 5>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/23/fiats-abarth-brand-to-create-its-own-sports-car/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19527278/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/23/fiats-abarth-brand-to-create-its-own-sports-car/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>

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