Rise Of The Scorpion: Fiat Resurrects Abarth With Racier Grande Punto

As we first informed you way back in July, Fiat will indeed resurrect its fabled scorpion brand, as it has just made public that it will roll out this pretty Grande Punto Abarth at the Geneva Motor Show to start the renaissance.
The turbocharged, 1.4-liter four-cylinder hot hatch will bring 150 horsepower (@ 5500 rpm) routed through a six-speed gearbox, and includes such other unique features as electric power steering with a dedicated “sport” mode, drive-by-wire throttle, and Brembo brakes.

The usual catalog of go-faster bits have been added here to good effect, including fender flares, 17-inch alloys, and a restrained ground effects package. While this car doesn’t have the highest of engine outputs, it looks to be an entertaining package– one that’s certainly nice to look at. Shame it won’t see North American roads, then.

(Click through to the jump for more images and specs)

The legendary Abarth “Scorpion” returns

A great project will be launched at the 77th Geneva International Motor Show: the rebirth of one of the most prestigious brands in world motorsports. Its symbol is a scorpion, and its name is Abarth.

Abarth has always been synonymous with assertive cars, competitiveness, passion and excitement, and it now returns with a new range that will appeal to all lovers of motorsports. Abarth’s first interpretation of the Grande Punto will be on the “catwalk” at the Geneva Show, the first step in an initiative which will later involve other models.

This new adventure starts in the familiar, uniquely emotional context and exclusive setting of the Geneva Motor Show. A striking stand has been prepared, in line with the philosophy of Abarth’s rebirth, an innovative space with a fresh, contemporary, technological language and great attention to every detail. The new elements that will publicise the Abarth brand are displayed with all their strong, original personality: the revamped version of the famous Abarth racing stripe has been rendered with LED tiles, while the new logo, the scorpion and the wording are all large, three-dimensional elements in polished, satin-effect aluminium.

The Abarth values and tradition on the other hand are underlined discreetly and technologically: refined materials and precious finishing details in aluminium, carbon fibre, enamel and lacquer decorate the exhibition area, and draw attention to the true stars of the stand: the Grande Punto Abarth S2000, a car that has been type-approved for racing and is proving to be highly successful, and the Grande Punto Abarth Preview, a concept car making its world debut.

These are the two souls of the Abarth world: racing and standard production.

Visitors to the Geneva Show will also have an opportunity to discover a third field in which the brand operates; a multimedia configurator will illustrate the whole concept of the ‘Abarth Kit’, and the flexibility and wide range of combinations that the brand will offer customers in its conversion kits. Some of these solid wooden boxes, inlaid with satin-finished aluminium trims, are on display inside glass cubes, with the historic mechanical and stylistic components from the conversion kits.

And finally, by means of exclusive LED technology and plasma screens, the walls of the stand propose historical photographs and films, alternating them with a reproduction of the new Abarth racing stripe, underlining the fine link between the past and the future, as well as the energy and personality that are inherent in the Abarth brand.

The Grande Punto Abarth Preview

The absolute star of the stand is the Grande Punto Abarth Preview, a true jewel of assertiveness and elegance. The car will be marketed in September, to enhance the sporty, youthful positioning of the Grande Punto.

The car on show in Geneva is equipped with a 1.4 Turbo petrol engine that delivers 150 bhp at 5500 rpm, boosted to 155 bhp by the adoption of 98 RON petrol. What is more, thanks to a booster kit, a version with twice as much power as the basic version (180 bhp) will soon be available. This is a revival of a tradition from the past: for example, the Fiat 500 of 1958 delivered 13 bhp at 4000 rpm with a top speed of 85 km/h, while the Fiat 500 Abarth of the same year delivered 26 bhp at 5000 rpm and a top speed of 118 km/h.

The Grande Punto Abarth aims to revive the feats of these entertaining performance cars, offering young drivers in particular an opportunity to enter the racing world in complete safety and at an accessible price.

Spec sheet of the Grande Punto Abarth

Engine
• 4 cylinders in line, 4 valves per cylinder, 1368 cc;
• Power output: 110 kW (150 bhp) at 5500 rpm, boosted to 155 bhp by adopting 98 RON petrol;
• Peak torque of 206 Nm at 2000 rpm, but 230 Nm can be obtained at 3000 rpm by activating the
SPORT mode;
• ‘Drive-by-wire’ accelerator control, without mechanical connections;
• Turboboost by Garrett IHI RHF3-P10.5 fixed geometry turbocharger.
Transmission
• 6-speed gearbox
• Dual hose external gearbox drive.
Suspension and steering
• MacPherson layout at front with anti-roll bar;
• Torsion axle at rear;
• Ground-hugging sporty trim;
• Electrical power steering with SPORT mode.
Brakes
• Fixed M4×40 Brembo calliper at front, with double piston;
• Front brake disc ø 305 mm x 28 mm, ventilated;
• Rear calliper, piston ø 54 mm;
• Rear brake disc ø 264 mm x 11 mm.
Bodywork
• Wider front and rear wings.
Wheels
• 7” x 17” aluminium alloys;
• Tyres: 215/45-17.