Italian car maker Fiat will launch the Abarth 500 high performance hatchback in November 2014. The car will be imported as a completely built unit (CBU) in a right hand drive (RHD) layout. For the Indian car market, the Abarth 500 will use the Australian state of tune. The car is powered by a 1.4 liter-4 cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that outputs 158 Bhp of peak power and 230 Nm of peak torque. A five speed manual gearbox will power the front wheels of the Abarth 500.

The car will hit speeds in excess of 200 Kph, with a sub-8 second 0-100 Kph sprint, putting it on the front line of the fastest cars in the sub-30 lakh rupee segments. Handling on the car is optimized by the usage of stiffer suspension and lowered springs that let the Abarth 500 hug the road. A pint sized powerhouse, that’s what the Fiat Abarth 500 really is. The car will be a brand builder for Fiat in India, seeking to highlight the performance capabilities of the Italian brand’s Abarth division.

Technically a four seater, the rear seats of the twin door Fiat 500 Abarth are more suited to young kids rather than full grown adults. The Fiat 500 Abarth is styled as a funky, compact hatchback with curvy looks all around. The interiors of the Abarth 500 carry on this contemporary design language with prominent Abarth signage and a turbo boost gauge, highlighting the car’s unique positioning.

Safety kit on the Abarth 500 will include three point seatbelts, cross drilled disc brakes on all four wheels, ABS+EBD+Brake Assist, parking sensors and a full complement of seven airbags. The Abarth 500 will be the most expensive Fiat sold in India, with a price tag that is likely to be pegged close to the 30 lakh rupees mark. The Fiat Abarth 500 will square off against the Mini Cooper S hatchback.

Via RushLane