The Fiat 500 has been given a sporting makeover by the firm’s performance division Abarth.

The car has been acclaimed for its slick city appeal – now it has been thoroughly re-engineered to appeal to the driving enthusiast.

Priced from £13,600 on the road, the aim has been to create a car that is entertaining to own and drive, while maintaining class-leading economy, low emissions and low running costs.

All versions of the new small Abarth 500 feature a zesty 1.4-litre turbocharged engine, which has been designed to be responsive throughout its entire rev range as well as being economical and gentle on the environment.Squeezing a turbocharger into the tight confines of the 500′s engine bay was no mean feat, and led Abarth engineers to completely redesign the front end of the vehicle.

Abarth technicians created a deeper spoiler that feeds the engine with sufficient air while maintaining the frontal appearance of the 500.

This isn’t the only alteration to its looks compared with the regular 500 which includes adding sporty side skirts, a much larger roof spoiler, and a deep aerodynamic diffuser at the rear.These are the result of hours spent in the wind tunnel and help improve the car’s stability at speed.

With vents to draw hot air away from the brakes, twin tail pipes mounted at either edge of the diffuser and small scorpion logos printed just above them, the Abarth 500 is designed to leave a lasting impression on people looking at it from any angle.

But this is more than a bodywork makeover: the Abarth 500′s performance is dramatically uprated, with a 128mph top speed and a 0-62mph time of 7.9 seconds.The Abarth 500 is available in both standard trim and in ‘esseesse’ (SS) form. The esseesse version allows drivers to further upgrade their car’s performance courtesy of a retro-fit kit.The Abarth 500 conforms to strict Euro 5 exhaust emissions legislation, well in advance of it being enforced. And its emissions and fuel consumption – 155g/km of CO2 and 43.4mpg in the official combined cycle – make it a top class performer in this area.