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Abarth gets a turbo boost


The Punto Abarth brings the badge back on sale in its home market later this month and is set for a mid-2008 arrival.

The Abarth model will be offering 116kW at 5500rpm and peak torque of 206Nm (just 500rpm earlier) from a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol 16-valve four-cylinder engine.

Fiat also says there's a powerboost mode that increases torque to 230Nm at 3000rpm and tightens up the steering for a sportier drive.

Hooked up to a six-speed manual, the Italian marque is claiming a 208km/h top speed and 0-100km/h time of 8.2 seconds. The interior has been tweaked for sports-oriented drivers and has been trimmed with black and red leather.

The brakes behind the 17-inch alloy wheels have been upgraded to cope with the extra performance and Fiat says the track is up by 6mm, with a redesigned nose including larger air intakes.

The Abarth also gets a body kit for better aerodynamics and four-wheel disc brakes (the front discs are ventilated and have Brembo calipers).

The MacPherson strut front/torsion bar rear suspension has been lowered by 10mm and sports-tuned, with the anti-roll bar widened to 19mm.

The front springs are 20 per cent firmer. The stability control system is standard and cannot be deactivated.

Australian pricing and specification will be announced when it goes on sale mid-way through next year.