Fiat introduced their performance variant of the modern Fiat 500 in 2008. Known as the Abarth 500, this new sporty compact car was offered as a coupe or open top and was fitted with a turbocharged 1.4L inline four engine. As well as a more powerful engine, the Abarth 500 received upgrades to the suspension and drivetrain giving it handling capabilites belying its size.