cars news 10: Fiat 500X Abarth Spied Testing Hotter Drivetrain

Our spy photographers recently caught a test mule of the Fiat 500X Abarth. The hot variant of Fiat’s baby crossover is set to duke it out with the likes of the Mini Countryman JCW and the Nissan Juke Nismo. The 500X Abarth will be the largest vehicle and the first crossover to wear the famed scorpion badge, which has adorned such cars as the Punto, 500, and the classic 124 Sport Spider.

From the outside, the most notable difference is the type of alloy wheels that this prototype wears. Do they look familiar? They’re very similar to those found on the Euro-market Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde hot hatch. Additionally, the car also has red-painted front brake calipers and pads that look noticeably larger than the ones found on standard Fiat 500X crossovers. Out back is where you’ll find biggest giveaway that this isn’t a normal-grade 500X, as the prototype sports two exhaust tips, hinting at something different under the hood.

Currently, the most powerful Fiat 500X you can buy is equipped with a 2.4-liter I-4 with 180 hp and 175 lb-ft of torque that’s mated to a ZF-sourced nine-speed automatic transmission. Expect the 500X Abarth to pack more punch because it’s possible that Fiat could drop the 237-hp 1.7-liter turbo-four and six-speed dual-clutch gearbox from the Alfa Romeo 4C and Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde under the hood of the 500X Abarth. All-wheel drive will most likely be standard in the 500X Abarth as well. Expect Fiat to make suspension and chassis tweaks on the 500X Abarth to improve its handling and driving dynamics.

Photo Source: CarPix