2009 Abarth 500 esseesse Photos, engines & full specs

Fiat brought back the Abarth nameplate on the market and gave it a toy to handle: the supermini 500 model, which under the "Scorpione" badge, developed more ponies to play with.

The "Esseesse" means in Italian what SS means for American muscle cars: Super Sport. While it might sound funny for such a small vehicle to have that kind of badge, it was well deserved. With its punchy engine under the hood and the light weight of the car, the 500 Abarth esseesse offered an excellent power-to-weight ratio.

At first, Abarth offered a package that came in a wooden box so owners could retrofit their vehicles with performance parts provided by the automaker. Customers liked the idea, and the automaker later on offered factory-produced these esseesse vehicles. The car's front fascia looked different, with a broad lower air intake fitted in the bumper, and the fog lights were mounted there as well. On the sides, in front of the front wheels, Abarth placed a set of air intakes to cool the brakes, which were also upgraded and could be seen through the 17" light-alloy wheels. Finally, at the back, the automaker added a roof spoiler at the top of the tailgate and a pair of exhausts that flanked a center diffuser under the bumper. Last but not least, the car sported the "Scorpione" (Scorpion in Italian) badges on the front and rear fascias instead of Fiat's ones.

Inside, the automaker mounted a set of high-bolstered bucket seats with integrated headrests at the front, featuring unique upholstery. The black leather and red stitching were typical for Abarth vehicles, and the 500 also sported those specific elements. In the back, like in any other Fiat 500, there was room enough only for a purse. It could hardly fit two people in there.

Under the hood, the automaker installed its 1.4-liter turbocharged gasoline engine paired with a five-speed manual gearbox that sent its power to the front wheels. As part of the package, the car was also fitted with stiffer suspension than the regular Fiat 500.