There’s good reason why enthusiasts want Fiat back in North America. Sure the Italian brands cars are stylish and nicely put together,

Whoa! The Fiat Abarth Punto Evo is one cool hatchback! (Photo: Fiat)

but more so its Abarth tuning division is fabulously cool. 

Abarth has been around for decades, independently tuning and racing Fiats for as long as most of today’s auto zealots have been walking.  Fiat saw opportunity early and bought the company, which was also tuning and racing Porsches and Simcas, in 1971, but it took until recently to turn the brand into the marketing juggernaut it’s now becoming. 

Slick branding, highlighted by the division’s menacing black scorpion set on a yellow and black crest, get joined by real mechanical upgrades that turn Fiat’s lively front-drive hatchbacks into sizzling A-, B- and C-segment street fighters, the latest iteration being the all-new Punto. 

The

Sweet ride would give the GTI a run for its money if offered here. (Photo: Fiat)

Abarth Punto Evo, now being shown at the Geneva motor show,  gets a special MultiAir version of Fiat’s 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine in either 165- or 178-horsepower form. 

Additionally, a reworked suspension, new wheels and tires, a body kit and interior upgrades make sure it zigs as well as it zags and looks good doing it. 

Alas, we’re likely not to get an Abarth Punto Evo in North America anytime soon, or even the regular Punto.  If we do, it’ll have a Chrysler or Dodge badge on it and no doubt a new grille to go along with that. 

We will, however, get the cute little Fiat 500, and that comes in Abarth flavour too.  We don’t know for sure whether the specially tuned 500 will make it across the Atlantic, but no doubt, even if Fiat misses the opportunity, some enterprising tuner will kit it out so that we can enjoy the unique style and serious cachet the classic brand brings to the table. 

For the time being we look on with envy.