Abarth is a looker, not a lifeline; Turin's tuner packs a scorpion's sting.(NEWS)

Byline: MARK RECHTIN

Part of the ongoing operetta of Chrysler's bankruptcy is the divining of which Fiat Auto products will come to the United States in an effort to save the failed automaker.

Gearheads are agog at the oft-postponed return of Alfa Romeo to these shores. But attention should be paid to the Fiat 500 Abarth "esseesse supermini as well, which is not for U.S. saleyet.

For those not acquainted with Abarth, the Turin-based tuner began creating zippy versions of Fiats in 1956. By 1971, Fiat liked the arrangement so much that it bought the company, making Abarth its in-house racing division.

The base Fiat 500 took Europe by storm with its retro styling and smart packaging. Abarth takes this cute hatchback and turns it into a tiger. Instead of a Fiat logo on the hood, there is a ferocious geometric scorpion. And the SS version takes it one step further.

Under the hood, the revvy 1.4-liter four-banger gets turbocharged to 160 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque. While most compact cars get those numbers all day, remember that the Abarth SS weighs a mere 2,447 pounds wet.

In sport mode, the Abarth zings from 0 to 62 mph in 7.4 seconds, which in a car this petite feels a lot faster. However, when sport mode is not selected, the 500 plods.