Fiat 500 — A potential rival to the MINI Cooper?

The Fiat 500, winner of the 2008 European Car of the Year award, may soon be headed for U.S. shores.  According to news reports, the 135-hp Fiat 500 Abarth turbocharged model may be sold in small numbers through the Maserati dealer network in the U.S., sometime in 2009.

The recently-introduced Fiat 500 has a shape that will remind car aficionados of Dante Giacosa's classic 1957 Fiat 500, which gave affordable, basic transportation to Europe's working class. Over 3.9 million of the first-generation 500s were sold.  The original 500 style was marketed until 1975. In many ways, the earlier Fiat 500 put Italy on the global automotive roadmap, the same way the original Volkswagen Beetle sparked Germany’s automotive industry.

The Fiat 500 is now available as a two-door hatchback. Fiat is reportedly working on four additional body styles, including a four-seat soft-top, a highly maneuverable coupe, a small SUV that in some ways resembles the Fiat Panda 4x4, and a station wagon.  Some auto experts say the Fiat 500 Abarth model should be highly competitive to the 118-hp MINI Cooper.