If an Abarth 500 esseesse doesn't stir your spaghetti, Italian firm Aznom may have the answer with its mad mid-engined take on the baby Fiat.
Out go the back seats of the 500 and in goes a 230hp 1.4-litre turbocharged version of Fiat's Abarth engine. Switching the engine to the middle of the car gives much improved handling, says Aznom.
The Motore Centrale R230 is also lighter than the standard Abarth, so top speed is now reckoned to be 250km/h, with 0-100km/h in around 5.0 seconds. Aznom is currently working on a track day version called the Pista, which will tip the scales at just 900kg and be powered by a 280hp iteration of the 1.4-litre turbo motor.
The road-going R230 comes with larger brakes, upping the front discs to 335mm and the rears to 305mm. Bilstein shock absorbers help with the handling and lower the 500 by 20mm all round.
Aznom mounts the engine in the middle of the Fiat 500 using a custom-made cradle for the engine to sit in. At the front, the suspension is revised to allow for the lower weight.
The Aznom Motore Centrale R230 will make its debut at the Top Marques show in Monaco that runs from 14-17 April.