STAND ALONE ABARTH.

The article reports on the deal of Fiat SpA's reborn Abarth automobile with Lotus Group to use the next Elise automobile to underpin its first stand-alone sports car. The project has been planned to hit streets in Europe in 2011, and gives Abarth a lightweight two-seater as a halo model to its existing Grande Punto-and Cinquecento-based sports models. In addition, it will use Fiat's new-generation of turbo-charged, direct-injection, air-valve four-cylinder engines.