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Abarth working up new sports car separate from Alfa 4C

How many sports cars can one automotive group offer? Just ask the people at Volkswagen, whose various divisions – Lamborghini, Bugatti, Porsche, Audi – churn them out like you and I would write Christmas cards. (Or Hannukah cards, anyway.) And the Fiat group is right behind their German counterparts, with Ferrari and Maserati keeping the upper crust of the market satisfied, and now Alfa Romeo and Abarth filling a more accessible – but potentially no less exciting – niche.

Recently we brought you a progress update on the Alfa Romeo 4C, a concept mid-engine sports car thats now apparently been green-lit for production. In the ruminations of its potential roadworthiness, there was speculation that Abarth could get a version of its own. But those rumors have existed for longer than the 4C concept, and will now appear to outlast it as well.

According to the latest reports, Abarth is pitching a project that would see it develop its own sports car. But while the 4C would be priced similarly to a Porsche Boxster or Nissan 370Z, the Abarth would be positioned lower – maybe at the Mazda MX-5 or the new Subaru BRZ/Scion FR-S/Toyota GT-86. It would also likely be front-drive, with between 200 and 250 horsepower, and draw its inspiration from the 1968 Abarth Scorpione pictured at right.

Whether it comes to fruition or not remains to be seen – not to mention its potential arrival in North America – but the prospect of another Italian sportscar isnt something wed turn down.