If you've been living underneath a rock, you haven't noticed the little Italian flair returning to the United States in automobile form. Behold the 2012 FIAT 500, which has already caught the attention of consumers who need little cargo space but want outstanding fuel efficiency. 

Schaumburgused FIAT 500 shoppers can look forward to another version of the upcoming model - the 2012 5000 Abarth. Sales team members at Chicago FIAT dealers are very excited that the 2012 FIAT 500 Abarth is making its way to showrooms and lots and hope that it will attract consumers as well.

Basically, FIAT hopes to bolster its current two-car North American portfolio with this new version. Spectators at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show got a first peek at the model, and were undoubtedly impressed by the time and effort put into the 500 Abarth's construction and design. New and used FIAT 500 owners may already know that the model was first introduced in 2008, with a bit of a "retro-chic" look and feel to it. For the 2012 model year, it appears as if the designers at FIAT paid attention and adapted to the change in automotive style.

But what about what's under the hood? Chicago FIAT fans will appreciate the turbocharged 1.4L I-4 engine that produces 160 horsepower. Power is transferred to the front wheels via a five-speed manual transmission and an electronic limited-slip differential. I know, the horsepower is nothing remarkable - but it is still more powerful than the Mini Cooper and Volkswagen Beetle.

When it comes to the interior, test drivers will immediately feel like they are in the right place. Even though there are no major revisions to the cabin, it is still something to write home about. New interior design elements include a new leather-wrapped steering wheel that boasts a thick-rim and a flat bottom, an analog boost gauge that incorporates an LED shift light, and one-piece front bucket seats that come with optional red accent stitching - which matches the material used to trim the door panels, shift knob and gauge cluster, by the way.