Fiat’s super-quick Grande Punto Abarth, which F1 legend Michael Schumacher drove in last month’s Race of Champions (top), will be a star attraction at this week’s Autosport International Show 2008.

Fiat’s super-quick Grande Punto Abarth, which F1 legend Michael Schumacher drove in last month’s Race of Champions, will be a star attraction at this week’s Autosport International Show 2008.

The stunning S2000 sports hatch with the legendary name badge will be one of the major attractions at the show – Europe’s largest motorsport business event – which takes place in the NEC, Birmingham.

The race and rally-bred Grande Punto Abarth S2000 appeared in the Nations Cup at last month’s Race of Champions event at London’s Wembley Stadium, and was an instant hit with the 80,000 spectators thanks to its aggressive body kit, alloy sports wheels, four-wheel drive handling and 270bhp performance.

The Fiat Group Automobiles show stand will also feature a more easily-accessible Grande Punto – the storming new 1.4 T-Jet 120 Sporting. With 120bhp and 152 lb ft of torque on tap, it’s not quite a match for its iconic Abarth cousin, but that’s easily enough to give it a 0-62mph time of just 8.9 seconds and a top speed of 121mph.

Available in both three- and five-door versions, the new Grande Punto 1.4 T-Jet 120 is based on the range’s Sporting trim level, and comes packed with stylish standard equipment, including 17-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, sports seats, leather steering wheel, chrome tailpipe, spoiler and sideskirts, ESP and six airbags. It also features Blue&MeTM, Fiat’s innovative voice-activated music and communications system, developed in conjunction with Microsoft. The Autosport International Show 2008 runs from 12-13 January.