Spider Abarth: close relative of the future Lotus Elise?

This a rumour too juicy to be denied: or better, a dream, even a mirage.
But if it’s true… According to reports from Leftlane, following more on Abarth rumours, Fiat could have reached an agreement to develop its future spider on the base of the next Elise.
There’s no trick here – we are talking about the Lotus Elise.

Luca DeMeo, general manager of the “Scorpione”, has let out a dream declaration: one day, they might produce a product all of their own.

The English site, at this point, has put two and two together, a difficult sum in these situations, and has come up with the solution that Abarth will need technical resources, and so would ask the Hethel company to provide them.
The chassis would be produced by Lotus, being based on the Evora’s alluminium model, shortened to diminish final weight.
The debut for the Evor is expected for 2010, the following year would see the Abarth model.

It’s a close deadline, but the planning stage is said to have already begun.
In addition, the site is proposing a purely speculative render, introducing some new elements.

The engine would be central, developed by FPT with turbo and direct injection, 240 hp and probably 1.
8 litres.
This version would be added to the 1.
4 Tjet as already seen, and would be offered at a reasonable price.
The second encouraging element exists in the design, different for both models and strictly linked to the stylistic elements of the single manufacturers.
Via