It's fair to say that Fiat, in the US at least, is in need of new models. We've always been fans of the 500 and 500 Abarth; not so much the 500L. The latter just looks weird and not in a good way. So Fiat is trying again, and it's using the same platform that underpins both the 500 and 500L to do so. The result will be the 500X, a four-door hatchback that will be roughly the same size as the new Jeep Renegade (itself based on the same platform). But unlike the 500L, the 500X will have a much sportier flavor.

Perhaps it's best to think of it as a direct competitor to the likes of the Nissan Juke and even the Mini Countryman. No word yet on price, but we can't imagine it being anywhere near the Mini's premium cost of entry. Our spy photographers have just managed to snap some new images of a thinly disguised 500X prototype undergoing final testing in Italy. And, in our opinion, it looks pretty good. Definitely a significant improvement over the 500L, but that's not so hard to accomplish. We'll hopefully see the 500X revealed in production form in October at the Paris Motor Show.