The Golf-based Volkswagen GTI is a fantastic hot hatch. With room for four adults and 34 mpg on the highway, the sporty compact can truly do it all. But if you can do without the extra space, a lighter and nimbler car is going to be even more thrilling to drive. Enter the imported Volkswagen “Lupo.”

Where Volkswagen’s ‘Lupo’ name comes from

First and foremost, that name! The Volkswagen Beetle was so iconic that when the automaker decided to replace it in the North American market, it wanted to replicate the magic of the name. It decided the formula was a cute and small animal. So the Volkswagen Rabbit was born. Later, that evolved into the Golf—which had always been its name in Europe.

Meanwhile in Europe, the pint-sized Lupo went in the complete opposite direction. Latin for wolf, the Lupo’s snarling badge was at odds with the 1.4-liter commuter’s personality. And I love it. As VWs named after animals go, this one is the sassiest.

A wolf built to fight scorpions

The Lupo is more like a compact Fiat 500 than a tuned Fiat 500 Abarth. But some enthusiast took one 1999 Lupo and made it a true Abarth killer. Its ABT Sportsline exhaust system sounds great, and its Sportsline body kit and 15-inch wheels look the part too. It has lowered suspension and a factory five-speed stickshift.

The car sits at just 81,700 miles and just got old enough to import to the U.S. Someone’s not only shipped it here, but they’ve gone through the trouble of titling it in the U.S., so registering it will be hassle-free. And now, it’s listed for sale on Cars and Bids. Swoon!

My only concern dailying this car would be buying spare parts. This Lupo shared a chassis with the SEAT Arosa, which was a compact made in Spain. It might be worth double-checking if there’s a Lupo/SEAT enthusiast group in the U.S. that could provide much-needed support.