I've found the reference to the Panda Abarth in Auto Italia,
in issue 134 from July 2007 the editorial talks abouth the rebirth of Abarth with Panda 100 and 120SS plus the 500 and Punto that we know all about. Later in the magazine there's an interview with Claudio Berro which focuses on the motosport side of things and mentions the 500 and Punto roadcars but not the Panda.
So a very brief mention of the Panda but it lodged in my brain, pity the 120SS never happened