Fiat 500 News

Fiat is bringing back petrol power to its iconic 500 hatchback after committing to going electric only.The bambino was a petrol-only model from when it was reborn in 2007 until parent company Stellantis launched the second-gen version of the modern era as an electric vehicle, the 500e.Fiat will use the 500e as the basis for a new mild hybrid petrol version that will begin production at Fiat’s spiritual home in Turin, Italy in November this year.Official images reveal that the new 500 will look much the same as the 500e, although the petrol car gets a tweaked grille to aid air flow.The move to retrofit the 500e as an internal combustion engine variant comes after sales of the 500e and the related Abarth 500e hot hatch have slowed, leading to multiple production pauses at the Mirafiori plant.The 2007 petrol 500 went out of production a few years ago after no longer meeting Europe’s emissions standards.Fiat’s new 500 will be offered in hatchback and cabriolet body styles, and in good news for motoring enthusiasts, it will also be offered with a six-speed manual gearbox.It is powered by a 1.0-litre three-cylinder ‘Firefly’ mild hybrid petrol engine, likely the same unit found in the new Panda. The mild hybrid setup is a 12-volt system that Fiat says helps improve fuel efficiency, however official fuel figures are yet to be confirmed.Inside the 500 comes with Fiat’s Uconnect 5 multimedia system linked to a customisable 10.25-inch touchscreen, as well as a 7.0-inch digital driver’s display and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.A spokesperson for Stellantis Australia told CarsGuide the mild hybrid 500 is not under consideration for Australia, for now.If it gets the green light for Australia it will compete against other micro and light combustion-powered hatchbacks including the MG3, Suzuki Swift and Kia Picanto.Fiat CEO and Global CMO of Stellantis Olivier François described the return of the petrol 500 to the Turin plant as a win.“Bringing the 500 Hybrid back to Mirafiori is a promise kept - a win driven by a committed team that chose to bet on the customer and the future,” he said.“This factory is more than just a production site; it’s Fiat’s home, the beating heart of a story that began in 1957 with Dante Giacosa and today stands as a hub of Stellantis innovation in Europe. Our industrial plan for Italy puts Mirafiori and the 500 at the center of our revival. In November, we’ll celebrate this milestone with the special edition ‘500 Torino’—a tribute to the city, its workers, and our roots. Turin means Fiat, and Fiat means Turin. That’s why the official launch will take place here, in our city.”

The first symptoms of serious market change are afoot. Not only did 2024 mark the end of a host of individual nameplates, it also saw the demand of one the oldest brands in Australia after decades of flagging sales. 

Stellantis has announced that production of the Fiat 500e will be paused for four weeks due to low consumer demand.

Fiat has confirmed a hybrid version of the 500e electric car will be released in 2026 following slower than expected sales of the EV at home and abroad.The new hybrid city car, to be known as the 500e Ibrida, will be produced at Turin’s Mirafiori plant alongside the existing electric car.Unsurprisingly, there are political reasons surrounding the decision with a need to keep Fiat's Mirafiori plant flowing with production for the local market. Last year, only 64,244 500es found homes in Europe compared to 108,943 combustion models (which are built in Poland).To satiate some of this demand, the 500e Ibrida will use a 1.0-litre mild-hybrid three-cylinder ‘FireFly’ petrol engine as found in the Fiat Panda that develops 51kW and 92Nm.The new car will use the same platform as the 500e which is not the bespoke STLA small platform but an electric capable version of the Alfa MiTo’s SCCS architecture.The 500e hybrid will be highly Italian with its engine produced in Termoli, the exhaust in Napoli and gearbox at its home Mirafiori plant.“Italy serves as our foundation, our driving force and our future”, says CEO Olivier Francois.“And Mirafiori is one of our engines which represents Italy, its people, its values, its pride and the 500.“But today, 90 per cent of Mirafiori production goes abroad. To increase the number of 500s on the road in Italy and to answer the Italian customers, we have decided to produce the new 500 Ibrida”, he added.Naturally, the hybrid 500e will cost less than its electric counterpart which is dear in Australia at $52,500 for the La Prima. No Australian plans have been announced for the 500e Ibrida but it would be a unique option alongside the Kia Picanto, Suzuki Swift and MG3.The previous-gen combustion Fiat 500 is currently built at Stellantis’ Tychy plant in Poland to satisfy the more affordable end of the European and overseas markets. It is understood this plant is where Leapmotor affordable electric cars will be built in the future.The Fiat 500 – that launched in 2008 on the Fiat Mini platform – won’t end its life just yet, though, with production expected to move to Algeria.

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Stellantis Australia, parent company of Fiat Abarth, has revealed pricing for a lightly updated version of the Abarth 695 hot hatch, featuring minute design tweaks.

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Fiat has finally revealed pricing of its highly-acclaimed 500e electric vehicle (EV), undercutting obvious rivals like the Mini Cooper SE.

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