Logical continuation
A lot has happened at Fiat since the introduction of the Fiat 500X in 2014. The brand became part of the Stellantis group and that opened the doors to existing technology for the successor to Fiat’s outdated crossover. An additional advantage: that car can then (also) become electric.
Highlights
- Successor 500X
- Coming this year
- Shares technology with Jeep Avenger and Peugeot e-2008
It seems like something typically Italian to extend the life of a model as long as possible. You can call that charming, but it is not always convenient from a business point of view. With the Fiat 500 and 500X, the damage is not too bad, because the mischievous appearance of both retro rascals proves to be durable. However, these models do not last forever either. Even before the merger of Fiat’s parent company FCA and PSA to form Stellantis, Fiat itself came up with a new version of the small 500. That electric 500e was presented in 2020 and has been doing very well in Europe ever since, so that’s going well. For the 500X, the successor is a lot easier for Fiat. Because PSA already has a whole series of compact crossovers in house, which can serve as a basis for a similar model from Fiat. Jeep previously reaped the benefits of this technology with the Avenger and was the first to receive the updated version of the e-CMP platform. That STLA Small base will also be found under the new Fiat. The car, which will probably be called the Fiat 600, will certainly be an EV. Versions with petrol engines and hybrids will probably also follow, although Fiat chose to introduce that more traditional technology in the old model in addition to the new 500e with the 500. The only real certainty about the Fiat 600 therefore seems to be the electric version, which will closely resemble the aforementioned Jeep Avenger and the compact electric models from Peugeot, Opel and DS. So count on a battery of 54 kWh gross, a range of about 400 kilometers and a fast charging capacity of up to 100 kW. The electric motor will most likely deliver 156 hp to the front wheels. Neat values ​​for this segment, where there is already little choice outside of Stellantis. It is therefore not surprising that the French-Italian-American group wants to exploit this lead as much as possible.
Fiat 600 (Larson illustration)
500 design
Although we know the technology of the former PSA, the 600 will soon be completely ‘Fiat’ on the outside. Spy images even make it clear that many retro aspects of the 500X are retained and that there is once again a car with many external references to the Fiat 500 from the 1950s. Think of (partly) round headlights, but also the vertical taillights and a free rounded carriage with a sympathetic appearance. Fiat does not have to look for ways to give a large grille a new function, because that grille was not there with the 500 model series anyway. We again expect a narrow cooling slot in the nose, possibly assisted by a larger one at the bottom of the bumper. The interior will soon show that this Fiat is the first to share its technology with Peugeots, Opels and the Jeep Avenger. Expect control levers and buttons from the stables of the former PSA and also an infotainment system that is based on that. The shared parts are undoubtedly fused together in a form that fits well with the rest of the Fiat range. Think of a big round 500 style ‘clock’, but digital. The ‘automatic control’, for choosing the direction of travel, is undoubtedly done with buttons. After all, that is also the case in the new 500e and the Jeep Avenger, with a set of buttons that are very similar to those of the technically completely different 500e. Now that those two cars have been named together: it is striking how much the Avenger, built on PSA technology, resembles the 500e developed under FCA on the inside. Undoubtedly, the 600 follows the same path, uniting elements of both concerns.
Punto
Fiat’s new electric crossover is expected this year. That is not our hunch, but the logical consequence of Fiat’s promise that two new electric models will be presented in 2023. The 600 is therefore not alone, but will probably immediately be joined by a similar model in hatchback form. That spiritual successor to the Fiat Punto was announced in 2021 and given the available platform technology and Fiat’s years of absence in the B segment, this would be a perfectly logical choice. The new ‘Punto’ – the name is not yet known – will then be the brother of the Peugeot 208 and the Opel Corsa, both of which are extremely popular. An electric version of this car can also appear immediately, because after all, the sister brands also have them.
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl