It’s an event that we no longer dared to believe: Fiat is launching a new car. On the Turin side, the appearance of a new model has not occurred since 2016 and the presentation of the Tipo. An eternity on the automotive planet where ranges are aging more and more quickly. The arrival of the 600 – in an electric and thermal hybrid version – must therefore be duly welcomed. Perhaps even the church bells of Italy will start to ring…
Long left fallow by a bloodless FCA group (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) and much more concerned by the future of its American component, the Italian manufacturer which became an integral part of the Stellantis group in 2021 is finally regaining color after seeing its market share in Europe (3.5%, in 2022) to fall by two thirds in twenty years. The electric Fiat 600 which will be marketed in the coming weeks should allow it to no longer have to rely solely on sales of the small 500 to ensure its survival.
This model from the group’s e-CMP platform (like the Peugeot 208, Citroën C4, Opel Corsa or Jeep Avenger) is a small family car, 4.21 meters long, equipped with a 54 kWh battery which provides it with autonomy of around 400 kilometers. A guarantee of emancipation with regard to “monoculture 500”the reference to the Fiat 600 of 1955 is mainly due to the desire to evoke the rich days of the Italian automobile of the 1950s.
A deserted segment
The newcomer produced in the Tychy factory in southern Poland has soft shapes, pleasing to the eye without being wildly original. The style is not particularly retro and, despite the elements of language put forward by the manufacturer, it takes a lot of good will to find a resemblance to its predecessor.
To facilitate its return to a segment deserted since the Punto said goodbye, but also to ensure its presence on the Italian market, lagging far behind in terms of electrification – Giorgia Meloni, the president of the far-right council, is openly anti-electric car – the 600 will also be offered in a micro-hybrid version which should represent half of the production. The fact remains that Fiat, which is committed to abandoning thermal engines in Europe from 2027, is mainly focusing on the version which fits into the very dynamic segment of small electric SUVs.
Supported by a brand which has built its credibility on its popular small cars and aims to democratize access to electric mobility, the 600 appears at an opportune time. While Chinese brands are knocking on Europe’s door, the range of electric vehicles continues to expand, but remains concentrated on expensive models. However, the new Fiat is offered at a relatively competitive price, even if it is still higher than those of the Asian competition.
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