The Abarth line-up is set to go electric for the first time with a hot take on the new Fiat 500 EV
As sure as night follows day, the new, all-electric Fiat 500 will be followed up by a hot hatch equivalent from performance brand Abarth, and now the marque has confirmed the arrival of its new model in an official capacity. The Abarth New 500 will get its official unveiling on 22 November but, predictably, images of the finished article have leaked ahead of time.
As expected, the Abarth version brings a full set of sporty styling enhancements to the Fiat 500 base design with the usual smattering of scorpion badges and large Abarth decals. The deeper front bumper gains a chin spoiler and a hexagonal mesh design, while the friendly face of the 500 gets a slightly more menacing look courtesy of the bonnet line now slicing through the round headlights. Down the flanks we can see extended sills and a smart set of alloy wheels with scorpion logos at their hubs.
The Abarth New 500 will be one of the very first all-electric hot hatchbacks to hit the market, beating a key upcoming rival in the form of the Alpine badged version of the Renault 5, due in 2024. It’s been spied a couple of times in the hands of Abarth engineers, but the covers will be completely off very soon.
Fiat 500 vs MINI Electric vs Honda e
Fiat 500 vs MINI Electric vs Honda eAs Fiat CEO Olivier François told us earlier this year, Abarth will retain its wild styling cues for its electric cars. “The looks are the same. We need to be a little bit more extrovert. Abarth is always a little bit over the top, with spoilers and wheels,” he said.
Abarth 500 spy shots
Although this test car in our spy pictures is heavily clad in camouflage, we can see the EV will adhere to Abarth’s typically eye-catching design. At the front the redesigned bumper juts out further than the one on the standard Fiat 500. The side mouldings coupled with large wheel haunches give the electric hot hatch a more aggressive stance.
At the rear we can see a huge roof spoiler, which could gain the same manual adjustability as seen on the current Abarth hot hatch. Bespoke alloy wheels for Abarth’s new car should also appear. Performance details have not been revealed but expect it to comfortably beat the fastest version of the Fiat 500. In the standard car the mid-level and range topping versions get a 42kWh battery producing 116bhp, allowing for a 0-62mph time of 9 seconds and a 93mph top speed. Abarth’s electric 500 will need a significant boost in power to match another upcoming retro hot hatch – the 215bhp Renault 5-based Alpine R5.
In terms of range the electric 500 can offer up to 199 miles but with Abarth focusing on performance, the sportier version will likely not be able to travel as far on a single charge.
The company is also undecided as to whether it gives the Abarth 500 a fake petrol-engine soundtrack, or to accentuate the car’s electric motor and gearbox whine. Olivier François previously told Auto Express, “Do you want to put a super Abarth-ish sound or we can also invent a kind of Formula E sound that’s very loud”.
Since the demise of the 124 Spider, the Abarth model range has been limited to the 595 models that are closely related to the old petrol-powered Fiat 500. So with this all-new EV model replacing the old car, Abarth will no longer have any internal combustion-powered models. There will also be another fully-electric Abarth launched by 2025, which will also be a derivative of a Fiat.
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