Fiat’s move to reintroduce gasoline power to the latest-generation 500 hatchback could bring unexpected perks for performance enthusiasts. It may even help revive Abarth, which has been severely constrained by Fiat’s current lineup. According to the brand’s chief, the new Fiat 500 Hybrid could effectively become the next-generation replacement for the Fiat Abarth 500.
Abarth buyers still want gasoline power — but not for the reasons you might think.
Gaetano Thorel, who leads Fiat and Abarth in Europe, explained during the launch of the new gasoline-powered 500 that “Abarth customers want a thermic engine.” In other words, they still prefer a traditional combustion engine, whether gasoline or diesel.
With Fiat reengineering the new 500 platform to accommodate both gasoline and electric powertrains, fresh opportunities have opened up for performance arm Abarth. Thorel told AutoExpress that while adapting the platform for an Abarth model wouldn’t be as straightforward as it is for Fiat, that challenge isn’t likely to stand in the brand’s way.
“We’re trying, but developing an Abarth is more challenging than a Fiat,” he explained. The issue isn’t simply about achieving higher horsepower — electric motors can already provide that. The real problem is customization. “Abarth customers buy the car and then modify it. You can’t do that with an electric model,” he said. “Owners can’t get their hands on the motor and tune it, and that’s why the Abarth community hasn’t been very happy with us.”
By reworking the 500e platform, Fiat managed to squeeze a mild-hybrid 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine under the tiny hood. However, its output is closer to that of Abarth models from the 1960s than anything from recent decades. With no turbocharger — just a 48-volt starter-generator — the setup produces 63 horsepower and delivers a 0–62 mph time of 16.2 seconds. That makes it a contender for one of the slowest modern cars on the market.
Thorel made it clear that this mild-hybrid engine is not an option for Abarth. The brand’s current 500e-based EV already delivers 153 horsepower and sprints from 0–62 mph in seven seconds. For comparison, Abarth’s most powerful gasoline model to date — the 695 70° Anniversario — produced 178 horsepower from its 1.4-liter turbocharged engine.
500’s Tiny Engine Bay Is Creating Serious Challenges
According to Thorel, the previous gasoline engine simply won’t fit in the new 500’s extremely tight engine bay. That limitation also rules out switching to four-cylinder options altogether. Stellantis does have several more potent three-cylinder engines in its portfolio, however. One potential candidate is the 1.2-liter turbo triple found in models like the Citroën C4, which produces up to 155 horsepower — a figure that at least gets close to Abarth territory. It’s unclear, though, whether the engine’s physical size would allow it to fit.
Stellantis also offers a turbocharged version of the 500 Hybrid’s 1.0-liter engine, but with only 118 horsepower, it’s questionable whether that would deliver a meaningful enough performance boost for an Abarth model.
Adding more gasoline power to the new 500 is clearly a major engineering challenge, but Thorel stressed that Abarth is determined to pursue it. “We are working on it. If we find a way, we’ll do it,” he said. Should the company succeed, those hands-on Abarth enthusiasts might be in for a tough time — tuning an engine squeezed into an already cramped bay won’t be easy.
