Lancia isn’t the only storied Italian brand getting some much needed love and attention from the suits at Stellantis. Abarth is also looking to expand and this hot version of the Fiat 600E crossover is how it’s going to do it.
Co-developed by the Abarth division and Stellantis Motorsport, the sporty SUV-style hatch makes a claimed 237 hp (240 PS / 177 kW), which is significantly more than the 154 hp (115 kW/156 PS) generated by the regular Fiat 600e introduced last year. That takes a leisurely 9 seconds to reach 62 mph (100 kmh) but the Abarth’s extra muscle should drop that figure to the mid-6-second range.
Abarth’s announcement was big on flowery waffle about motorsport being in the DNA, and short on detail about what changes it’s made to Abarth-ize the ordinary Fiat. We don’t, for instance, know how many motors or driven wheels it has, or at least Abarth isn’t saying, choosing only to drop clues instead. Though the big power jump, the fact that Abarth refers to this version of the eCMP platform as Performo-eCMP and its assertion that the mods guarantee “excellent racing dynamics in all kinds of conditions” suggests the tuned car might have gained a second motor on the rear axle, and all-wheel drive in the process, there are no rear driveshafts visible in the image below, just a simple beam axle.
Related: Fiat 600e Starts At $39K And Gets 249 Miles Of Electric Range, MHEV To Follow
The teaser info does reveal that the unnamed fast crossover comes with a “unique” limited slip differential, which would help the FWD chassis handle extra power, and an upgraded braking system that features bigger discs. The tires are also superior and Abarth claims they’ve been developed using experience gained in Formula E racing, though we doubt that series inspired the polyurethane insert that cuts perceived noise by a fifth.
The rubber features a softer compound that’s said to increased cornering grip, but presumably does it at the expense of electric range because of increased rolling resistance. The donor 600e has a 54 kWh battery that’s good for 249 miles (400 km) of range, but if the Abarth sticks with the same pack it’s going to be lucky to top 200 miles (320 km).
Abarth didn’t reveal any images of the interior (and only disguised pics of the exterior), but says the seats deliver both comfort and racing-style ergonomics through the use of four different foams, each optimized to support a different part of the body. There’s no official word on when we might see the finished production-ready car, or find out what it’s called, but a debut later this year in preparation for a 2025 model-year arrival in showrooms looks likely.
We’ve included a Carscoops rendered image in the gallery below to show how we think the undisguised Abarth 600e could look. This image isn’t endorsed by Stellantis.
