Iconic car loved by UK drivers is reinvented as hybrid boasting 6-speed gearbox, huge storage cubby & swish front grille
AN ICONIC car brand has revealed the first look of its new hybrid model set to start production later this year.
Fiat's new 500 Hybrid has been revealed through photographs of a group of pre-release prototypes.
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FIAT assembled the first pre-production units of the New 500 Hybrid at their Mirafiori plant in Turin
Credit: PA
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The new Fiat 500 has been spotted with a manual gear box
Credit: PA
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The current phase marks a crucial step in the model's industrialisation process
Credit: stellantis /Fiat
It looks almost identical to the
It includes an overhauled interior and six-speed manual gearbox.
On the inside, the dashboard features a larger and squarer storage cubby compared to previous versions.
The gearlever and steering wheel have also been elevated.
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This marks an important milestone for the new
On top of that, there is an estimated target to produce over 100,000 units of the hybrid 500 per year at full capacity.
Olivier Francois, FIAT CEO and Stellantis Global CMA, said: "With the 500 Hybrid, we are strengthening production at Mirafiori to ensure the plant's productivity and meet the demand.
"Our roots are in Italy and it's no coincidence that the two most iconic FIAT are made here: the Panda in Pomigliano and the 500 in Mirafiori."
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He highlighted the affordable, electric and iconic nature of the new model.
The move to retrofit an electric car with a combustion engine has been considered unprecedented in the European car industry.
Fiat 500e production paused
Additionally, presence of a manual gearbox means the 1.2-litre three-cylinder
However, ambitions were a result of two key challenges that came from a report in March 2024.
One was that Fiat needed to up production rates at its
It also ended production of the old petrol 500, which brought a majority of the 500 sales, due to new EU legislation on cybersecurity.
The 500 Hybrid therefore hopes to boost production at Mirafiori to "ensure the plant's productivity" with its new hybrid-equipped engined cars.
Francois added Fiat's shift towards EVs and hybrids is "proof that social relevance is at the core of the brand mission."
The company's design, production, and innovation in Italy demonstrates its commitment to continuing a story of local roots meeting global vision.
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Fiat's hybrid 500 has an estimated target of over 100,000 units per year
Credit: stellantis /Fiat
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