News from Italy
Fiat, present the new 600 and the Topolino
by Alessandro Romano
Vita gazette – Fiat, a brand of the Stellantis group, presented it in its historic headquarters on the Lingotto in Turin, together with another car known to all Italians, the Topolino and the new 600.
The Italian brand merged into Stellantis has revealed two new models that recall two historic cars of the automaker. Cool, fresh and designed for the youngest. This is how the new Fiat Topolino presents itself, a vehicle suitable for families and the youngest, who can drive it from 14.
Topolino and 600 are names that have always been associated with Fiat, which today, despite being part of the international Stellantis group, has decided to re-propose them.
The Fiat Topolino: sweet Italian Life
The Fiat Topolino is back. The spiritual heir of the first 500 (nicknamed “Topolino” due to its small size) is reborn as an electric quadricycle that can be ridden from 14 years of age and customised according to the taste and style of the Italian “dolce vita”.
Just 2.41 meters long, the Topolino is based on the same platform that gave birth to the Citroen Ami. Compared to its French cousin, the Fiat stands out for its personality, with soft lines that directly recall its 60s ancestor.
Topolino was designed for all those urban journeys or short distances that are easily reachable thanks to a 100% electric motor with zero emissions. The speed is reduced to just 45 km/h, but the range is decidedly wide: the 5.4 kWh battery allows a range of 75 km and a time of less than four hours for a full charge.
Fiat Topolino: how much does it cost
Orders for the new Fiat Topolino, approved as a light quadricycle – we remind you – therefore drivable from the age of 14 with a driving licence, have just opened online, thanks to the “Be the First” programme.
Prices start at 9,890 euros without incentives, a comparable figure for both versions (closed and open) which can go down to 7,499 euros thanks to the incentives dedicated to this category of vehicles. There is also a dedicated financial plan, with instalments of 39 euros per month.
The new 600e
Fiat is once again the star of the B segment with the new 600e, the B-SUV with a playful, familiar, electric look.
Just 4.17 meters long, 1.78 meters wide and 1.52 meters high, the new Fiat 600e nonetheless has plenty of room for five people, front glove compartments at the top of the category in terms of space and good electric range. We often tend to advise against electric cars with less than 400 km of WLTP, and the 600e is perfect in this sense: the combined WLTP cycle is 400 km, while in the city, it can reach 600 km (WLTP urban cycle). Front-engine output is 115 kW/156 hp, which we have seen elsewhere recently. The torque equals 260 Nm, so on paper, the 600e is identical to the French sisters in the same group. Fiat declares consumption of 15.1-15.2 kWh/100 km: 15.1 refers to the new 600e RED, 15.2 to the 600e LA PRIMA, the two editions immediately available at launch. The battery on both cars is 54 kWh, with 51 kWh of net energy, charging up to 100 kW of power on DC and up to 11 kW on AC. It means that at an 11 kW column, it will take 5 hours and 45 minutes for a complete 0-100% charge, while in DC, we have 20-80% in 27 minutes.
How much does the new Fiat 600e cost
The RED has a turnkey price of 35,950 euros, which becomes 29,950 euros thanks to active promotions and state incentives in the event of scrapping, while LA PRIMA starts at 40,950 euros.
Production outside Italy
The production of the two cars will be outside Italy: as stated by Olivier Francois, CEO of Fiat, the new Topolino will be produced as Amy in Morocco, while the new 600 in Tichy. A statement immediately aroused controversy, to which Francois himself did not fail to counter: “In Italy, we would produce more cars if we bought more. This country is the only one in Europe that is withdrawing from electricity because there are not enough incentives,” he said. According to the Fiat CEO, the Italian plants are saturated or will be flooded according to the planned plans, specifically for Melfi, Pomigliano and Mirafiori.
The president of Stellantis: “Great pride in the rebirth of these two historical models”
President John Elkann has expressed great pride in the rebirth of these two historical models. “We are delighted to be here at the Lingotto, an important place in our past, present and future. Many of our cars are produced here. The 600 and the Topolino have iconic names; they represent a large part of our heritage, projected towards the future of the car and mobility. A future in Termoli where we are building a Gigafactory, an ambitious project to have a state-of-the-art battery plant. This is a future for Atessa since an essential part of Stellantis is linked to commercial vehicles. And we have a strong industrial presence in Pomigliano, where we have products that are exported outside Europe, such as Alfa Romeo and Dodge, and solid products in Europe, such as the Panda, which is now a hybrid. I would have many other examples, but I would like to focus on Turin. In Turin, we will have a large hub for the circular economy that we are building: it will be big business in the future of the battery laboratory. I would also like to mention the Green Campus that we launched yesterday, where you will see the design, R&D and technology side of Stellantis,” Elkann highlighted.