The electric Abarths just haven't taken off yet.
The Abarth 500 and Abarth 600 failed to meet the sales targets Stellantis had anticipated, casting doubt on the strategy of the Italian high-performance subsidiary.
Abarth has always been Fiat's high-performance subsidiary, which experienced a golden age from the first decade of the 21st century thanks to the impetus of a young Luca de Meo (who would later lead Seat and Renault) and the 2008 Abarth 500, a model that used the platform of the popular Fiat 500. This included models derived from the original Abarth 500 such as the 500C (the convertible version of the Italian sports car) and the Fantastic Abarth 595 and the special versions Custom, Turismo, or Competizione, among others. Abarth further capitalized on the model's success by creating an extreme version called Abarth 695 with a power of 180 hp, Brembo brakes or various carbon fiber elements.
In 2023, the Stellantis group decided to build on the commercial success of Abarth models with a new Abarth 500e, a sporty and dynamic version of the electric 500. This electric Abarth 500 has a base price of around €35,500 and features a 37.8 kWh battery with a real-world range of approximately 200 kilometers in mixed driving. Its 155 hp electric motor allows it to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in seven seconds. The Abarth electric range was completed in 2025 with the arrival of the new Abarth 600, an electric SUV with up to 280 hp, a 54 kWh battery with a range of around 300 kilometers, and a base price of €42,700.
A niche market of little relevance
Despite the Stellantis group's efforts to promote and support Abarth's electric and zero-emissions positioning, sales have fallen short of the group's commercial expectations. The Abarth 500e and Abarth 600 are niche models with a limited potential market, but even the brand's loyal followers and enthusiasts haven't embraced Abarth's electric transformation.
The traditional Abarth customer is a driver passionate about cars, especially combustion engine vehicles with manual transmissions and loud exhaust pipes. They highly valued the upgrade and customization options available for the combustion engine model, which, it's worth remembering, was around €10,000 cheaper than the entry-level electric model. The brand's new positioning and the pricing of its products have caused this model to lose appeal in its core market and have also failed to attract buyers of competing models such as Mini, Audi, or BMW, among others.
While it is true that electric car sales are gaining momentum in Europe, it is worth noting that the majority of the best-selling electric models are more versatile, larger vehicles with better ranges and charging times than the two Abarth models.
Towards an uncertain future
From Turin, the birthplace of Fiat and Abarth, the possibility of a return to an Abarth 500 with a combustion engine and hybrid technology has been circulating for some time. This is being done by taking advantage of the basis of the new Fiat 500, which goes backwards and recovers the combustion engine And, importantly, it will once again be manufactured at the historic Mirafiori plant, a gesture from the Stellantis group towards the Italian government and local unions, who were furious about the decision to produce the electric version of the 500 at the Tychy plant in Poland. The Fiat 500 hybrid uses a 1.0-liter three-cylinder FireFly gasoline engine paired with a 48V electric motor and a six-speed manual transmission. Several media outlets suggest the possibility of creating an Abarth version with slightly higher power and a specific setup to offer an affordable price for the general public and comply with the new European Union emissions regulations.
The other major project associated with Abarth is a sporty version of the new Grande Panda, also in a zero-emissions electric format, to counter the success of the new Renault 5, The brand-new Renault 4 and the new versions of the Alpine. The Fiat Grande Panda is an affordable electric car with a 113 hp engine, but Stellantis has made significant progress on an Abarth evolution that will take advantage of the Torsen differentials and 280 hp engines already used in the new Lancia Ypsilon HF or the aforementioned Abarth 600. Unlike these, the potential Abarth will have entry-level versions (below €29,000) and a distinctive aesthetic that will allow it to win over the brand's traditional customers.
