Italian performance firm sees EVs are cheaper to own while offering the same power and enjoyment
Abarth won’t produce any more pure-combustion cars, focusing instead on electric cars, its European boss has told Autocar.
The brand last year launched its first EV with the 500e, and recently its second, the larger 600e, while the petrol 595 and 695 were taken off sale in August.
Citing increasingly strict emissions rules, European head of Fiat and Abarth Gaetano Thorel ruled out any non-EV successors to its combustion models, explaining that the costs were simply too much for both car maker and consumer.
“If you make a combustion sports hatch that emits 180g/km and you are in Italy, you have to pay between €1000 and €2000 road tax every year,” he said. “Is it fair when I can give customers an electric sport hatch that behaves in the same way, has the same level of enjoyment and equivalent performance? All at the same price? I think it’s better to offer electric cars.”
When asked if Abarth would instead explore hybrid technology – particularly given that the Fiat 500 Ibrida has been confirmed for production in 2026 – Thorel ruled out the notion as the powerplant would be too “compromised”.
He said: “We need to stay true to the Abarth DNA, and the engine that goes in the new 500 is a micro-hybrid engine that does not allow you to extract the power to make a real Abarth, so it wouldn’t be possible.”
Thorel also ruled out the possibility of Abarth producing its own bespoke offerings, despite rival firm Alpine committing to a stable of its own models rather than rebadging Renault products, starting with the A390.
He said: “[Founder] Carlo Abarth never made a car from scratch. Abarth DNA is to take a conventional car and stretch its performance through engine, dynamics and sound, in order to make it sporty and accessible.
“We want to remain true to this DNA, so we will not launch a bespoke Abarth for the time being.”
Thorel also hinted at the possibility of a car based on the production version of the Fiat SUV concept, which is set to arrive by 2027 as a “giga-Panda” focusing on practicality.
“To me, Abarth can be developed on anything as long as it has Abarth DNA,” he said. “I personally don’t see a limit on Abarth cars just being A-segment or B-segment hatchbacks. If the SUV is possible, then why not?”
