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Fiat 600 Nameplate Resurrects as Retro-Styled Electric SUV
The Fiat 600 is a nameplate that may be gone but not forgotten. If you remember, the Fiat 600 featured a rear-mounted water-cooled engine in two-door fastback and four-door Multipla mini MPV forms.
Despite its good handling and driving characteristics, it met its demise in 1969, but that's a story for another day.
Fast forward 54 years, and Fiat is reviving the renowned nameplate with the electrified 600e set to compete in the well-known B-segment.
It re-emerges, no longer as petite as the original 600 from yesteryear, stretching to 4.7 m, with room for five occupants and a 360-litre boot, making it notably larger than the 500e.
Let's talk specifications, shall we? The new Fiat 600e is available in two fully-electric tastes; Red and La Prima (limited-edition). The former is aimed at those young at heart, while the latter offers 100% style, tech, and comfort and is available in four different colours: Sun of Italy, Sea of Italy, Sky of Italy, and Earth of Italy. If ever you had doubts about where Fiat originated…
As its name suggests, the base Red model adds a red shade to bits and pieces inside and out. These include the front and rear logos and the dashboard fascia. If red isn't your thing for the 600e, you can ask Fiat for two other colour options; black and white.
The entire range can be had with up to 18" alloy wheels.
When it comes to interior features, the stylish 600e is jam-packed with features such as a power tailgate, all-around power windows, automatic air conditioning, dusk and rain sensors, USB ports, a 10.25" infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a 7" digital instrument cluster.
A 6-speaker audio system has been thrown into the mix for music lovers.
Getting into the more interesting stuff, the Fiat 600e comes fitted with a 54 kWh battery pack that gives the small electric SUV a range of up to 400 km or 600 km when driven around the city.
The battery pack feeds power to a single electric motor that delivers 115 kW, enough to whisk the SUV silently from 0-100 km/h in 9 seconds. When recharging the pack, owners can use a 100 kW fast charger which will add 80% in less than 30 minutes. The car comes with an 11 kW onboard charger plus a Mode 3 cable that you can use in the comfort of your home or in public.
Fiat says it will add a hybrid powertrain in the coming year, and we have no doubt that will appeal more to South Africans, considering our electricity infrastructure's situation.
Regarding safety, Fiat has you covered, courtesy of Level 2 assisted driving, Adaptive Cruise Control, Speed Assist, Blind Spot Detection, Electric Parking Brake, Autonomous Emergency Braking and 360° sensors, plus a rear-view camera with a 180-degree view.
The return of the Fiat 600e nameplate is another testament to how much the brand is focused on reaching its goal of becoming a fully-electric brand by the year 2030. If it gets close to what Fiat has achieved with the 500e, it'll become a serious contender in its segment.
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