New Fiat 500 to use two-cylinder turbo engine

fiat500rendering.jpg

Following the moves of other car manufacturers that have revived classics (e.g.: the MINI and the New Beetle), Fiat is bringing back it’s old adorable Fiat 500, the town car with a boxer two-cylinder engine that came in either 479cc, 499cc, or 594cc displacements. There were even estate and convertible versions.

Fiat’s new Fiat 500 is set to be a 2007 release model based on the Fiat Panda platform, and word is that the two-cylinder configuration is coming back, now in turbocharged form! The engine is set to be a two-pot 0.9 litre engine making between 90hp to 110hp and 120Nm of torque, which is likely to kick in pretty low in the torque band considering the usual turbocharged torque curve patterns. The photo above is a computer generated rendering of how the new Fiat 500 could potentially look like, but expect the production version to retain all the retro looks of it’s predecessor.

More powerful variants will use the new Fire 1.4 litre engine that will also be put into the new Fiat Bravo. It makes about 150hp, doesn’t look as nice on paper as the 1.4 TSI from Volkswagen but still commendable.

Will the modern interpretation of the Fiat 500 enjoy the same runaway success that BMW has had with the New MINI Cooper? In case you don’t know how the original Fiat 500 looked like, a photo of a 1973 variant is available after the jump.

fiat500ori.jpg

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • auctioncenter2u (Member) on Nov 16, 2006 at 8:38 pm

    Classic style might attract buyers to buy one. I think they wanna to follow the MINI and Beater.

    Good move BTW!

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  • mitlanevo (Member) on Nov 16, 2006 at 8:43 pm

    Great job, bring back the legend and the classical taste.

    Not a car with much attractive look, but I still like it!!!

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  • motorhead (Member) on Nov 16, 2006 at 9:05 pm

    Hahaha.. nice.. very classic…

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  • maibatsu_thunder (Member) on Nov 16, 2006 at 9:26 pm

    Excellent. Why can't people make cars like this!? IMHO the Ford GT was a worthy successor to the GT40, the new Mustang is also OK. 'New Beetle' – rubbish, New MINI … so-so but just a pale copy of the real Mini. Someone should copy the iconic EF-Generation Honda CRX.

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  • lowprofile (Member) on Nov 16, 2006 at 9:29 pm

    I want one!! (if the price is right)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • maibatsu_thunder (Member) on Nov 16, 2006 at 9:36 pm

    I want the original in Abarth 695SS specs. :P Yummy!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Celicazz (Member) on Nov 16, 2006 at 9:47 pm

    I cant wait for Toyota to come out with their retro-look Celica… I just love the first Gen celica look… killa…

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  • ingolstadt (Member) on Nov 16, 2006 at 9:59 pm

    Another looser, didn't even care on launching new, good cars; but rather, cash in on previous legacies and heritage which virtually had nothing to do with their current status.

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  • lowprofile (Member) on Nov 16, 2006 at 10:05 pm

    seems there is a market for retro products. would be great if there is a re-born mk2 escort sport or saab 900 turbo… of course updated for today lah.

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  • cbljkkj (Member) on Nov 16, 2006 at 10:14 pm

    The Fiat 500 is a classic piece of car history. It was as popular as the Volkswagen Beetle back in the day. One of those cars people just had to buy because it was so desirable.

    I never thought there would be a smaller displacement engine than the Mira Daihatsu engine. The horsepower figures are eeriely similar to a turbocharged 1 liter Kelisa engine

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  • ilmondo (Member) on Nov 17, 2006 at 12:53 am

    muaks! hope its cheap n affordable n value 4 money as well so tat i can achieve my italian dream!

    very nice!!

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  • protonGL (Member) on Nov 17, 2006 at 2:18 am

    no problem if parked next to F430

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  • AMG (Member) on Nov 17, 2006 at 6:14 am

    Huh the "mickey" have a new model~

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  • aesthari (Member) on Nov 17, 2006 at 7:34 am

    Interesting, I've always liked the original, would really like to see how the new version looks like.

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  • jeanloo (Member) on Nov 17, 2006 at 11:01 am

    You might say it's not original, but i think it looks and MAY perform better than the Cherry QQ (Yucks). If ppl can buy the Spark, y not this car?>

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  • mitlanevo (Member) on Nov 18, 2006 at 8:04 am

    Ya, certainly better than the QQ…..

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  • mystvearn (Member) on Nov 19, 2006 at 4:46 am

    not sure I like this new facelift, maybe they need to try harder

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  • lance (Member) on Nov 20, 2006 at 3:51 pm

    Hi everybody,

    So cute! Luigi is making a comeback!

    Fiat 500 in Disney's "Cars"
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhcvSLTouuc

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  • patrick s (Member) on Feb 02, 2007 at 3:40 am

    it's impossible not to adore this lovely car…u will hit the streets with this…now we have only to wait untill the 15th september, when it'll be out..while waiting go to the official website fiat500.com is very funny..

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  • ybng (Member) on Mar 08, 2007 at 1:56 am

    Dear Paul,

    I have a Fiat 500L, year 1967( ? ) I need someone to repair the engine / gearbox as it is very slow ( no power ) and the gearbox is crushy. Or maybe you can tell me where to get a used engine / gearbox for it? I read that the Fiat 126 engine / gearbox will fit ?

    Thanks

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