Abarth petrol return: why the next model won’t be a new 595

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Abarth is ready to step back from an EV-only strategy, but a return to petrol won’t mean a quick revival of the 595. The brand’s executives acknowledge demand for sound, mechanical tuning and a more direct driving feel, but the current Fiat 500 is a poor fit for a powerful engine.

Fiat has already fitted the originally electric-only 500 platform with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine producing 65 hp, paired with a six-speed manual. For Abarth, that isn’t enough, and a bigger engine would require reworking the cooling system, transmission, brakes and subsequent homologation. Company representatives have previously stated outright that a 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine simply doesn’t fit under the hood.

That’s why the next petrol-powered Abarth may not be a compact 500 at all. Experts see a hot version of the Fiat 600 as the most likely candidate, while Abarth’s plans to return to petrol engines were first reported back in March and a hot Grande Panda is also said to be in the works. The latter project hasn’t received final approval for production, and its powertrain hasn’t been decided.

The reason behind the shift shows up in sales: after Abarth discontinued the petrol-powered 595 and 695 in August 2024, the brand sold just 291 cars in the UK in 2025, down from 1,027 the year before. Meanwhile, the electric 500e and 600e remain in the lineup, with the flagship 600e producing up to 280 hp.

Fiat has already brought a petrol powertrain back to the 500 family, but for Abarth, simply having a combustion engine on offer isn’t enough. The brand needs an engine that fits in the car, meets emissions rules and still leaves owners room to tune it further. For now, a larger platform fits that brief better than a successor to the 595.