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WATCH: Fiat says goodbye to grey in unusual teaser for new 600e
600e is unlikely to come to South Africa soon as a result of the 500X still being present.
Screenshot of Fiat Fiat boss Olivier Francois behind the wheel of the “dipped” 600e. Image: Fiat.
In a somewhat left-field teaser video, Fiat has announced it will no longer offer any of its cars in grey as a result of its Dolce Vita values and definition of Italy as a country where colours play an important role in life.
Watch the farewell below
Conversely, the announcement and mentioned video also serves as the teaser for the all-electric 600e that will make it world debut on 4 July.
“This is challenging and disruptive and it is aimed to further reinforcing Fiat’s leadership as the brand of joy, colours, and optimism. Italy is the country of colours and, starting from today, Fiat cars too,” Fiat boss Olivier Francois said.
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“This choice further communicates to people the New Dolce Vita values and the Italian DNA embodied by the brand. Fiat wants to inspire people to live with optimism and positivity and this will also be one of the missions of the new Fiat 600e.”
Iconic name returns
Depicted emerging from a massive vat of orange paint in the Italian town of Lerici with Francois seated inside, the 600e revives a name last used 1969 for the slightly bigger, more powerful offshoot of the original 500, but as evident by the “e” lettering, motivated by an electric powertrain with no combustion option expected to be offered.
Similar in principle to the all-electric 500e revealed in 2020, the 600e will eventually replace the 500X that debuted almost a decade ago as one of the first models to ride on the Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) developed Small Wide 4×4 platform used today by amongst others, the Jeep Renegade, Fiat Toro, Jeep Compass and Commander, the Alfa Romeo Tonale and most recently, the new Ram Rampage bakkie.
Underpinned by Jeep
According to the latest report by motor1.com, the 600e will take leave of the mentioned architecture and ride on the CMP platform that underpins the Jeep Avenger, as well as Alfa Romeo’s forthcoming new small SUV.
Despite the CMP being optimised for both electric and combustion engines, the latter soon to feature in the Avenger, the 600e is, for the time being, unlikely to head to same route as a result of Fiat becoming an all-electric marque by 2025.
It, therefore, means that the 600e could potentially offer a choice of two powerunits; the 42-kWh lithium-ion battery pack that produces 87kW/220Nm in the 500e and the bigger 54-kWh unit developing 115kW/260Nm in the Avenger.
Power expected to go the front axle though with an expected range of as much as 400 km depending on the powerplant.
South Africa unlikely to get
While likely to be teased more within the coming days in spite of its reveal being less than a week away, chances are the 600e won’t earmarked for South Africa as a result of the recently facelifted 500X still being on-sale.
