Fiat shows off new 600 crossover and vows to stop selling grey cars
Orange you glad there will be no more grey Fiats?
Fiat has offered a first look at its replacement for the 500X — the 600, a crossover to slot in alongside the DS3 and the Peugeot 2008 in the Stellantis small SUV range. The 600 will be officially unveiled in full on July 4.
The news comes as the Italian brand announces that it will no longer produce grey cars — despite it being the UK’s most popular car colour — as the brand looks to concentrate on colours inspired by the “Italian sea, sun, earth and sky.”
Fiat 600 — what we know
The 600 is expected to use the Stellantis ‘e-CMP2’ platform and will share much of its underpinnings with the similarly sized Jeep Avenger.
It is expected, however, that the 600 will be offered with internal combustion engines as well as a pure-electric powertrain. A three-cylinder petrol engine is likely to be offered alongside a hybrid option, though Fiat is yet to confirm any concrete engine details.
The 51kWh battery pack in the Avenger is also expected to be used in the 600e — which should mean a range of up to 249 miles and charging speeds of up to 100kW.
Elsewhere, the 600 will likely be fitted with the same electric motor found in the Avenger —developing 154bhp, enough to get the Jeep from 0-62mph in nine seconds. The 600’s performance figures are expected to be around the same, as is the case with other Stellantis models on the same platform.
The 600’s styling appears to draw inspiration from the looks of the 500 — seen especially in the rounded headlights and the shape of the nose, matching the looks of the electric 500.
Inside, the 600 is expected to feature much of the same technology, with a 10.25in touchscreen forming the centrepiece of the console, equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Fiat axes grey paint
The upcoming 600 will be the first Fiat model to not be offered in grey, which has been the UK’s most popular car colour for several years — one in four new cars sold in the UK last year was grey, according to the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders).
Grey cars made up 25.7 per cent of the new car market in Britain in 2022, with a total of 408,155 grey cars sold in the UK last year.
Cars sold in ‘greyscale’ colours — black, grey or white — have been the most popular in Britain since 2010.
Fiat CEO Olivier Francois described the move as “challenging and disruptive,” saying that the decision was “reinforcing Fiat’s leadership as the brand of joy, colours and optimism.”
He continued: “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.”
Fiat’s range currently consists of the 500 and 500e, 500X, Panda and the Tipo, which are all available in a range of colours including orange, green, gold, blue and black, each named to reflect Fiat’s Italian background.
Fiat’s electric car future
Fiat is planning a switch to full electrification by 2030 and will launch five new models in the next five years alongside the electric Fiat 500.
The company is also using new underpinnings to design a new range of models inspired by the 2019 Centoventi concept car, which could see many recognisable names from Fiat’s past, such as the Punto, revived.
Related articles
- If you were interested in the new Fiat 600, you might want to see our guide to the best crossovers to buy in 2023
- Keen to go electric? Here are the top 10 longest-range electric cars
- Here are the UK’s Top 10 Most Popular Models
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