Abarth stepped into the electric era in Europe early, committing to an all-electric offering before most of its sister brands within the Stellantis. The problem, however, is that reality has not quite followed the plan. Not because sales of electric vehicles are declining, in fact, they have increased by 21 percent in Europe this year, but because Abarth itself is struggling to sell its electric models.
Currently, the brand’s offering is limited to the 500e and 600e models, but neither has achieved the level of demand that Stellantis had hoped for. Faced with this reality and weak sales figures, the legendary brand with the scorpion in its sign is now considering the return of a model with an internal combustion engine. The data is devastating, in the first half of 2025, only 318 Abarth 600e models were registered in Europe.
One obvious candidate for going back to the roots already resides within Stellantis’ treasure trove of parts. A more powerful version of the Fiat Grande Panda would fit perfectly into Abarth’s philosophy. This small crossover currently comes with gasoline, mild hybrid, and all-electric powertrains, all based on Stellantis’ “Smart Car” architecture.
According to the British Autocar, the project already exists, at least in the early stages of development, although approval for series production has not yet been given. Gaetano Thorelwho oversees Abarth and Fiat in Europe, hinted at the brand’s intentions when asked about the idea of a performance-focused Grande Panda.
“We will definitely use the Abarth legacy on something else. That’s all we can say for now,” he declared.