Fiat teases 'affordable' new 500 Hybrid with manual gearbox

Fiat has released a few teaser images of the upcoming 500 Hybrid.

Shot in the firm’s Mirafiori factory, Italy, the images show that the new Hybrid’s exterior design is the same as that found on the electric variant of the car, which includes flush door handles and two-part circular front headlights.

However, the front end will feature a radiator grille – the only external change over the EV. Also, this new model will use the same underpinnings found in the battery-powered model, too.

Inside, most of the design will remain the same, with push-button controls to open the doors, a central infotainment screen and a flat-bottom steering wheel. Plus, the images reveal that the car will feature a manual gearbox.

Fiat is yet to release details of the car’s powertrain, however, it’s likely that it will be the same 1.0-litre mild-hybrid unit found in the old 500 and Panda Hybrid models.

Olivier Francois, Fiat chief executive, said: “500 Hybrid offers affordable electrification and iconic style, proof that social relevance is at the core of the brand mission. With the 500 Hybrid, we are strengthening production at Mirafiori to ensure the plant’s productivity and meet the demand. Our roots are in Italy and it’s no coincidence that the two most iconic Fiats are made here: the Panda in Pomigliano and the 500 in Mirafiori.”

Production of the 500 Hybrid will commence in the fourth quarter of this year, with prices and specification to follow soon.