The silence of the electric Abarth has apparently been deafening. Following what are politely described as less-than-stellar sales figures for the battery-powered models, a top Stellantis manager, Thorel, has made a rather monumental declaration. Abarth is seriously considering a return to the internal combustion engine.
The vehicle poised to welcome the Scorpion back under the hood is, naturally, the Fiat 500. However, the current 65-HP FireFly Hybrid engine is, to put it mildly, an insult to the Abarth badge. Thorel was quick to confirm that the anemic hybrid has no business near a car demanding the marque’s trademark performance and, more importantly, its “elaborabile” spirit, as expected by the brand’s demanding clientele.
So, what engine will save the Abarth soul? The long-gone 1.0-liter turbo is out. The most probable, and most exciting, option is a potent four-cylinder from the FireFly family. The 1.3-liter turbo unit, built in Termoli, capable of pushing out up to 180 HP. That’s one extra cylinder and a whole lot more attitude than the current crop of Abarth EVs.
The major hurdle, of course, is the looming specter of CO2 emissions. A pure internal combustion engine, no matter how much fun, might not pass muster. The ideal, politically correct compromise? Taking that fantastic 1.3-liter unit and integrating a 12V MHEV system. By discreetly tucking an electric motor into the transmission and placing a small battery beneath the seat, Abarth could theoretically deliver the required power and tunability while keeping the environmental regulators just happy enough.
An alternative discussed was reviving the 1.0-liter Turbo and boosting it to 140–150 HP with MHEV tech. This, however, would be a disaster for brand loyalty. The iconic 595, with its 1.4-liter T-Jet engine, delivered 160 HP. Rolling back the output and losing a cylinder in a heavier car would be a slap in the face to loyal Abarth fans.
Finally, one last option off the table. The 1.2-liter PureTech engine. The very idea of installing a French engine in an Italian icon risks a diplomatic incident. We can already hear the horrified shouts from purists.
