Thursday 8th February 2024

Abarth 600e 'Scorpionissima' previewed

A Milan debut is imminent, but Abarth is clearly bursting at the seams when it comes to its 240hp EV

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The enthusiasm of Abarth to embrace electrification can not be faulted. Where so many makers appear determined only to extol battery-powered worthiness, Abarth is seemingly determined to focus on the entertainment potential of EVs. A laudable aim, given how dreary things have been thus far. This new 600e aims to pick up exactly where the 500e started off, ramping up the excitement of the EV hot hatch, now with five doors and more power. Like it? Abarth is undoubtedly proud: “Ready, exciting, muscular, and aggressive, its first picture instantly reveals the “evil” essence of the Abarth 600e’. Punchy.

As announced with the testing pics, this 600e will get 240hp, a chunky uptick from the 500’s 153hp; Abarth reckons that makes this car ‘fiercely competitive and powerful.’ The oddly doctored image suggests this new car could be four-wheel drive, though the mention of a mechanical limited-slip diff - hardware that 'guarantees excellent driving stability, improved handling, and traction’ - would imply just a driven front axle. The most fun hatches are FWD anyway, and that sort of power certainly has the potential to entertain.

Those front wheels are 20 inches in diameter (so this Abarth may not be quite as compact as first thought), with tyres from Hankook for ‘maximum grip and excellent racing dynamics in all kinds of conditions.’ The colour, seen here for the first time, is called Hypnotic Purple. Abarth has also confirmed that, as with the 500e, the 600e will launch with a Scorpionissima limited edition. Again, there will be 1,949 units available.

There’s plenty more to be divulged, of course, and we’re told to ‘stay tuned’ for that. But this seems like an auspicious start for Abarth’s Mini rival, brimming with all the attitude and power that has made its hot hatches so popular over the past decade and a half. More news as we have it. 

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• Incoming Abarth 600e to boast 240hp
• 2023 Abarth 500e | PH Review

[wistec1]

For me Abarth and Electric together will never be of any interest. The concept is contradictory. Yet another brand lost to the ideology of EV.

[Super Sonic]

LOOKS like a BMW mini

[undred orse]

wistec1 said:

For me Abarth and Electric together will never be of any interest. The concept is contradictory. Yet another brand lost to the ideology of EV.

Agreed. I’ve got a 595 comp -petrol- from 2022 that I’m keeping. My third and last Abarth as a result of the electrification.

[andy43]

Looks quite funky. Or a cat.
240 bhp is pretty good for something that size.
Now, how heavy is it?

[pb8g09]

That’s more like it!

[snorkel sucker]

Looks mega, I like it!

Would be a lovely pairing to my 595 Competizione.

[D4rez]

wistec1 said:

For me Abarth and Electric together will never be of any interest. The concept is contradictory. Yet another brand lost to the ideology of EV.

So all brands long term then?

[SRT77]

Is anyone buying the Abarth 500e though. The list price is £38,700 ( approx ) and some with delivery mileage are already down to £26,500 without having even left the showroom.
The colour’s nice, just a shame they don’t offer a choice of power unit. We are still a long way off the the ban on ice sales.
Word is that the current 595 and 695 are only months away from being pulled.

[plfrench]

D4rez said:

wistec1 said:

For me Abarth and Electric together will never be of any interest. The concept is contradictory. Yet another brand lost to the ideology of EV.

So all brands long term then?

Not really that long term now - the rate of transition is accelerating quite noticeably as a result of so much investment in EV development by all the manufacturers (even those late to the party such as Toyota and Ford). Even before 2030, I think there will be very, very little non EV choice for most key segments in the UK.

At least the likes of Abarth are having a go at making things a bit different

[ecsrobin]

wistec1 said:

For me Abarth and Electric together will never be of any interest. The concept is contradictory. Yet another brand lost to the ideology of EV.

As a previous owner I think it’s exactly as they have always done - modifying fiats.

[StRemy]

The chassis has been developed by Peugeot Sport, so at least the guys who have tuned the suspension know what they are doing.

[ChrisCh86]

Now this I like, the very first image they release is of a purple car drifting. Got to love the Italians, they have a great sense of fun

Here's hoping this is more electric hatchback then crossover, but I feel I'm going to be disappointed....

[djgritt]

Now this has piqued interest in our house…

We have previously had 4x 595s and needed something bigger, gave up holding out for a 500X Abarth.

This seems to fill that gap - just looked at the standard 600e to get some specs and it seems this is going to be comparable in size to the current Ford Puma (ironically what we had for a short time after the last Abarth!).

This could be an option if we find ourselves wanting to go for an EV as the Taycan & Ioniq 5 N are out of budget sadly ha.


It’s definitely a Crossover, same market as the Puma, Kia Niro etc.

Another pic of the real deal car with people for size comparison;

https://x.com/orebobby/status/1755617878991307153?...

[herebebeasties]

ChrisCh86 said:

Now this I like, the very first image they release is of a purple car drifting. Got to love the Italians, they have a great sense of fun

Here's hoping this is more electric hatchback then crossover, but I feel I'm going to be disappointed....

I'm pretty sure you will be. If those really are 20 inch wheels and the tyres aren't utterly photoshopped, that is a ridiculous amount of rubber for only 240hp. Pure Photoshop!

Regular 600e looks like this:


I think this is similar to the Ioniq 5 - it looks rather like a dinky hot hatch in terms of styling until you clock the crazy large wheels and/or put a person in the picture for scale, then you realise how large it actually is.

Edited by herebebeasties on Thursday 8th February 23:34

[WCZ]

Won’t be light and needs more than 240hp, the mg x power is £35k and has 430hp and 4wd for reference

[Silvanus]

herebebeasties said:

ChrisCh86 said:

Now this I like, the very first image they release is of a purple car drifting. Got to love the Italians, they have a great sense of fun

Here's hoping this is more electric hatchback then crossover, but I feel I'm going to be disappointed....

I'm pretty sure you will be. If those really are 20 inch wheels and the tyres aren't utterly photoshopped, that is a ridiculous amount of rubber for only 240hp. Pure Photoshop!

Regular 600e looks like this:


I think this is similar to the Ioniq 5 - it looks rather like a dinky hot hatch in terms of styling until you clock the crazy large wheels and/or put a person in the picture for scale, then you realise how large it actually is.

Edited by herebebeasties on Thursday 8th February 23:34

It's not a particularly big car, smaller in every dimension than a Ford Puma and is actually smaller than it's 500x predecessor. For a crossover it's definitely one of the smaller ones.

[Escort Si-130]

Looks like some kind of sexy toy on wheels

[TGCOTF-dewey]

andy43 said:

Looks quite funky. Or a cat.
240 bhp is pretty good for something that size.
Now, how heavy is it?

Clever.

[Kipsrs]

D4rez said:

wistec1 said:

For me Abarth and Electric together will never be of any interest. The concept is contradictory. Yet another brand lost to the ideology of EV.

So all brands long term then?

Go on, I’ll stick my head above the parapet and say it, ‘except Toyota’ if the CEO is to be believed.

[Alex Z]

Kipsrs said:

Go on, I’ll stick my head above the parapet and say it, ‘except Toyota’ if the CEO is to be believed.

Will they go for hydrogen then?
That’s still an electric car, just with a fuel cell instead of battery.

Anyway, the 600e looks great.