The 2016 Fiat 500 facelift's details have leaked ahead of its world debut on July 11, 2015. As per the new details, the production of the 500 Club and 500 Lounge trims will be commenced on August 20, whereas the Popstar and Pop variants will be manufactured from September 2015.
The new Fiat 500 will receive substantial cosmetic updates, but retain the original design. The car will feature a 500X crossover-inspired LED headlights, revised front and rear bumper, a new pair of 15-inch and 16-inch alloy rim designs and LED taillights. For customization, Fiat will offer a ‘Car Dressing’ option. Inside, the hatchback will get a new dashboard, steering wheel with new chrome inserts, new fabric and leather upholstery, new window operation switches and a glove compartment instead of an ‘open’ box. It will borrow FCA’s UConnect infotainment system with 5-inch touchscreen from the Alfa Romeo Mito.
The 2016 Fiat 500 will continue to feature the 1.2-litre, 8V and 0.9 TwinAir engines that power the existing model. The former produces 69PS with 102Nm, while the latter is tuned for two states of power – 85PS and 105PS. A 5-speed manual gearbox and a 5-speed Dualogic AMT transmission will be on offer. The hatchback will also get new front disc brakes.
Just so you know, the Italian automaker is planning to launch four new cars in the Indian market – Abarth 595 Competizione, Punto Evo Abarth and Jeep Wrangler & Cherokee.
