Fiat TopolinoInexplicably, Fiat is bringing its adorable Topolino to North America. A micro-sized two-seater with 46 miles of range and a 25-mph top speed doesn't seemed particularly well suited to the land of full-size pickup trucks, and the $14,980 starting price (including destination) seems a bit high, but given how enthusiastic my colleagues Jerry Perez and Adam Ismail are about this thing, I'm still calling the decision to bring it here a pleasant surprise. What I can't wrap my head around is what Fiat reportedly has in store next.According to Autocar, Fiat is considering an Abarth performance version of the Topolino. The automaker will add more Topolino variants in the future, and an Abarth variant is "a dream," CEO Olivier Francois said in an interview with the magazine.Stellantis"We're working on it and it may come," Francois said. "It would be a total hit." Fiat has already taken a step toward that with the Italian-market Topolino Sport, which features racing stripes but no mechanical changes.AdvertisementAdvertisementWhile many decidedly un-sporty Fiats have gotten successful Abarth makeovers in the past, this would still be quite a stretch. In Europe, the Topolino isn't even legally a car. It's classified as a "quadricycle," and can actually be driven by people as young as 14 without a license in some countries. In the U.S., it will only be street legal in jurisdictions with low-speed vehicle exemptions, and that will require a kit (available by the end of summer 2026) to boost the top speed from 19 mph to 25 mph.The regulatory niche the Topolino occupies will likely negate any real performance upgrades. The European quadricycle ruleset limits both output and top speed. While specific rules vary by state, any upgrades that allow the U.S.-spec Topolino to exceed 25 mph would push it out of the low-speed vehicle category, although it might still be road legal in states that have carveouts for UTVs.StellantisThe Topolino Abarth seems to be aimed more at Fiat's home market, though. Gaetano Thorel, Fiat's European boss, explained to Autocar that, while the Topolino is "the most successful quadricycle in Italy," the automaker is still chasing a greater share of younger buyers. The average Topolino buyer is in their mid-40s, but Fiat would like more 16- and 17-year-old customers and views an Abarth model as a potential way to do that, Thorel said."Rome is the city of microcars," Thorel said, but kids tend to ask their parents for French Ligier models because they're perceived as sportier. Considering that Ligier holds the record for the slowest Nurburgring lap, this perception is just that. Come to think of it, a Topolino attempting a 'Ring lap would be downright hilarious.Maybe the Topolino Abarth isn't such a bad idea after all.
+57 others
