Abarththe little scorpion brand that has long embodied Fiat's sporty, accessible spirit, is now going through a major crisis. Whereas it was still achieving almost 10,000 registrations in 2024 (it even exceeded 20,000 units from 2017 to 2019), the year 2025 promises to be catastrophic. At the current rate, the brand could barely break the 2,000 sales barrier in Europe. A collapse that raises a legitimate question: can Abarth survive?
A brutal decline, with figures to back it up
Since the birth of the Stellantis group, Abarth has chosen the path of the 100 % electric. A transition that is not convincing. Despite its charm, the 500e Abarth's performance/autonomy/price ratio is out of step with what the competition will be offering in 2025. As for the 600e, built on the same technical basis as the Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce, Lancia Ypsilon HF, Opel Mokka GSE and Peugeot 208 GTI, it doesn't appeal either.
The figures speak for themselves for the period January to August 2025:
- France: 421 registrations (vs. 1,078 in 2024)
- Italy: 69 Abarth 600e and 153 Abarth 500e (vs. 1,262 last year for the 500e alone)
- United Kingdom: 220 (vs 699)
- Spain: 17 (vs 191)
- Japan: 585 (vs. 1,241)
- Germany: figures not published (or mixed with Fiat's)
As a reminder, in the space of six months, only 1,030 Abarths were sold throughout Europe, compared with 4,867 a year earlier. A drop of almost 80 %. Already low, volumes are now becoming anecdotal.
A brand with no clear solution
Abarth's problem is twofold.
- On the electric side, models are considered too expensive and too poorly positioned. An Abarth 500e costs almost €37,000, even though it's worth €10,000 less. The 600e, at over €44,000, suffers from the same problem.
- On the internal combustion side, it's impossible to offer a hybrid alternative: the new 65 hp Fiat 500 hybrid already emits 120 g/km of CO₂, a threshold that's prohibitive for hoping to develop a more powerful Abarth version. As for the Fiat 600, no sporty hybrid declination is planned for the time being.
There's still the possibility of an Abarth Grande Panda, but given the failure of the 500e and 600e, investing in a new sports car seems risky for Stellantis.
Abarth abandoned in Europe, but not everywhere
Paradoxically, Abarth continues to exist in Latin America, where communications are integrated with those of Fiat. There, the brand retains a minimum of visibility, unlike in Europe, where it seems isolated and forgotten.
This difference in strategy perhaps underlines Abarth's only salvation: to reintegrate Fiat's communications in Europe, in order to benefit from its reputation and networks. For today, the scorpion evolves alone... and stings in a vacuum.
Towards the demise of Abarth?
As things stand, the future looks bleak. European volumes are derisory, current models too expensive, and thermal solutions impossible. If Stellantis is looking to rationalize its brands, Abarth is probably at the top of the list of fragile brands.
From a passionate niche, the brand has become a shadow of its former self. Unless there's a sudden burst of energy or a radical repositioning, Abarth is unlikely to surpass 2,000 sales in 2025 if Latin America is excluded. A performance unworthy of its heritage, and one that fuels a painful question: what if Abarth simply disappeared from Europe?
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I've had two Abarths, first a 595 Turismo (with the Record Monza exhaust), then a 695 Biposto, absolutely brilliant and diabolical with the extraordinary Akrapovic exhaust, but not very usable because no air-conditioning, no radio, and very very firm suspensions. But if you wanted to have fun, you couldn't find a better little car.
I loved these cars, with all their qualities and faults, and the sublime exhaust note that immediately put a smile on your face.
But who would have thought that electric Abarths could sell? An electric Abarth is the negation of Abarth, meaning unique sensations and sound.
The Abarth sound is like Harley ... there's a few fans and there's 90% of normal people who just want to scrap it all! Noise, noise and more noise. If only it were as melodious as an in-line 6cyl.
Good riddance Abarth that 99,99% don't know
Just do away with Fiat, as with CNH, and replace it with the Scorpion. Do the same with DS and bring it back to Citroën.
DS is an irretrievable flop, and Fiat has proved that if the brand disappeared, as it did with New Holland and then CNH, profits would not change.
Can we just say there's an Abarth renaissance?
After all, the 595 and 124, the only two remotely legitimate models, were powered by a simple 1.4 multi-jet turbo. A far cry from the founder's mechanical wizardry.
And now that these two "pillars" have disappeared, the bellows are falling again.
Abarth is synonymous with an extra soul, given by a mechanical surplus.
Unable to boost the few remaining internal combustion engines, the brand embarked on a headlong rush to go all-electric.
But if there's any proof to the contrary, electricity may bring instant and superior power, but it has never brought extra soul.
In fact, Abarth was revived by marketing. This worked as long as marketing could rely on matching products to justify a higher price (according to the famous 4P rule). Now that there are no products to match the spirit, customers are disappearing. It's only logical.
Renault tried the same thing with Gordini, simply rebadging versions with a pseudo-sporty look, but it didn't work.
Having said that, I think that Stellantis - and this is logical, even if regrettable - will sacrifice Abarth to make room for the GTI and HF labels, which are far more "strategic".
Well, that's what I wrote here a few weeks ago. From a financial and "logical" point of view, what's the point of maintaining Abarth as a brand when it only offers sporty versions of FIAT models? It's as if there were an HF or GTi brand to sell only sporty versions of Lancia or Peugeot. It makes no sense. Abarth should disappear as a brand and become just another label. The group would make huge savings.
It's normal that the electric Abarths aren't selling, and the same goes for the new 208 GTI, the Mokka GSE, the Junior Véloce and the Ypsilon HF, as customers don't want them.
As long as Stellantoc makes Peugeot clones, it won't work (except for Peugeot, and even then, the bad reputation is there).
In short, they didn't really work and wanted to make a living by overcharging. But no...
How are Abarths PSA clones?
Well, how do you know? Aren't these vehicles even available yet?