Autoblog

Not since the Citroen 2CV has a car been sold to the mass market with a two-cylinder engine. That will change next year when Fiat begins selling its hotly anticipated revival of the 500 with a 0.9-liter turbocharged two-cylinder engine that Auto Express reports will produce between 90 and 110 bhp. The tiny two-pot is said to be 20% more economical than an average 1.2-liter city car, which translates to about 60 mpg on the combined cycle. Those power numbers are nothing to sneeze at either, considering the car will effectively be putting out over 100 hp per liter thanks to the turbo. Torque ratings are being pegged at around 88 ft-lbs., which, when combined with the 500's light-as-a-feather weight, should mean the retro city car can squirt along cobblestone streets and dodge pedestrians with the best of them. The 500 will also be available with larger gas engines and at least one diesel for those wary of powering home on only two cylinders. We'll be waiting for reviews of this engine, as the task of refining such a powerplant could not have been easy for Fiat engineers.

[Source: Auto Express]