In Europe, the 500 comes with three engine choices; the 69 bhp 1.2L 8V FIRE and the 100 bhp 1.4L 16V FIRE gas engines, and one diesel option, the 75 bhp 1.3 16v MultiJet engine.

In the US, initially only the 1.4L 16V gas engine will be available when the 500 makes its debut in December 2010.

In 2010, MultiAir will make its debut in the 1.4L 16V gas engines. The normally aspirated engines horsepower being the same, but with enhanced torque. This engine will be produced at Chrysler's GEMA (Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance) engine plant in Dundee, Michigan, USA.

2010 will also usher in the 1.3L MultiJet II diesel engine boosting hp from 75hp to 95hp plus torque to 148lbs.ft. As of March 2010, there is no mention when or if the MultiJet II engine will be sold in the US.

The SGE (Small Gas Engine) is a modular engine system built on the single cylinder displacement of 450cc. In the two cylinder, 900cc version, it can come as naturally aspirated or turbocharged or as a CNG natural gas version.

Besides being modular, which improves manufacturing ease, the SGE concept is to downsize the engine, both physically and by displacement, but maintain the torque of a larger engine. The smaller size will benefit packaging and fuel efficiency.

Starting in 2010, Fiat has began calling the SGE the TwinAir in Fiat applications. Look to see the TwinAir showing up in the European 500 in the near future.

You can read more about the SGE/TwinAir engine here.

A major revision to the internal combustion engine, MultiAir has been called "variable valve timing on steroids" and does away with the conventional throttle valve, replacing its operation with the intake valve thats opening is constantly modified to provide the engine with intake air.

MultiAir offers more power, reduced fuel consumption, and lower exhaust emissions compared to conventional gas engines. Specific benefits are listed below:

Up to:

10% more power

15% more torque

10% better fuel economy (normally aspirated)

25% better fuel economy (with turbo)

20% less HC/CO emissions

25% less NOx emissions.

You can read more about MultiAir here.

MultiJet II is the ultimate evolution of Common Rail Diesel technology. Common Rail Diesel technology was invented by Fiat in 1997 and refined the way diesel engines run. This was done mainly through the use of a pre-injection of fuel that helped in quieting and smoothing out the running of the traditionally noisy diesel engine.

The highlight of MultiJet II is pre-injections are now at up to 8 injections per cycle, bringing refinement to an all time high. The added pre-injections of fuel let the Fiat engineers precisely tune the engine for many variables... noise, vibration, harshness, fuel economy, power and emissions are all improved.

Additionally, the MultiJet II injectors have been simplified, made more efficient, responsive and also easier to manufacture. MultiJet II plays up all the advantages of a diesel (fuel economy, relative simplicity and good torque) and lends itself especially well to small displacement engines.

You can read more about MultiJet l">here.

The only engine in the Fiat 500 lineup that needs to have the valves adjusted is the 1.2L 8V gas engine. These should be checked at 60,000km (37,000 miles).

All the other engines have hydraulic cam followers and do not need to be adjusted.

F.I.R.E. stands for Fully Integrated Robotized Engine and when launched was hailed as a major step forwards in production technology being some 10% lighter and also utilizing some 30% fewer parts than its predecessor.

One of the main design briefs for this engine was the necessity to be assembled in one of the modern Fiat robot assembly plants using the Robogate system to keep costs as low as possible.

In addition to this its cross-flow ohc design had to be more efficient giving reductions in fuel consumption and increases in power and torque over the existing 903cc push-rod engine which went into many small Fiats at that time, added to all the above design needs were allowances which had to be made for longer periods between servicing and when finally required, ease of operation to reduce servicing times, resulting in minimized operating costs and off-road time for the end user.

It is generally credited as the first modern modular engine.

About the Robogate system:

In 1978 Fiat created the “Robogate” system, a new flexible robotized system for assembling bodywork and later applied to mechanical components such as engines, etc.

In Europe these are the specifications for the various models. Remember we in the US will initially only get the 1.4 liter 16V engine and the 1.4 liter 16V Turbo engine:

New 1.3L 16V MultiJet II Turbo diesel

95hp @ 4000 rpm

148 lbs ft @ 1500 rpm

0-100 kph: 10.7 seconds

Top Speed: 180 kph (113 mph)

Fuel consumption (combined urban/Hway): 3.9 l/100km (72 mpg)

Previous 1.3L 16V MutiJet Turbo diesel

75HP @ 4000 rpm

107 lbs ft @ 1500 rpm

0-100 kph: 12.5 seconds

Top Speed: 165 kph (103 mph)

Fuel consumption (combined urban/Hway): 4.2 l/100km (67 mpg)

Gasoline engine version of the 500:

1.4L 16V gasoline engine

105 HP @ 6000 rpm

97 lbs ft @ 4250 rpm

0-100 kph: 10.5 seconds

Top Speed: 182 kph (113 mph)

Fuel consumption (combined urban/Hway): 6.3 l/100km (45 mpg)

Below are the engine specs for the Fiat 500 Abarth:

1.4 16V Turbo in the 500 Abarth

135 HP @ 5500 rpm

153 lbs ft @ 3000 rpm

0-100 kph: 7.9 seconds

Top Speed: 205 kph (128 mph)

Fuel consumption (combined urban/Hway): 6.5 l/100km (44 mpg)

1.4 16V Turbo with esseesse (SS) performance upgrade kit

160hp @ 5750 rpm

153 lbs ft @ 3000 rpm (170 lbs ft in sports boost mode)

0-100 kph: 7.4 seconds

Top Speed: 211 kph (132 mph)

Fuel consumption (combined urban/Hway): 6.5 l/100km (44 mpg)