The new 600e is an Italian car. Fiat owner Stellantis most certainly won’t let you forget it and you can’t really blame the company for wanting to push that point. After all, this is the land that gave us da Vinci, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Dante, ‘Nino’ Farina, Valentino Rossi, the Colosseum, central heating, those strappy gladiator-style sandals, tricolore salad, pizza, pasta, Valentino Rossi, Gucci, Versace, Ducati, Vespa, Ferrari, Maserati, Lancia, Lamborghini, Valentino Rossi and – obviously – Fiat. And Valentino Rossi. To name a few of Italy’s resoundingly epic ‘things’.
This is nothing if not a colourful, charismatic and dramatic heritage to draw on and Fiat is absolutely right to shout about it from the top of its historic Lingotto test track, while supping espresso, eating gelato and looking effortlessly fabulous.…