The Fiat 500 hatchback, intended for the North American market, where its sales are scheduled to start in 2011, will be based on a modified platform taken from the upcoming Panda model. This same architecture will later also underpin the Lancia Ypsilon. In turn, the version of the "Cinquecento" for Europe is based on the platform of the current Panda.

Engineers promise that the upgraded chassis will provide the car with a higher level of passive safety, reduce noise and vibrations, and also increase torsional rigidity of the body. However, due to the serious financial investments required to shift production to a new base, the appearance of such cars in Europe is not yet planned. For the United States, the company considered such a step appropriate, since the model will be produced at a new plant in Mexico using modern equipment.

In addition, the Italian manufacturer is still thinking about what name to present the car to Americans: whether to use the familiar index 500 or stick with the Italian word Cinquecento. The company is inclined to believe that for buyers in the USA, the Italian name will sound more solid and attractive than just a numerical designation.

Recall that the Fiat 500 debuted in Europe in the summer of 2007, and by the autumn of that year it was already recognized as "Car of the Year" on the continent. The European engine range includes two petrol units: a 1.2-liter with 69 horsepower and a 1.4-liter with 100 horsepower, as well as a 1.3-liter turbodiesel producing 75 horsepower.