2015 Fiat 500 revealed

Fiat has released official pictures of its facelifted 500.

Said to have undergone more than 1800 changes, the new small Fiat supermini sports a new front-end that features LED daytime running lights, a new larger trapezoidal grille and a more slanted pair of headlights.

Fiat’s exterior makeover also stretches to the rear of the 500, where it gains a pair of redesigned tail-lights.

The rear fog lights and reversing lights have also been relocated to the lower half of the bumper.

Other changes include new 15- and 16-inch alloys and the introduction of two new colours -- Corallo Red and Opera Burgundy.

Fiat will also offer buyers greater opportunity to personalise their 500 with a new range of decals, stripes and even two-tone paint.

Inside, the interior has also been rethought. In comes Fiat’s latest U-Connect infotainment system, which is now standard on all models with higher trim models offering touch-screen capability.

Range-topping models will also come with U-Connect Live, which tethers with your smartphone to mirror your phone’s home screen. This allows music steaming and access to the internet.

As well as the new infotainment system there’s also a new multi-function steering wheel while the most expensive 500s also come with a new round 7.0-inch virtual dashboard that displays speed and trip information.

Other changes in the cabin include more comfortable seats made out of new fabrics, of which there’s the choice of nine different colours. There’s also a new additional glovebox in the dash.

While refreshing the Fiat’s interior, engineers also took the opportunity to add more soundproofing for quieter cruising.

Under the bonnet all engines carry over from the current model, but have been tweaked for lower emissions and fuel consumption.

The TwinAir 0.9-litre turbo still spearheads the range, coming with either 63kW or 77kW, while the 1.2-litre eight-valve petrol now gets 51kW and is available as with LPG in some markets. Just one 70kW 1.3-litre diesel is offered.

Under the skin, the 500’s chassis has also been revised. It’s not known what specific changes have been made but engineers claim to have improved both comfort and handling for the 2015 updates.

In Europe pricing for the new model has increased -- depending on market -- by around $400 per model. It’s not known if a similar hike will be levied on the cars we get.