New Fiat Topolino revealed

These are the patent design drawings for the forthcoming Fiat Topolino budget hatchback, according to well-placed Autocar sources.

The drawings show the car's basic construction, which will be utilised to keep the car down to its estimated 6500 euro (£6000) price tag.

See the Fiat Topolino sketch pictures

Although Fiat has not confirmed that its new budget car will carry the Topolino name, the company has committed itself to creating a new ultra-cheap city car beneath the current line-up – and plenty of detail about the project has leaked out.

Insiders say the Topolino will be less than three metres long, and will be powered by a new two-cylinder petrol engine that will come in both normally aspirated and turbocharged form, producing around 65bhp and 90bhp respectively.

The new motor uses a cost-saving iron engine block in place of aluminium, but features Fiat’s innovative ‘MultiAir’ variable valve system, which should make it impressively clean: the company is believed to be targeting CO2 emissions of less than 90g/km.

When the Topolino goes on sale - probably in 2010 - it will be the first two-cylinder car to be sold across western European markets since the demise of the Citroen 2CV.

In richer markets it will be sold as a small, stylish city car – while in developing markets it will be pushed as a value choice.

Speculation suggests the car will be produced at the Zastava plant in Kragujevac, Serbia.

The original Topolino was built by Fiat from 1936 to 1955, and the name translates as 'little mouse' or 'Mickey Mouse'.

Twitter - follow autocar.co.ukSee all the latest Fiat reviews, news and video