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Fiat is not attending the Geneva Motor Show, but that hasn't stopped it from heading to Geneva… Italy. That's right, there is a beautiful piece of land in Brescia called Genevra, which is Italian for Geneva. In another clever move, Fiat CEO and Stellantis chief marketing officer Olivier Francois has hosted his own mini-auto show in a bar in Geneva to showcase Fiat's upcoming range of global models. This presentation is all about the old and new Panda, with Fiat transforming the spirit and ethos of the 44-year-old nameplate into four concepts, starting with an all-new Panda on the global stage of Stellantis, then in two updates Is divided. Popular existing products and two brand new products.
After winning the Stellantis family sales title last year with 1.3 million units sold, Francois said of the brand, “[Our]subsequent step would be the shift from native merchandise to a world providing, permitting all our prospects around the globe Can get profit.” ” Embodying the philosophy that “performance ought to by no means exist with out leisure.” On prime of that shared platform, the plan to share as much as 80% of elements between fashions is the important thing enabler. And as we reported yesterday As with Jeep, Fiat is speaking massive concerning the vary of powertrains out there with a mixture of ICE, EV, hybrid and PHEV.
Right here's the guts of the brand new vary, your model new Panda because it says on the door, described within the video as a “metropolis automobile”. Fiat will current it to itself and the world through the firm's one hundred and twenty fifth anniversary in July this 12 months. It traces the fundamental concept of an idea that Fiat offered as a one hundred and twentieth birthday present, the Centoventi Idea which was showcased on the 2019 Geneva Motor Present (the one in Switzerland). We haven't heard something concerning the Centoventi since, the fundamentals of it first appeared within the Citroën C3, and from there returned to Fiat with this all-new Panda. Francois referred to as it a form of “Mega Panda”, a phrase we'd prefer to see on a T-shirt, boasting a crossover-like upright design, excessive driving place and elevated house.
The whole vary will emphasize sustainability, ease of use and modularity. The Panda demonstrates ease with the retractable charging cable rising from the hood. Inside, the oval form on locations just like the dashboard and seats is paying homage to Fiat's authentic manufacturing unit in Turin, the Lingotto constructing, which has an oval check monitor referred to as La Pista 500 on its roof. In the event you're in search of competitors from a nimble little Renault 5 that may journey as much as Switzerland, that is it.
Right here's what could matter most to our market, the pickup idea. Fiat owns the South American market, partly resulting from its Strada pickup which is Brazil's best-seller. Fiat felt that such a compact double-cab hauler might construct on the success of the Strada and open up new markets akin to Europe – the place Fiat's rebadged Mitsubishi pickup had not carried out nicely. Is it out of the query that it involves America as a Fiat or Ram?
The Fastback idea picks up the threads of two different favourites, Brazil's Fiat Fastback and the worldwide Tipo, a market favourite within the Center East and Africa and Turkey's best-selling automobile. Francois claims that the profile on that is “proof that FIAT can enhance with out sacrificing efficiency and sustainable dedication.”
Right here's one other T-shirt slogan, the “Giga Panda” household SUV, which provides extra capability and house to the extra strong Mega Panda. It’s a direct model of the fastback idea, which intends to problem the nonetheless fashionable Dacia Duster.
Lastly, greatest for outside varieties, the Camper, attempting to attract a direct line to the hiked-up Panda 4×4 fashions of the Nineteen Eighties.
In 4 months, we'll discover out what the manufacturing model of the brand new Panda seems like. Francois mentioned that the model will launch one new mannequin per 12 months for the following three years after the Panda, which might imply that not one in all these ideas goes to see the sunshine of day.