Fiat 500L Testing in India. Launch Expected in 2015.


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Source:Fiat 500L Spotted On Test In India, Launch Likely In 2015 | MotorBeam – Indian Car Bike News & Reviews

The retro Fiat 500 is loved by enthusiasts and it needs no introduction. Fiat officially sold the vehicle in India but the 500 found very few takers since it was priced high and it belongs to a niche segment. The longer version of the 500 is called 500L which has been spotted by MotorBeam reader Mohammad Shahrukh Shah in Pune undergoing testing. There is a possibility that Fiat might be considering launching the vehicle in India or maybe it is just undergoing global testing, the latter being unlikely since the car was only recently launched in global markets. Whatever it is, the Fiat 500L is a very capable and practical vehicle with lots of appeal too.
The overall design of the Fiat 500L is good and not too quirky or weird. It will find hardly any haters and we are sure the ladies will love the cute looks. The 500L is a very spacious vehicle. It can easily carry five people in comfort and the huge boot can swallow five suitcases with ease. Every seat can be configured in 8 different ways which means that there are around 150 different seat configurations that you can do in the 500L. If you are out for a picnic and want to enjoy a cup of tea then the passenger seat can be folded and its back doubles up as a table. For storing mobile phones, bottles and other miscellaneous stuff you get 22 storage compartments inside this large hatchback.
Fiat provides a Uconnect 5-inch audio system that can sync with your mobile phone, radio and MP3s along with featuring Bluetooth functionality for attending phone calls and streaming music. The smart Uconnect system also provides real-time tips to improve your skills and drive the 500L efficiently. The audio unit is connected to high-quality Beats Audio speakers. The vehicle is also loaded with a host of safety features such as 7 airbags, ESC with Hill Hold, ABS with EBD and DST (Driving Steering Torque). The ESC system comes with ASR/MSR anti-slip functions along with ERM (Electronic Rollover Mitigation). Powering the car are the same set of engines which do duty on the regular 500; 1.3-litre MultiJet 2 diesel (85 HP, 200 Nm) and 1.4-litre MultiAir petrol (160 HP, 250 Nm).
The Fiat 500L seems like a very promising vehicle and Indians are sure going to love the blend of practicality and fun that this hatchback provides. Fiat should keep in mind the pricing and positioning when they launch the vehicle here. If the 500L is brought down via the CBU route then we can expect a price of at least Rs. 25 lakhs since the regular 500 used to cost around Rs. 20 lakhs. It would be preferable if Fiat gets the vehicle down via the CKD route or manufactures it in India to save costs.
If localisation is imposed heavily then we can expect Fiat to price the 500L at around Rs. 9 lakhs, putting it in direct competition against the upcoming Honda Jazz and Maruti Suzuki YRA hatchbacks. If Fiat chops out 15 cms from the length of the car, they can fall in the small car bracket, attracting lesser excise duties. The company is also testing the Doblo MPV in India and was rumoured to launch the 500XL in the country which was set to rival the Maruti Ertiga.
 

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Looks cute and premium, but it is not a 7 seater.
The 500XL will be a good competitor to the Ertiga.
 
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Fiat 500L Diesel Imported To India For Testing

Fiat has imported the much anticipated 500L in India from Italy for testing purposes. The Fiat 500L is a compact yet stylish MPV that is based on the Fiat 500 design language. It has a retro front-end design with circular headlamps and foglamps. The premium styling cues include a contrasting roof, smart chrome touches on the outside and upmarket alloy wheels. The rear also gets distinct styling, which makes it stand out of the boxy MPV crowd. If you are wondering how big the Fiat 500L is, it’s 4350 mm long. In terms of length, it sits between the Maruti Ertiga (4265 mm) and Honda Mobilio (4386 mm).
The Fiat 500L is a 7-seater and comes with neat and modern interior styling. The particular unit imported for testing is powered by the popular 1.3-litre MultiJet diesel engine that churns out 84 BHP of maximum power at 3500 RPM with 200 Nm of torque at 1500 RPM. There are many engines on offer internationally including 1.6-litre diesel, 1.4-litre turbo petrol T-Jet, MultiAir and 0.9-litre TwinAir. However, Fiat is likely to use only the 1.3-litre diesel, as it helps in tax benefits and is efficient too. We can also expect Fiat to introduce an automatic transmission option with the 500L in India.
Considering the current product portfolio of Fiat in India, they have nothing exciting to offer to the masses. Most of the Linea and Punto buyers are enthusiasts and they are quite limited in numbers. Fiat has a bright future if they introduce the 500L at the right time with an impressive marketing strategy. Heavy localisation is the need of the hour for Fiat to keep the pricing in check. The compact MPV space is growing in India and to cash in volumes, the Italian automaker shouldn’t delay the project further. Don’t expect the Fiat 500L to hit the Indian roads before 2016.

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Read more at Fiat 500L Diesel Imported To India For Testing | MotorBeam – Indian Car Bike News & Reviews
 
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Fiat Imports Panda 4X4 & 500L to India for R&D; What’s Cooking?

Fiat, despite some real good products and possibly the most avid fans, can best be called as ‘uninterested’ in our market! They have made tons of promises and not many of them have been fulfilled yet! Their last major launch was the Avventura back in October last year and since then, there has been no real update. In a casual search at Zauba, however, we see that two new products have been imported into India – Fiat Panda and Fiat 500L.

Both the cars are completely different from each other. Panda is the entry level basic model whereas the 500L is more premium. Both the cars carry the same 1.3 litre multijet diesel engine which is one of the most used diesel engine in the world and as per Zauba, they have been brought here for some research and development

The 500 L is a much more chic looking car while the Panda oozes of practicality. The interesting bit here is that the Panda imported in India is the 4 wheel drive unit! So, is Fiat considering more cross-hatchbacks after the relatively successful Avventura?

There have been speculative reports about both the Panda and 500 models coming to India in the past as well. We are not sure but there may be something which we could cherish with this import info.

Fiat desperately needs new products in the lineup to garner any sizeable sales. Currently, they stand as one of the lowest selling car manufacturers in India and we will specially like the Panda (in 4×4 guise) to sit under the Punto…

Source:Fiat Panda 4×4 & 500L Imported for R&D;Launch Plans? | MotorBash.com
 
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Fiat 500L spotted on Indian roads, but no launch on the cards – Spied

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Could be a supplier testing or a competitor benchmarking it.
A Fiat 500L has been spotted testing on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway by Team-BHP. Note that Fiat India currently has no plans in launching the Fiat 500L in India, which could mean that the undisguised model is being tested by another manufacturer or a supplier.


This is not the first time that the Fiat 500L was spotted in the country. The last reported instance was in April 2014, where one such unit was caught testing with different test plates. According to Team BHP, the registration number of the car the latest spyshots appear to be similar to the ones used by Maruti for their test mules.
Taking these into consideration, it could be Maruti testing a Fiat-sourced component, since they procure their diesel engines from the Italian company, or a new AMT gearbox from Maruti’s supplier, Magnetti Marelli.


Read more: Fiat 500L spotted on Indian roads, but no launch planned
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SCOOP! Fiat 500L spotted testing in India without camouflage

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You read it first on Indian Cars Bikes. The long wheelbase version of the cute and retro Fiat 500 has been spotted testing in India and that too without camouflage. The car might be reportedly undergoing the homologation process in India and could be set for an Auto Expo debut in February next year.

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The Fiat 500 has been one the most sought after cars when it comes to classic retro appeal. It was launched some time back but did not find many buyers due to its high price tag and tiny dimensions. The Fiat 500L, as mentioned above, is the long wheelbase version of the Fiat 500. It is a 5-door mini MPV from the Italian manufacturer that was first showcased at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show and went on sale globally in early 2013. The car retains many cues from the Fiat 500 that it is based on like a stubby bonnet, chrome strip upfront with the Fiat badging in the middle, round headlights and a similarly shaped taillight cluster. In fact, the whole design of the car is characterized by soft rounded lines that make it a proper head turner. The car gets chrome door handles and a thick strip of chrome on the plastic side body molding.

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The dashboard, as can be seen in the pics, features a red trim that is similar to the exterior body colour. The centre console also has a display which could possibly house Fiat’s Uconnect infotainment system. The steering wheel gets a host of buttons mounted on it to control the audio system and bluetooth telephony. Also clearly seen behind the steering wheel are paddle-shifters which points out that the 500L could be offered with the same automated manual transmission found on the Fiat 595 Competizione. The Fiat 500L could be powered by a 1.3-litre Multijet 2 diesel engine that produces 85PS of max power that also powers the Fiat 500, which doesn’t sound much but owing to its light weight has good performance potential. Also powering the mini MPV could be a 1.4-litre MultiAir petrol that produces a staggering 160PS and 250Nm.

Coming to the question of will it actually see a launch in India, the answer remains unconfirmed as the Fiat 500L wont be produced in India which in turn means a very high sticker price in the room of Rs. 20 lakhs. The car could be assembled via CKD route that will bring down the prices but will still be much more expensive than most of its direct rivals. Although, we hope that Fiat makes up their mind to launch the 500L in India as it could prove to be a more practical version of the Fiat 500 and could eventually find new buyers, while living up to the 500’s retro image.

Source:SCOOP! Fiat 500L spotted testing in India without camouflage
 

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