Fiat’s CEO Olivier Francois recently told Auto Express that this strategy would shift the paradigms of his company’s line-up. Now, the 500 will become the style-focused offering in the brand’s portfolio, while the upcoming Centoventi-based models will forgo swoopy styling in the name of outright practicality.
These new entry-level vehicles will also be economically priced, retaining a similarly ruthless focus on production costs and the same rugged character as the original
Panda from the 1980s. So far, Auto Express understands there’ll be a “Panda” supermini and a new “Panda SUV” (previewed above) – but more are on the way.
We asked Francois directly if
Fiat’s new line-up would have two pillars, built on the 500 and the conventions set out by the Centoventi concept – and he replied: “Exactly, you’re right.” He stopped short of confirming any nameplates, but he did suggest that the larger Panda-influenced models could use classic Fiat badges.
Francois walked us through his thought process for naming his entry-level Centoventi-based model, though, saying: “What is sure is now I have the possibility to invent a new name, or to tap into some fabled name of the past. I’m leaning more towards the second one, because we really have these favourable templates, with a lot of happy customers.
“So I’ll do a B-segment [supermini], and then is it going to be a new Punto? Is it going to be a super Panda? I don’t know. We will find out. What is very important, and this is where you have my total commitment, is that obviously at the first glance – even with no badging or branding – you’ll recognise it as a Fiat.”
The “Panda supermini” will be a rugged, boxy city car – and it’ll be the closest thing Fiat will launch to a follow-up for the current Panda. Then, there’ll be at least one, (but probably two), scaled up models which will likely use the same Stellantis CMP architecture as Fiat’s new sister brand Peugeot uses under the 208 and 308 hatchbacks.
The “Punto” Francois mentions above could be a boxy supermini, but the name could also refer to our pictured “Panda SUV,” becoming a jacked-up extension of the original Centoventi concept. This vehicle will give Fiat a more practical foil to the next 500X and, in effect, a replacement for the unloved 500L MPV.
Fiat has already pencilled in an as-yet-unspecified small SUV for its Tichy factory in Poland (currently home to the older 500 and Lancia’s Ypsilon) from 2023. That’s the year Francois expects his new vehicles to start arriving.
The model, which should be previewed this year, is expected to be built alongside Alfa’s baby SUV, as well as a small Jeep – and all three cars would use the firm’s CMP and e-CMP platforms to offer a choice of petrol or electric drive.
Autoexpress
