.Lefteris.
25th December 2008, 12:44
Italian automaker Fiat, known in the ’50s and ’60s for its small car production, is reported to be building a new line of Smart/Toyota IQ rivals for the Western Europe market. The small cars could be based on designs by Fiat’s Brazilian subsidiary, but would be upgraded in terms of style and feature content to better compete in Europe - and the line could feature the historic Topolino nameplate.
In Europe, minicars no longer sell based solely on price - they require a certain element of style, functionality and features that a minicar sold in emerging markets might lack.
Autocar reports that new line might launch with a car featuring the Seicento (600) moniker. Fiat is looking to capitalize on the success of Renault’s Romanian Dacia brand, which has successfully marketed inexpensive, basic cars in Western Europe. But Fiat realizes that to compete with Smart and IQ, a small city car will need to be a bit “cheekier” than a Dacia.
Fiat representatives characteristically lost their ability to speak English when Leftlane pressed them on the matter at the Paris Motor Show in October, but we noticed a small curl of the lips from a press officer when we mentioned the world “Topolino.”
Topolino was the small city car Fiat developed in the mid-1930s that is credited by many as putting Italians on wheels.
Fiat purchased a former Sastava plant in Serbia earlier in 2008 with the express intent of making small cars there. Supposedly codenamed Topolino, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Fiat revive the moniker - especially given the automaker’s success with the Nuova 500 launched in 2007.
Autocar reports that Fiat will bring three small cars over to Western Europe for the 2011 model year and market them under a new brand name - possibly Topolino, possibly something entirely different.
In Europe, minicars no longer sell based solely on price - they require a certain element of style, functionality and features that a minicar sold in emerging markets might lack.
Autocar reports that new line might launch with a car featuring the Seicento (600) moniker. Fiat is looking to capitalize on the success of Renault’s Romanian Dacia brand, which has successfully marketed inexpensive, basic cars in Western Europe. But Fiat realizes that to compete with Smart and IQ, a small city car will need to be a bit “cheekier” than a Dacia.
Fiat representatives characteristically lost their ability to speak English when Leftlane pressed them on the matter at the Paris Motor Show in October, but we noticed a small curl of the lips from a press officer when we mentioned the world “Topolino.”
Topolino was the small city car Fiat developed in the mid-1930s that is credited by many as putting Italians on wheels.
Fiat purchased a former Sastava plant in Serbia earlier in 2008 with the express intent of making small cars there. Supposedly codenamed Topolino, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Fiat revive the moniker - especially given the automaker’s success with the Nuova 500 launched in 2007.
Autocar reports that Fiat will bring three small cars over to Western Europe for the 2011 model year and market them under a new brand name - possibly Topolino, possibly something entirely different.