9 upcoming models from Fiat
Fiat Linea Facelift to be showcased at the two thousand fourteen Indian Auto Expo along with a bunch of other vehicles for India
Fiat India will showcase the Linea facelift at the two thousand fourteen Indian Auto Expo, which could be the sedan`s launch occasion as well. The updated Linea represents a mid career facelift for the car, which gets a revised design at the front and the rear.
A fresh grille and bumper job at front, re-positioned number plate, fresh bootlid and a chrome trim for the boot are the switches at the rear. On the inwards, the facelifted Linea gets a fresh dashboard and extra features.
Mechanically, the Linea facelift is likely to be sold with a 1.Four liter turbo petrol motor and a turbo diesel engine. A 1.6 liter version of the Multijet turbo diesel range could be shoehorned into the facelifted Linea`s engine bay.
The 1.6 liter turbo diesel engine, outputting one hundred five Bhp-290 Nm, if suggested on the Linea facelift, will give the car the power and torque boost that has been long awaited by driving enthusiasts across India.
How are Fiat India`s expansion plans shaping up?
After exiting the Tata-Fiat distribution joint venture, Fiat has moved ahead to set up independent dealerships and after sales service centers across the country. The Italian car maker inaugurated three fresh dealerships at Mumbai today, and the current count of independent Fiat dealerships stand at 90. The car maker plans to expand this number to one hundred by the year end.
A similar number of dedicated Fiat aftersales service outlets will also be added in the same period. Fiat plans to sell the Abarth range of high spectacle cars through its existing chain of independent dealerships while the Jeep brand of SUVs will also be sold and serviced through the existing chain until a fresh line of Jeep dealerships are set up here.
Fiat India`s nine model product blitz
By 2015-16, Fiat India plans to have no less than nine fresh models operating in the Indian car market. The very first of the eight fresh products was launched a few weeks ago in the form of the cut-price Fiat Linea.
The 2nd product, the Linea Facelift, will be launched early next year. The following are the other seven products that Fiat plans to launch in India, along with the possible launch time frames:
Fiat Abarth Punto: Mid 2014
The Fiat Abarth Punto will be a showcase of Fiat`s spectacle division and is also likely to be an affordable hot hatchback, priced well under fifteen lakh rupees. The Abarth Punto is likely to use a 1.Four liter turbo petrol engine in a high state of tune. Abarth is also expected to retail bod kits and other spectacle hop up kits for the Fiat range of cars sold in India.
The Wrangler SUV, one of the two brand builders that Jeep will begin its Indian foray with, has been spotted testing extensively in India. This off-roader is likely to be launched at the two thousand fourteen Auto Expo. The Wrangler sold in India will be diesel powered and will be imported into the country through the downright built unit (CBU) route.
Jeep Grand Cherokee: Early 2014
The Grand Cherokee will be the flagship model in the Jeep SUV range. The SUV will sit at the very top of the Jeep range in terms of price and positioning. Like the Wrangler, the Grand Cherokee will be imported through the downright built unit (CBU) route.
Facelifted Fiat Punto: Late 2014
The Fiat Punto facelift, that has already been launched in Europe, will eventually arrive into India by the end of next year. Like the Linea, the Punto facelift will feature switches in terms of design and interiors. Extra features are also expected to suggested on the fresh Punto.
Fiat will build an SUV whose platform will be collective with the Jeep B-segment SUV. Engine and transmission options will also collective with the Jeep SUV. The Fiat SUV is likely to fondle shoulders with the Renault Duster and the Ford EcoSport in terms of price and positioning. The SUV will be build at Fiat`s Indian factory in Ranjangaon, off Pune.
Jeep B-Segment Compact SUV: 2015
The very first of Jeep`s big volume models for India and the world, the B-segment SUV will be based on a platform that the American SUV brand will share with Fiat. The Multijet turbo diesel and a turbo petrol motor are likely to power the Jeep compact SUV. The Jeep SUV is said to retain the off roading genes and characteristics that has made the brand popular over the years. While the Fiat compact SUV will be more of a soft roader, the Jeep B-segment SUV is likely to have higher off roader cred.
The Jeep C-segment SUV is the 2nd big volume product that will sit above the B-segment model in India. The C-segment model could rival with the likes of the Mahindra XUV500 and the Tata Safari Storme. While the SUV will dig into the turbo petrol and turbo diesel motors that Fiat has in its engine portfolio, the exact size and seating capacity of the SUV will be exposed in the coming years.