Fiat's first official images of the 500L, the new model which will have its world preview at the Geneva Motor Show early next month (March ), have been released.
The ‘L’ stands for large - and is the new addition to the 500 range, which, following the Abarth and Cabrio versions, furthers the brand’s strategy, with the aim of extending its offer by introducing models in a position to satisfy different types of customers. A policy followed very successfully by MINI.
With the ‘L’, the 500 expands and grows together with customers, to accommodate new experiences and needs once more. Fiat says that it delivers MPV passenger space combined with the feel of a small SUV on the road and the restrained dimensions and efficiency of a B segment car.
So I suppose you could say that the new Fiat model defies the conventional distinctions between the various segments, combining the typical characteristics of different categories in order to create a distinctive alternative to the traditional B and C segments.
With the 500L, Fiat says that the brand demonstrates its creative spirit once more - a marriage of functionality and emotion. It features a five-seater single-volume structure. It is a further development of the concept of cab forward introduced by Fiat with the 600 Multipla, a precursor to the concept of the compact people carrier.
Produced at the Fiat factory in Serbia, 500L is a first car for those who want Italian style, the versatility that comes from a functional design, and engine technology that sets the bar in terms of efficiency.
The Fiat 500L will be introduced to Europe in the last quarter of 2012, with an engine range which will initially comprise two petrol engines - the 2011 International Engine of the Year -TwinAir, as well as a 1.4-litre. In addition, a 1.3 MultiJet II turbodiesel engine will complete the power options.
