AUTONEWS

Fiat Strada: the new pickup model will be derived from the Grande Panda and may only be a flex-fuel hybrid in Brazil

Fiat is preparing the Grande Panda to become its newest global car and this implies its production in Brazil under another name, possibly between Argo and Uno, but in any case, it will not come alone.

The Italian brand wants a family of cheap and practical compact cars, not just a single entry-level product and this draws our attention to the concept of family.

In Italy, Fiat created an important family in the 80s and this was the Uno, which here gave rise to the Palio and Argo families. The Tipo is also another family that they need to replace in Turkey.

So, to succeed the last two, Fiat thought of the Grande Panda and derivatives, being an SUV, a fastback(image below) and a double cabin pickup.

Here, although the Strada is relatively new in Fiat's portfolio, the Panda Pickup(in the first image above) concept shows that there is an intention to complement it at least.

It doesn't seem like there was any discussion between Turin and Betim, otherwise the Brazilian subsidiary would have held on to the old generation for longer, but now it may have to burn a product that became the overall sales leader.

In this projection by Kleber Silva from @kdesignag, the successor to the Strada appears with the look of the Grande Panda, however, in a larger size, between the current one and the Fiat Toro.

The product will be a rival to the VW Udara, Renault Oroch II and Chevrolet Montana, but could it coexist with the current Strada?

It may be that Fiat wants to follow a different route, adding a standard flex hybrid (HEV) set, which would make it an intermediary between the Strada Hybrid (MHEV) and the Toro Hybrid (PHEV).

Being only HEV or having the option would mean that other members of the family, such as the Grande Panda SUV and Fastback, also seen in these projections, could adopt the same powertrain. Will it? I don't know... Who knows?

Mundoquatrorodas