Photo: DesignRM
It's not a secret that the newly formed Fiat Chrysler Alliance hasn't shown that much love to the Italian brands. Sure, Alfa Romeo has a carbon fiber sportscar, the 4C, and Maserati has two new sedans. But most of the Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Lancia roster is made up of old cars.
Even the 500 city car, which is by far the most popular Fiat right now, is only getting a slight cosmetic refresh, despite launching way back in 2007. The real "meat" of the European market is in the B- and C-segments, where Volkswagen, Ford and Peugeot are big players.
Despite repeated attempts at fixing the Grande Punto and the Punto Evo, Fiat has never managed to build a top contender. Rumor has it they will scrap the Punto altogether and replace it with something that fits within the 500 lineup, a more emotional car with superior styling.
Today, we're going to look at what a 5-door Fiat 500 supermini might look like, thanks to a rendering created by Design RM. It borrows cues from the recently launched 500X crossover and 500L mini MPV. The end result looks rounded and soft, like a MINI, but more fundamental problems need to be tackled before production commences.
In a recent interview with CarAdvice, the Fiat brand chief Olivier Francois suggested the company is having a hard time with the replacement for the Punto supermini. The design is nearly finished, but the marketing people simply can't find a way to make the 5-door 500 supermini profitable.
Fiat currently suffers from a distinct lack of technology in the small car segment. Most rival companies have much more economical engines, hybrid powertrains and modern infotainment system. There's nothing in the Chrysler parts box that can park a Punto by itself or match the 1-liter EcoBoost from Ford on both economy and performance fronts.
Despite repeated attempts at fixing the Grande Punto and the Punto Evo, Fiat has never managed to build a top contender. Rumor has it they will scrap the Punto altogether and replace it with something that fits within the 500 lineup, a more emotional car with superior styling.
Today, we're going to look at what a 5-door Fiat 500 supermini might look like, thanks to a rendering created by Design RM. It borrows cues from the recently launched 500X crossover and 500L mini MPV. The end result looks rounded and soft, like a MINI, but more fundamental problems need to be tackled before production commences.
In a recent interview with CarAdvice, the Fiat brand chief Olivier Francois suggested the company is having a hard time with the replacement for the Punto supermini. The design is nearly finished, but the marketing people simply can't find a way to make the 5-door 500 supermini profitable.
Fiat currently suffers from a distinct lack of technology in the small car segment. Most rival companies have much more economical engines, hybrid powertrains and modern infotainment system. There's nothing in the Chrysler parts box that can park a Punto by itself or match the 1-liter EcoBoost from Ford on both economy and performance fronts.
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