Fiat 500L: A Multipla By Any Other Name Would Look As Strange
Some of the B&B doubted the veracity of early renderings, but it turns out they were accurate. This is the Fiat 500L, the car that’s supposed to boost Fiat sales here in the USA and carry on the legacy of the very unique looking Multipla. Despite carrying the “500” moniker, the 500L, like the Multipla, is a B segment car.
The 500L uses the Fiat Punto’s platform and delivers what Fiat calls the “…feel of a small SUV on the road”. Conventional logic suggests that any sporting pretensions should be put to bed with that statement. Further buttressing the “function follows form” ethos is another quip stating that the 500L is “…is a ‘first car’ for those who won’t settle for anything less than Italian style.”
So, does that mean that the 500L is a starter car for yuppies too proud to buy a Chevrolet Sonic? Fiat gave only vague plans for engines, but a TwinAir powerplant (not for American consumption) and a 1.4L Multiair engine were mentioned – hopefully it’s not the asthmatic naturally aspirated version. It’s still astounding to think that Europe will get a 7-seat version of this car, when it’s only a couple feet longer than a regular 500.
More by Derek Kreindler
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Should it seat 4 or 5?
Cribbed from both Mini and 500; doesn't do justice to either. I think Fiat just devalued the 500 brand...