Fiat's new three-box sedan, the Linea, is making its material debut at the Istanbul Motor Show next month, but the company's just now revealed it in two dimensions. Penned at the Fiat Style Centre, the Linea takes some of its cues from the Giugiaro-designed Fiat Punto Grande, and others apparently from the various Fords and Opels that share its segment. No word on powerplants, but like most Euro-bahn amblers, it'll get a range of gas and diesel engines. Why a Turkish coming-out? It's to honor Fiat's joint venture to produce the car in that country -- a pretty big deal in its own right. Pressspeak after the jump. – Mike Spinelli
Press Release:
Fiat Linea - World Premiere
Fiat Linea is an all-new segment C three-box saloon which débuts at the Istanbul Motor Show taking place from 2 to 12 November. Produced in collaboration with Tofas, the Turkish joint venture between Fiat Auto and Koç Holding quoted on the Istanbul Stock Exchange, the Fiat Linea will be first manufactured in the joint venture's Bursa plant in Turkey (at an annual production of 60,000 units) and marketed in a number of European and non-European countries starting in the second half of 2007. The vehicle will later be produced in other countries by FIAT.
Designed by the Fiat Style Centre, the new Fiat Linea presents an elegant, dynamic external line. The same stylistic attention has been paid to the interior, the lines of which are harmonious and well balanced with the exterior to create a bright and friendly environment capable of guaranteeing extraordinary interior roominess and superior comfort in terms of ergonomics and space available to the driver and passengers. This impression is confirmed by the car's generous dimensions which set it at the very top of its segment: 4.56 metres long, 1.73 m wide, 1.5 m tall and with a wheelbase of 2.6 m, in addition to having a luggage compartment boasting an impressive 500 litres.
An elegantly functional car, with a strong Italian imprint, the Fiat Linea will be marketed in different equipment levels and equipped with features more usually found in higher segment vehicles as demonstrated by a number of sophisticated infotelematic devices which improve the comfort and quality of time spent on board.
The Fiat Linea's generous equipment is dedicated to the protection of driver and passengers and the customer can choose from a wide range of gasoline and diesel engines that combine excellent performance, low fuel consumption and absolute respect for the environment, coupled to both manual and automatic transmissions.
And in order to guarantee the best price/content ratio, the various combinations of Fiat Linea equipment levels available are all characterised by high value for money.
Turin 20 October 2006
