Focus fighter from Fiat: the Linea
click on image to enlarge
Fiat has unveiled a C-segment, midsize sedan it hopes will take cars like the Ford Focus and Renault Megane to the mat in Europe and elsewhere across the oceans. Called the Linea, the sedan looks larger than a Euro Focus four-door, about the size of a Pontiac G6. It's built, however, off of the smaller Grande Punto's platform with a half meter extra in length thanks to a longer wheelbase and a more generous rear overhang that contributes to a 17.65 cubic foot trunk. The car will debut at the Instanbul Motor Show early next month, which is fitting since it was developed through a joint venture between Fiat and TOFAS, the Turkish Automotive Factory, Inc., and will be built at the joint venture's plant in Bursa, Turkey. The Linea will go on sale in the second half of 2007 in European and non-European countries, though for now the U.K. will be excluded. No word on what powerplants will be offered with the Linea, either.
You'll find Fiat's full press release after the jump...
[Source: Fiat]
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.
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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
fsx 12:05PM (10/20/2006)
Re #19: although it would make some sense, this does not belong to the new Bravo (Stilo replacement and btw there is no new Brava). Both the new Bravo and the Linea are in fact C segment vehicles, but they do not share the same platform: while the Linea has further developed Grande Punto underpinnings, the new Bravo will be based on the Stilo's platform (already C segment, but further developed). The Bravo "family" only consists on a car: the Bravo on its 5 door form. Although it will replace the Stilo (which has 3 door, 5 door and SW versions), there are no plans for a Bravo 3 door, 4 door, SW, coupe+cabriolet or whatever.
The part I'm not really sure about: I believe the Linea is supposed to replace Fiat's "World car" platform (which includes vehicles such as the Albea, Siena and Palio), vehicles which are supposed to be sold mainly in developing countries (which explains why it will be produced in Turkey).
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Tiago do Vale 12:53PM (10/20/2006)
It is buildt over the Punto plaform, a B-segment car. And it was "reengineered" as much as the Opel Corsa sedan or the Renault Clio sedan. Even if it is a big B-segment car, it is still a B-segmente car. Just like the Citroën C4 or the Skoda Superb don't compete with the Audi A6, even if they are big...
The official press release, of course, says what suits best to the marketing of the car. We should know best...
It's a B-segment and a world car for south and estern europe, emerging marquets, south-america, etc..
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JD 12:51PM (10/20/2006)
At any rate the car is good looking. I prefer hatchbacks but for a 4 door it is nice. If the quality is there and the price is right I'm sure it will sell well.
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John Nash 12:58PM (10/20/2006)
"Focus fighter from the French: the new Fiat Linea"
Nice autoblog. Lately you havn't been doing so hot...
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Tiago do Vale 12:55PM (10/20/2006)
Sorry for that: clicked twice in the confirmation e-mail...
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Richard Warren 1:21PM (10/20/2006)
Actually, using the thought process of some folks at Autoblog, (you know Toyta is American, GM is Canadian Mexican, Korean, German, whatever) this car is actually Turkish.
"It will be built at the joint venture's plant in Bursa, Turkey."
Not a bad looking car.
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Robert 1:17PM (10/20/2006)
To be fair to Autoblog contributors try reading the automotive section of any major newspaper. I had reservations about the NY Times before Jayson Blair came to light simply because their Automotive section was abysmally full of inaccuracy. If they can not get something as easily fact checked as the type of engine in a car how can you trust them on the difficult ones.
I'd rather get the timely and high throughput of information that a blog provides even if it means an occasional erratum and leave it up to print media for the conclusive word.
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www.AUTITO.tk 11:06AM (10/22/2006)
The Linea is 4.60 m long, which is roughly the size of the Mégane, Focus, 307 and Jetta sedans. If the Linea was to fight against the Fabia, Córdoba, Clio/Thalia, 206 and Fiesta/Ikon sedans, which are all under 4.30 m long, how could ever Fiat make the new model with 30 cm extra and a competitive price? The Linea won't fight against superminis but small family cars.
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Tiago do Vale 3:28PM (10/20/2006)
Sure... The Citroën C4 sedan is about the size of a BMW serie 5, the Skoda Superb about the size of an AUDI A8... But are they in the same segment? Are they competing against each other?
The new Punto is a big B-segment car... Much bigger than the old Clio (on which the Clio sedan is based). But the new Clio is as big! And the new Corsa (which shares its platdorm with the Punto).
So size isn't that really important, and the new sedans will go just like this one.
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Stphane Dumas 3:28PM (10/20/2006)
with the upcoming joint-venture between Ford and Fiat to let the next-gen Ford Ka using the future Fiat 500 platform.....and Fiat got his styling inspiration from Ford, I begin ti ponder if some wiseguys will start rumours of an merger.......errr I mean "alliance" between Ford and Fiat"? LOL
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Jacob 3:41PM (10/20/2006)
With length longer than a BMW 3-series, this is not just a C-Segment car... but a rather big at that too.
Looks follows closely the new FIAT family style which draws inspiration from Maserati Supercars and it has already proven immensly popular with Grande Punto hatchback.
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AMcA 8:06PM (10/20/2006)
It's a baby A8.
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Palandi 12:13AM (10/21/2006)
the wheelbase of the new Linea is 6cm bigger than the last Fiat sedan (Marea), which was a C-segment car, competing with the sedan versions of Opel/Chevrolet Astra, Ford Escort/Focus and VW Bora, among others.
what about the powertrain? hope Brazilian Fiat, which soon will build Linea, reserve us a top version equiped with the petrol 2,45 litre engine that is featured on Stilo Abarth, but hopefully with a 5 or 6-speed automatic gearbox. I want mine in blue...
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Tiago do Vale 3:19AM (10/24/2006)
They made the Grande Punto 30 cm bigger than many B segment cars... and it's still a B segment car.
Then, Renault and Opel did the same... and their next generation sedans will be equali big: why is this so hard to understand?
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jcarr162000 7:02AM (8/12/2007)
i think it looks vectra-esque
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