Bravo! What's next? Fiat plans facelift, wagon and Abarth versions in 2010
Fiat just unveiled the new Bravo hatchback, but it's not about the sit back and watch its new global Focus/Golf/etc.-fighter sink or swim. Newly incorporated separately from its sister brands, Fiat has big plans for the Bravo line-up, which, following the immense success of the Grande Punto below it, is vital to the company's continued growth.
Fiat is looking about three years down the road. That's not a very long lifecycle for a car, but Fiat plans to launch a facelifted Bravo in 2010. Planned alongside the updated hatchback are an extended wagon version plus a high-performance Bravo Abarth. Although it's becoming common practice for automakers to blur the line between large hatchbacks and sportswagons, Fiat evidently sees the addition of a distinct wagon as essential to certain key markets.
It's too early to tell at this point what kind of spice Fiat will be throwing into the facelifted Bravo to make it hot, but the company's got big plans for the Abarth brand. The badge was once an independent automaker until, as was the fate of nearly every other Italian automaker, it was bought up by Fiat, who later transformed it into its own in-house performance tuner. Now it's planning an Abarth revival. The production schedule leaked in November has a Grande Punto Abarth scheduled for release sometime this year alongside the highly-anticipated 500, which will get its own Abarth version next year. Reports now suggest that the Bravo Abarth will hit the market in 2010 alongside the wagon when the Bravo gets its facelift.
Follow the jump for new driving footage of the Fiat Bravo, courtesy of our Fiat and our friends at WorldCarFans.com.
[Source: Autovisie via Motor Authority]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mike 4:16PM (2/01/2007)
Does anyone know if Fiat is currently selling or will be selling in the USA?
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Evotec 4:28PM (2/01/2007)
#1: I hope not... and im living in europe,so i know what im talking about.
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C. McFeeny 4:44PM (2/01/2007)
I almost kind of wish that autoblog.com would stop reporting news about Fiat so I can stop being jealous of the European Union. Oh Fiat! Why do you boycott the US so?
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rrr 7:53PM (2/01/2007)
You know USA is the biggest car market in the world, i was wondering how many cars are exported from USA to Europe or other countries. Could it be that they have no interest in atleast some of our SUVs or Pick Ups?
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Ardito Saetta 12:44AM (2/02/2007)
Here tv spot: http://mondoauto.blogosfere.it/2007/02/fiat-bravo-lo-spot-mi-piace.html
and here a post about measures: http://autonovita.blogosfere.it/2007/02/la-nuova-bravo-ha-buoni.html
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Phil 8:35AM (2/02/2007)
@ rrr #4 - there is virtually zero market for pick-ups in Europe - which is down to the following reasons;
- they're too big for our roads
- they consume waaaay too much fuel
- many of the US trucks do not comply with the crash safety rules - not to mention even US's own car rules
- they aren't particularly well engineered, i.e. basic leaf spring suspension, ladder chassis etc
- there is no commercial market for them because the vast majority of businesses use more economical vans
All these reasons more or less apply to SUVs as well
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Cody 5:24PM (2/02/2007)
Looks good to me. I'd buy one.
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Seth89 12:10PM (2/08/2007)
I don't understand why you (evotec) say this?
I think fiat cars are very good, surely better than the german cars...
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Bentley 6:51PM (2/02/2007)
is it just me or that fiat looks like a next gen mazda 3 sport hatchback?
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dretceterini 8:09PM (2/02/2007)
A new Brava Abarth with 230-250 hp and a weight of 2500 pounds at around $20,000 US would be ideal
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Giorgio 12:54PM (2/05/2007)
Fiat is now launching its Grande Punto in new markets such as Australia and Mexico, and planning to get back to the States with Alfa Romeo. Who knows, If Bravo sells well elsewhere Fiat may change its plans and launch it in the States too. Americans have an unpredictable taste though: it's a risky business...
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Klemster 6:46PM (2/07/2007)
"is it just me or that fiat looks like a next gen mazda 3 sport hatchback?"
No its just you!thankfully it looks much better than any mazda!!!
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