Fiat's new Linea-sized sedan caught on test in Turkey, launch in 2016 - Spied
To be made in Turkey from 2016-2023.
Fiat's Turkish JV, Tofas, will start production of an all-new sedan next year. The car in question was spied testing by Ototeknikveri in Turkey recently, and the overall size of the sedan puts it in the class of the current Linea, which is long due for a replacement.
However, according to the source, the Linea will continue to sell alongside the new sedan, which no doubt will be priced and positioned above the Linea. Several reports state that the forthcoming sedan will be positioned under the 'Bravo' brand which has a higher awareness rate than the Linea/Punto names in Europe.
Tofas said in a filing that it would make 580,000 units of the sedan each year from 2016-2023 primarily for exports. The Italian car maker is likely to use the Small-Wide architecture, which underpins the likes of the Jeep Renegade and Fiat 500X, for this product.
When it goes on sale, the sedan will most likely be offered with a turbocharged petrol engine and the MultiJet II diesel engine, paired to Fiat's manual and automated manual transmissions.
Also read: Fiat Ottimo hatch spied testing in Brazil
As reported earlier, a product plan reveals that Fiat India will launch a replacement for the Linea come mid-2017. The sedan spotted here could be the likely contender.
Rivals: Maruti Ciaz, Hyundai Verna, Honda City, VW Vento, Skoda Rapid
Expected Price: INR 7.5-10 lakhs ex-Showroom
Launch date: 2016 in international markets
New Fiat Sedan - Spyshot Gallery
2014 Fiat Linea (Facelift) - Image Gallery
[Spyshots from Ototeknikveri]