Fiat couldn’t wait until the Geneva Motor Show to reveal its all-new 500L so it is giving us an early preview of its all-new sub-compact model. As you may have already guessed, the “L” in the name stands for “Large”, with the 500L being the latest addition to the 500 range after the three-door hatch, the Cabrio and the Abarth models.
While the name and the styling (to some extent) refer to the 500 mini, the five-door 500L is based on the platform of the B-segment Punto measuring 4,140mm long, 1,780mm wide and 1,660mm tall. It is 594mm longer, 153mm wider and 175mm taller than the three-door 500.
The Italian company says the 500L offers “MPV passenger space combined with the feel of a small SUV on the road and the restrained dimensions and efficiency of a B segment car” and that it’s an alternative to the traditional B and C segments.
The 500L is a five-seater model, though sources state that Fiat will present a longer version with seating for seven later this year. However, only the 5-seat model will be offered in the U.S.A.
The small MPV will launch in Europe in the last quarter of 2012 with an engine range that will initially comprise two petrol engines, the two-cylinder TwinAir anda 1.4-liter inline-four, plus a 1.3-liter turbodiesel. U.S. sales of the 500L are expected to start in 2013.
It will be produced at Fiat’s factory in Kragujevac, Serbia.
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