On Tuesday, we brought you a raft of images and videos of the new Fiat 500L following the presentation of the small MPV to the members of the international press in Turin, Italy.
However, as it turns out, the 500L wasn’t the only new Fiat to be shown at the media conference as the upcoming 500X small crossover made a very brief appearance on the stage as well.
The 500X will be the fifth model in the 500 range after the 500 three-door hatchback, the 500C convertible, the Abarth-branded performance versions, and more recently, the 500L five-door minivan.
From the quick look we get of the car, the 500X appears to blend elements from an SUV and a hatchback with styling details that clearly evoke the 500 city car.
We already know that the 500X shares its underpinning with the 500L minivan, while Fiat’s sources have said that the crossover model will measure around 4.2 meters (about 165 inches) in length making it the largest model in the Fiat 500 family.
The 500X will replace the Suzuki SX-4-based Sedici in Fiat’s European range and will be offered in both front wheel- and all-wheel-drive flavors.
The powertrain lineup will likely be shared with the 500L and include Fiat’s 0.9-liter two-cylinder turbocharged TwinAir gasoline and 1.3-liter MultiJet turbo diesel.
The Fiat model will also form the base for a small crossover from Jeep that will be more compact in size than the Compass and Patriot. It will be built alongside the 500X at the Italian company’s Mirafiori plant in Turin.
Production of the Fiat 500X is expected to start next year with Jeep’s B-SUV to follow in the second quarter of 2014.
‘Hvala’ to Luca C. for the photo tip, and thanks to Rino902 for the heads up on the video!
Photo Credits: Omniauto & Automoto
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