We already knew that Fiat had plans to expand its 500L small minivan range but now we can give you a taste of what the Italian company is preparing for the very near future with these official patent fillings.
We found three different sets of sketches and renderings, the first of which, is the regular Fiat 500L with five seats that has already been unveiled and is set to reach European dealerships in late September and October (depending on the country) and in North America during the course of 2013.
The next model is easily identified as the seven-seater version of the small minivan, with some sources claiming that it will be named 500XL.
In order to create enough space for the addition of a third row of seats, most likely meant for children, this model is said to be around 150mm longer than the five-seat 500L. These renderings suggest that the 500XL has the same wheelbase as the 500L with the extra length going in the rear overhang.
According to recent reports, the 500XL will likely enter production towards the end of 2013 and will be available in Europe and other markers around the world but not in North America as Fiat believes consumers won’t buy such a small seven-seater model.
In Fiat’s fillings, there is a third variation of the small MPV, which we believe could be the 500L Trekking (though, we cannot be 100 percent sure), a light crossover version of the regular five-seat 500L. The Italian automaker has used the Trekking nameplate on several models over the years including the Qubo van.
In these images, the differences with normal version are limited to the Tekking’s different door moldings, larger front grille opening and protruding lower part of the rear bumper. The Trekking model will likely feature a slightly raised suspension and an electronically controlled front differential but not all-wheel drive.
For a more real crossover experience, Fiat will offer the front- and all-wheel drive 500X, which was partially revealed during a recent presentation in Turin, Italy, and which you can check out here.
FIAT 500L 5-SEATER 
FIAT 500XL 7-SEATER 
FIAT 500L TREKKING 5-SEATER 
