Just for fun, I was wondering what people would like their Multipla's to have in an idea world. Not boring stuff like wishing it had reliability ( ), but something fun or genuinely useful.

1. 4x4 and ruggedised off road styling and useability. I'd love one with a bit of X-Cross styling. Maybe a big 2.5L diesel engine also.

2. It would be dead handy if there was an attachment so when you folded the rear middle seat down it turned into a baby changing station.

theres masses of road clearance underneath the multi, i wish they would of designed it so the seats folded down into the floor!
front sprrings not made of ceramic would be good also ;-)

If only they'd made it twelve to eighteen inches longer to give it a deeper boot.

Zundapp said:

If only they'd made it twelve to eighteen inches longer to give it a deeper boot.

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....and put another row of 3 removable seats in it.

Then shoehorn the JTD 2.4 motor in the front and a second fuel tank in all that under-floor space.

Then put some side bolstering on the seat backrests to stop as all sliding around on the corners!

Shame really. A 'Grande Multipla' could have been a nice car.

The front two passanger seats were removeable like all the rest, just think of the scope that would give

Cruise control would be nice, so would a reversing camera

A good standard of upholstery material would be nice!

0 - 60 in 3.5 seconds, just to see the faces of the "boy racers" at traffic lights

6 speed gearbox together with cruise control would improve economy and reduce noise levels at motorway speeds.

Self-levelling rear suspension option would have been good as the rear has to cope with no weight right up to max AUW and is too hard when light.

2.4 JTD engine would be too heavy, Multi's break enough front springs as it is!
JTD 1.9 16v unit puts out 140bhp which is enough of an increase to make it markedly better without having to change brakes/gearbox etc.

Polybushes as an option from new - too many rubber components wear out (Front wishbones/ARB bushes/Rear subframe bushes,etc), relatively inexpensive parts which cost a bloody fortune to replace.
I suspect this is a legacy of the Brava origins, Brava weighs in a lot less than a Multi and the rubbers are well outside their design parameters.

Zundapp said:

If only they'd made it twelve to eighteen inches longer to give it a deeper boot.

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I've often wished that with the rear seats out, you could get an inflatable camp bed in the back for nights away.

I had to check the replies on here to make sure it wasn't a really old thread that I'd already posted on.

When I win the lottery, I'm having mine stretched by just over a foot, so I can lie down in the back. It'll still be a relatively short car. We move furniture in ours reasonably often, and the length would be useful for that too. I often wonder why the front passenger seats aren't easily removable.

I'm also going to use the space under it to have long range fuel tanks fitted, and would love the 4wd system from the 156 crosswagon fitted for more traction - or at least the q2 LSD.

The 2.4 is a heavy engine - you could feel in in my 156, so a tuned up 1.9 16v would do nicely.

Such a shame there is not going to be another car like the Multi. There are lots of MPVs that are great for bigger families, but the Multipla suits the three of us perfectly - we all get a comfy seat, and have acres of room.

I don't think it would be that difficult to make the nearside front passenger seat a quick-release item. When I took mine out to do the heated seat conversion, I was amazed how simple it was to remove (four bolts and the connection for the side airbag).

The best bit was, once removed the floor from front to back is dead flat. Most MPVs have deep footwells etc so the benefit of removing a front seat would be questionable.

I do think Fiat missed a trick with this; the other obvious thing was to give that seat a back that folded completely flat like the centre seat.

Heavy or not, I do like the thrum from the five pot JTD, and the smooth torque is lovely, especially once it's been chipped. 4WD sounds good too, especially with the Q2!

I know we're all biaised, but apart from the Honda FR-V which ceased production in 2009 the 3 x 3 seating is unique and fantastically practical.
Getting 6 adult seats into such a small package is quite an achievement, the only car I recall being so Tardis like was the original (Stelios) Mercedes A-class.

I think an updated version with original but up to date styling and well marketed (Lancia badged?) could do well. If something does come along., it'll probably come from Korea or possibly China where function is definitely more important than form.

As proof I give you the SSanyong Rodius, possibly the worst looking car in the world.

They should tint the windows maybe lower it and stiffen up stiffen up the suspention some better lookin wing mirrors and a black interior maybe make some thing bigger than a 120 hp engine maybe a special 150 or something

So, a 4x4 2.5 multipla, an extra 18 inches longer with 3 rows of seats. 0-60 in 3.5 seconds, seats that fold into the floor that are also expensively trimmed.
Long range fuel tanks and even stiffer suspension that is self levelling on the rear and poly bushed all round.
6 speed box, cruise control and a baby changing station.
Then to top it all off put a lancia badge on the thing.
I bet it will sell like hot cakes...

The best idea there is the idea of a grand multipla, longer with the option of more seats..

alpitlum said:

so, a 4x4 2.5 multipla, an extra 18 inches longer with 3 rows of seats. 0-60 in 3.5 seconds, seats that fold into the floor that are also expensively trimmed.
Long range fuel tanks and even stiffer suspension that is self levelling on the rear and poly bushed all round.
6 speed box, cruise control and a baby changing station.
Then to top it all off put a lancia badge on the thing.
I bet it will sell like hot cakes...

..

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:d

Yeah,
1: 2.4jtd engine
2: Cruise Control
3 : New, interior colours, personally, sand colour carpet and dash, and similar cloth colour for seats and dash.
4 : Dont increase the length...its a great size for parking as it is..
5 : Got to be ....a Full Skydome sunroof!, even though the twin sunroofs are a fantastic option as they are.....
I still think it's an amazing design and the 1.9 engines are so strong, fingers crossed...

A panoramic glass roof would be amazing.

I agree with the length - it's just frustrating that you can almost but not quite get an airbaed in the back, and as I say, we shift bits of furniture in ours a fair bit, so some extra length would be magic. I'd settle for more flexibility with the front seats - perhaps if they could be removed or folded like the back ones it'd be just about enough.

The AWD thing I'm having second thoughts about - it was really a result of almost but not quite getting stuck on a campsite in my Alfa when it only had a tent in the boot, and a fear that a Multipla with a caravan on might be somewhat harder to shift.

I'd settle for the q2 limited slip diff from the Alfas (which might just fit anyway as it's a bolt on replacement for the 147 which has the same gearbox, I think?)

I too loved the 5 cylinder thum in my 156, and I really miss the extra 100 lb-ft of torque, so I could be persuaded on the 2.4, but would be happy with a tuned up 1.9 as I think they can go to 150bhp / 220 lb-ft, which is about what I had from my 2.4.

Cameron Diaz in (one of) the passenger seat ..........

Seriously though;

1. Removable front passenger seats and a tilting drivers seat, for the airbed thing.
2. 150 Bhp as standard (not just through Angel, and the like.)
3. A stronger clutch!
4. A decent stereo that doesn't bloody rattle!!! (Sorry, lost it there for a minute......)
5. Skydome, definitely.
6. 4wd as an option, at least.
7. Six speed box
8. More storage, under floor etc. as per Espace etc.
9. More versatile seats as per Espace etc.
10. A Chocolate dispenser.

That'll do, donkey.

How about one of these?