Fiat 'New Large' Undisguised Pics

[jasper]

The web site www.italiaspeed.com has pictures of the new 'Fiat large' (Chroma replacement) under todays news. Sorry wasn't able to link pics direct to this thread maybe another member would be kind enough....?

Anyway, it looks better than I expected, but from what I can glean from the info it appears there will be no saloon model as such?

What does everyone else think?

 

[custard]

Fiat have high hopes for the New Large, which will enter a generally unsaturated market segment next year. These first undisguised photos reveal a stylish, well designed car that will be a worthy successor to the popular Croma.

The dimensions of the New Large are generous: at 4700mm it is just 20mm less than Alfa Romeo's big executive lugger, the 166, while the height is a room-inducing 1600mm & the width is 2830mm.

 

[jasper]

Cheers Custard that's just what I had in mind...

 

[Steven]

I'm liking that a lot. Fiat haven't done to well in the large car sector in the past, but this could be very good indeed!

 

[Bob in disguise]

that actually looks really nice

 

[jasper]

The more I look at it the more it resembles a cross between an Alfa 156 Sportwagon and a Mazda '6' Estate. Plus as it's based on the Epsilon platform it should handle well, as all the other cars with that platform do (Saab 93/New Vauxhall Vectra).

 

[Bob in disguise]

i haven't had the pleasure of driving a saab 93 yet but the 95 is goregous(sp) But as for saab im waiting for this new saab 92 made in collaboration with subaru, nice 3 litre engine the new model 95 is out soon as well. Saab and Fiat are my two favourite car brands now

 

[jasper]

I'm keen on Saabs too my sister had a 95 and years ago one of my aunts had a Saab 9000 Turbo - which is the first seriously quick car I can remember!

I think the 92 is only going to be sold in the USA - But I might be wrong - lets hope so!

 

[Bob in disguise]

Apparently theres a saab 97 4x4 in the pipeline as well as a new sports car. Iknow they are the biggest growing car company in america so they are concetrating on that market the most shame really

 

[JonnyBoy]

Nice looking car, damn shame about the name though! I hope "New Large" is just a development name...

Also, did anyone see the story on italiaspeed (http://www.italiaspeed.com/2004/cars/ferrari/11/fire/0211.html) about the fire at Ferrari's factory? Two F40's destroyed, amongst nearly 60 others

 

[Liam]

http://www.italiaspeed.com/2004/cars/fiat/11/new_large/0111.html

Liam

 

[Dr_Pepper]

Am I the only one on here that thinks it looks crap? Sorry to buck the trend but I hate it!

I'd love to see FIAT do well in this mondeo sector at last but I honestly can't see that doing any better than the poor selling Tempra and Marea...

 

[mase]

i have to admit i am not a fan on large cars. especially ones that look like that!

not a fan....

 

[Nuova500]

It looks awful, is on a vauxhall platform, doesnt look at all Italian, shoot it. It will be a sales disaster as all large Fiats are. I can only ask Fiat.... why?

 

[Dr_Pepper]

I'm glad I'm not the only one! If that is going to compete with the Mondeo/Vectra/406/A4/Octavia/Laguna's of this world, all of which are established good-looking classy motors, it has to be much better looking than that especially those horrible rear lights?

At least we can hope it will be cheap. Must try harder I think FIAT.

 

[Vin]

Generally not bothered about big cars but this looks good

It's got curves At least Giorgetto Giugiaro hasn't taken the 'slab sided' sh*te approach, a la mondeo/vectra/407, which is the way everything else seems to be going.....

Imagine a future were everyone's driving Volvo 240 clones

Also, It don't matter what the floorpan is, it's what you fasten to it and do with it that counts.......

 

[Steven]

I do like that car, but I can see where the people that don't like it are coming from.

I can never understand why the Fiat Group don't work together. Fiat should build small affordable cars with character, Alfa should build larger more exclusive cars Lancia should build luxury cars, and Ferrari should do what they do.

 

[alexGS]

A couple of people here thought that it would be competing with the Mondeo/Laguna/406 etc.

It won't. That's the Regata/Tempra/Marea-size, this one is supposed to replace the Croma. I used to have a Croma - it was a large car, tall and spacious, solid-feeling, the same size as a Saab 9000, of course because most of the bodywork was the same. That means it was bigger and more upmarket than a Sierra wagon, Mazda 626, Toyota Corona, etc.

The thing is, the Croma had a family resemblance to the Uno, but larger and therefore (in my eyes anyway) more elegant. It had a few soft edges blended into the style (e.g. the bonnet wrapping over the front wings, a soft edge to the tailgate) at a time when 80's cars were all about hard folded edges. The 'executive hatchback' was a new thing indeed.

I don't see this new 'Croma' having any resemblance to other FIATs. It looks more like a Toyota or a Honda to me, particularly with those straight-across rear lights (Camry?) It also looks undeniably like a wagon (sorry, estate car) which makes it seem a bit frumpy to me - no trim elegance in this one. When BMW have made 'executive estate cars' they've made them a bit slimmer than this!

Just in case you've forgotten what a Croma looked like, I've attached some pics.

Thanks,
-Alex

 

[Dr_Pepper]

As Fiat's only large car it's all they've got to compete in the (huge) mondeo sector. Carsfromitaly says the Croma was an "Executive Car", if that new thing will get executives driving around in it I'll be seriously surprised.

In any case if it's not meant to compete with these motors it should be, if they build a decent car for this sector maybe they'd start making a profit!

About Alfa, I agree with you Steve but I think the problem they've got is that (in England at least) Alfa have a reputation for expensive quality cars and not too many dealers compared with Fiat. If Fiat build an Alfa to compete with the mondeo would they be able to price it competitively, and are people going to think of Alfa when they want a Mondeo sized car at a decent price.