A MAJOR car brand has unveiled plans for a new family of motors as it assures fans a popular “vintage” design will “never die”.
Fiat recently revealed plans to launch five new concept cars inspired by the Panda, which will evolve into production models over the next three years.
The Italian manufacturer’s design boss François Leboine though has said there is room for the 500 to also evolve, creating new derivatives, adding the car’s “vintage” appeal “will never die”,
He said Fiat had two “souls” – one the “Dolce vita” ethos, as epitomised by the 500 and its derivatives while the other is the “more practical, functional” language which embodied Giorgetto Giugiaro’s original Panda.
Mr Leboine told Autocar: “These two souls of our brand are answering two different types of customers.
“We are super-happy to have this because it’s two translations that are both, for designers, very cool to translate and play with.”
He added the two souls approach meant Fiat would “not be too repetitive and too boring”.
The five concepts have taken inspiration from Fiat’s old Lingotto factory in Turin, which was famed for its roof-top test track, which is reflected in the design of some ovoid interior aspects.
According to Mr Leboine, the factory’s windows were also used as inspiration for the pixel-style headlights and brake lights.
He added the building’s utilitarian architecture also helped shape the “form follows function” aspect to the design of the cars.
While taking inspiration from the past, Mr Leboine though emphasised the brand is not using a retro design language for its future cars.
While he said Fiat was using the past in order to tell a story, its products would be “definitely modern and looking forward”.
The Panda concept offers the best indication of what to expect from the third generation of Fiat’s supermini although Mr Leboine insisted the “Centoventi is still in our mind”.
He said the Centoventi was a great concept car, embodying Fiat’s philosophy of “simplicity, affordability and flexibility”
Mr Leboine admitted that when the Centoventi was unveiled Fiat didn’t have the resources to turn it into a production car but now that it was part of the Stellantis portfolio there were now “other opportunities” to shape the future of the Panda.
In particular, Fiat now has access to the Smart Car platform, which underpins the new Citroen C3 and Vauxhall Frontera.
He did say the style of the 500 can live on as it still has huge appeal.
Mr Leboine said: “We talk to customers who are definitely in love with the vintage vibe of the 500, which will never die.
“It’s a history that does not belong to a trend. It’s just forever. This car is forever.”
The Sun Online has contacted Fiat for comment.
