Although Fiat’s global design boss won’t confirm it, there are strong rumours that a five-door model will join the 500 model offering in 2015.
The car will be based on the existing three-door’s platform, but boast a longer wheelbase, and likely to be wider as well. Essentially it will replace Fiat’s ageing Punto.
Although Lorenzo Ramaciotti would not confirm the car, he did say this to Auto Express: “There are some rumors in the press about the five-door 500, but what we know for sure is that next year we’ll have the 500X. We already have the 500L so we won’t stop there; it’s reasonable that there’ll be further additions.”
In industry speak, that sounds a lot like: “Yes the car will be here in the next year.”
Engine options are expected to be the petrol and diesel options currently in the three-door 500 range.
That 500X Mr Ramaciotti mentioned is a compact SUV crossover produced in conjunction with Jeep. The Jeep Junior is what Chrysler’s model will be called and the cars will borrow engines from the current 500L: which a 900cc TwinAir Turbo delivering 74 kW, a larger 1,4-litre MultiAir Turbo good for 119 kW, as well as the 1,6-litre MultiJet II 74 kW.
The Jeep Junior will likely be launched first, with its Italian sibling following son after.
