Fiat-Chrysler’s 12 car model blitz for India detailed

Fiat-Chrysler has a dozen car models planned for India, out of which one has already been launched in the form of the Linea Facelift sedan. The 11 other models include cars from both Fiat and Jeep as the latter is now owned by the Italian car maker, who took over the Chrysler group earlier this year. CarToq details Fiat-Chrysler’s 12 car launch blitz between 2014 and 2018. 

2014

Fiat Linea Facelift

The facelifted Linea has already been launched in India. The car gets visual changes on the exteriors and interiors. Other additions include. Click here to know more about the car.

Fiat India, in association with CarToq, is also running an exciting contest revolving around the Linea. Superb prizes are on offer. Click here to jump right into the contest.

Fiat Grande Punto Facelift

The Punto Facelift is just around the corner and the facelifted car is a unique model that is specific to the Indian market as it gets styling inspired by the Avventura’s front. The facelifted Punto will borrow the updated Linea’s interiors, with an extra feature or two. Petrol and turbo diesel engine options are expected to be retained on the Punto Facelift. 5 speed manual gearboxes will be standard on all variants of the car. Fiat is offering chunky discounts on the outgoing Punto and if you’re in the market for a B+ segment hatchback, the time is right to snag a nice deal.

Fiat Avventura

The Avventura is a crossover-styled hatchback based on the Grande Punto’s platform. The Avventura was showcased at the 2014 Indian Auto Expo and the hatchback will be launched in India by September 2014. The Avventura is expected to share engines and gearboxes with the facelifted Punto’s top end variants. The car will be priced and positioned in between the Punto and the Linea.  Competition for the Avventura will come from the Volkswagen Polo Cross and recently launched Toyota Etios Cross.

2015

Fiat Abarth 500

The Fiat Abarth 500 will be the brand’s first high performance car for the Indian car market from the Abarth range. The Abarth 500 will be a completely built unit (CBU) and is expected to be priced north of the 20 lakh rupee mark. The car will get a 1.4 liter turbocharged petrol engine, expected to be in a 135 Bhp-206 Nm state of tune. The same engine, albeit in a lower state of tune, is offered on the Linea T-Jet. In India, the Abarth 500 will be a competitor to the Mini range of sporty hatchbacks.

Fiat Abarth Punto

Fiat is also putting together an Abarth version of the Punto hatchback for India. The Punto Abarth is expected to use the same T-Jet engine as the Abarth 500. The Punto Abarth will get a sporty body kit to go with the increased performance on tap. The interiors will get a sporty once over too. Fiat is also expected to offer the Punto Abarth’s body kit for regular variants of the Punto through its dealerships. The Punto Abarth is expected to be priced at a premium of 1-2 lakh rupees over the regular variants of the hatchback. The car will be heavily localized, save for the turbo petrol engine.

Jeep Wrangler

An iconic SUV in the Jeep range, the Wrangler off roader will arrive into India sometime in the middle of next year, as a completely built unit (CBU) import. The Wrangler sold in India is expected to be powered by a 2.8 liter-4 cylinder turbo diesel engine that outputs 197 Bhp of peak power and 460 Nm of peak torque. A five speed automatic gearbox and a four wheel drive option is standard. Aimed at off roaders, the Jeep Wrangler is a hard top SUV that can seat five adults in comfort.

Jeep Grand Cherokee

The Grand Cherokee is a top of the line Jeep SUV that could be assembled in India through the completely knocked down (CKD) kit route from the end of next year. Initially, the Grand Cherokee is likely to be brought into the country as a CBU import. The Grand Cherokee is expected to be sold with a 3 liter, V6 turbo diesel engine that outputs 240 Bhp of peak power and 569 Nm of peak torque. An 8 speed automatic comes as standard along with a four wheel drive system.

2016

Fiat Avventura Facelift

Come 2016, the Avventura crossover styled hatchback will get a mid life makeover in India. This is pretty much the details that are available for now. Expect mild cosmetic revisions in 2016 as the hatchback will just be two years old in the Indian market at the time of its first facelift.

Jeep C-Segment SUV

Jeep’s solitary product to be built in India is likely to be the C-Segment SUV, which is globally the replacement of the Jeep Patriot and Compass models. The next-generation Jeep Patriot/Compass will sit above the Renegade SUV globally. In India though, the C-Segment SUV will be Jeep’s entry level model, sitting below the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee. The C-Segment SUV is expected to be built at Fiat India’s Ranjangaon factory. Apart from going on sale in India, the made-in-India Jeep will have a big export focus.

2017

Fiat Grand Siena (Linea Replacement)

Currently, the Fiat Grand Siena, sold in South American car markets, is smaller than the Linea C-Segment sedan. Its next generation could turn the tables though and get larger than the Linea, a car that it is likely to replace. Fiat will retire the Punto platform, which is also the basis of the Linea, in 2016, when the all-new Punto (Fiat 500 Plus) based on the US Small Wide platform will be released. The Grand Siena is expected to be sold with petrol and diesel engine options, and could be positioned in the same C-Segment sedan category that the Linea occupies currently.

Fiat 500 Plus (Punto replacement based on 500 platform)

The Grande Punto hatchback will see its global replacement, the Fiat 500 Plus, in 2016. The all-new car will make an Indian appearance by the end of 2017. The all-new car, based on the US Small Wide platform, is expected to be larger than the current Punto, with both petrol and diesel engines on offer. The car will be manufactured in India, at Fiat’s Ranjangaon factory.

2018

Fiat compact SUV

 

Fiat is planning a compact SUV for the ASEAN markets 2018. Not many details of the compact SUV are available for now. The Fiat 500X crossover, due for an unveil later this year, could be the one that Fiat is considering for launch in ASEAN markets come 2018. By 2014, the Fiat 500X could see a major revamp or a model change, and the new version of the crossover could make it to Indian shores.