Fiat Punto successor plans could be revived; Brand reveals 10-year-old aborted sketch

RahulNagaraj · 6th July 2023, 12:22

Fiat recently unveiled its new 600e for the global markets. However, alongside the unveil, the Italian carmaker also showcased a sketch of an aborted project which was supposed to replace the Grande Punto hatchback 10 years ago. The reveal of the sketch hints that Fiat could be working on a successor for its now-discontinued Punto hatchback, to be introduced in the near future.

According to reports, then-FCA boss Sergio Marchionne was sceptical of the B-segment, stating it was too competitive & not profitable enough. Head of Fiat New Products, Antonio Massecesi, who was overseeing the Punto successor project back then, came up with the idea of a larger 500, which looked a lot like the 500X, which came a year later. Marchionne initially approved the car for production, but it ended up getting axed just a few months later.

The Fiat Grande Punto was using an architecture co-developed by Fiat & General Motors in 2005, and by 2013, the platform was severely outdated. Massecesi stated that a new platform would be required which would comply with the emission & safety regulations. However, when other brands refused to share the development cost of a new architecture, Fiat concluded that engineering a new platform for just one car wasn't worth it, eventually phasing out the Grande Punto by 2018.

This time around, reports suggest that Fiat can make use of the e-CMP2 platform, which already underpins multiple products across the different brands owned by parent company Stellantis. This should help Fiat bring back the Punto hatchback to its product lineup.

Source: Motor1

Link to Team-BHP news

reinhardt93 · 6th July 2023, 14:13

I really hope that they bring back the punto and also maybe an update to the panda but in no way should it look anything like the picture mentioned above. That design is reserved for the Fiat 500 and its various iterations.

Tifosi2306 · 7th July 2023, 07:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by RahulNagaraj

.

This time around, reports suggest that Fiat can make use of the e-CMP2 platform, which already underpins multiple products across the different brands owned by parent company Stellantis. This should help Fiat bring back the Punto hatchback to its product lineup.

Source: Motor1

Link to Team-BHP news

From the Motor 1 article (and the Fiat presentation video on YT) it is clear in stating that the PSA - CMP platform based Seicento EV is the spiritual successor or a replacement to the Grande Punto.

So, I don't think there is any reason to believe there will be a Fiat Grande Punto.

What remains to be seen is what Fiat comes up with next as Francois Olivier mentioned the date of 10th July next year for the next part of Fiat's 'Renaissance'

. May be something based on the Centoventi concept.

saisree · 7th July 2023, 11:57

Whatever it be, a new car or a successor, we can look at YouTube videos only. People here forgot FIAT long back and sadly, this is just some news for enthusiasts and FIAT fanboys.

6th July 2023, 12:22	#1
RahulNagaraj Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,568 Thanked: 24,385 Times	Fiat Punto successor plans could be revived; Brand reveals 10-year-old aborted sketch Fiat recently unveiled its new 600e for the global markets. However, alongside the unveil, the Italian carmaker also showcased a sketch of an aborted project which was supposed to replace the Grande Punto hatchback 10 years ago. The reveal of the sketch hints that Fiat could be working on a successor for its now-discontinued Punto hatchback, to be introduced in the near future. According to reports, then-FCA boss Sergio Marchionne was sceptical of the B-segment, stating it was too competitive & not profitable enough. Head of Fiat New Products, Antonio Massecesi, who was overseeing the Punto successor project back then, came up with the idea of a larger 500, which looked a lot like the 500X, which came a year later. Marchionne initially approved the car for production, but it ended up getting axed just a few months later. The Fiat Grande Punto was using an architecture co-developed by Fiat & General Motors in 2005, and by 2013, the platform was severely outdated. Massecesi stated that a new platform would be required which would comply with the emission & safety regulations. However, when other brands refused to share the development cost of a new architecture, Fiat concluded that engineering a new platform for just one car wasn't worth it, eventually phasing out the Grande Punto by 2018. This time around, reports suggest that Fiat can make use of the e-CMP2 platform, which already underpins multiple products across the different brands owned by parent company Stellantis. This should help Fiat bring back the Punto hatchback to its product lineup. Source: Motor1 Link to Team-BHP news Last edited by RahulNagaraj : 6th July 2023 at 12:24.
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6th July 2023, 14:13	#2
reinhardt93 BHPian Join Date: Feb 2021 Location: BLR-IXE/AUH Posts: 48 Thanked: 134 Times	Re: Fiat Punto successor plans could be revived; Brand reveals 10-year-old aborted sketch I really hope that they bring back the punto and also maybe an update to the panda but in no way should it look anything like the picture mentioned above. That design is reserved for the Fiat 500 and its various iterations.
	(6) Thanks

7th July 2023, 11:57	#4
saisree BHPian Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: TN-11, AP-03 Posts: 959 Thanked: 2,505 Times	Re: Fiat Punto successor plans could be revived; Brand reveals 10-year-old aborted sketch Whatever it be, a new car or a successor, we can look at YouTube videos only. People here forgot FIAT long back and sadly, this is just some news for enthusiasts and FIAT fanboys.
	() Thanks