Rumour: Fiat India to launch cut price version of the Linea?

Lately, there has been quite a bit of chatter about the Linea getting a lower-spec, cut-price variant to take on the likes of the Ford Classic and the Toyota Etios in the C-entry sedan space. This was even confirmed by Fiat India officials in earlier media interactions, when they hinted that the current Linea would be repositioned as a lower variant under the Linea Classic badge. The facelifted Linea would replace the current model in terms of price and positioning.  

Team-BHPian Karthikk, an owner of two Fiat cars, a Linea T-Jet and a Grande Punto, has been in touch with his local dealership regarding the new variant of the Linea. Here are a few details he has managed to glean about the cut-price Linea sedan, due to be launched in India shortly. A key detail that has emerged is that the lower priced Linea will feature the 1.3 liter Multijet turbo diesel engine in a lower state of tune.

The motor will output 75 Bhp-190 Nm, an output that's similar to what the engine produces on the diesel variants of the Grande Punto hatchback, save for the 90 HP model. Currently, the Linea's 1.3 liter turbo diesel engine is rated at 90 Bhp-209 Nm and is mated to a 5 speed manual gearbox. While the car is highly acclaimed for its ride and handling, owners have complained about it being under powered. 

Since the car comes with a kerb weight of over 1,200 kilograms, the 1.3 Multijet motor in 75 Bhp-190 Nm state of tune might be an even duller option on the cut-price Linea. To get around the lower power-to-weight ratio, Fiat India is said to be working on reducing the kerb weight of the lower priced Linea variant. The cut-price variant is likely to be aimed at the cab operator segment, and to suit the tighter budgets of such buyers, the car could be shorn of many features and creature comforts. 

Over the past week or so, there have been rumours about Fiat India being on the verge of closing a bulk deal of 1,000 cut-price Lineas to a large cab operator. If this deal goes through, Fiat will join the likes of Tata Motors, Mahindra and Toyota, three companies that routinely enter bulk discounting deals with cab operators. The likes of the Tata Indigo eCS, the Mahindra Verito and the Toyota Etios sedans are airport taxis in many Indian cities. The Fiat Linea might be the latest car to join the list. 

It remains to be seen whether Fiat India would offer the cut-price version of the Linea to all buyers or whether the Italian brand would limit the lower priced model to cab operators. It isn't uncommon for car makers in India to roll out specific variants for bulk buying cab operators. The facelifted 2014 Linea, due early next year, is rumoured to feature a 1.6 liter Multijet turbo diesel engine. The facelifted version is already on sale in Europe.