Fiat confirms larger 5 seat 500 hatchback and calls it the 500L; 7 seat crossover to follow!

While Fiat 500 fans might bemoan the cutesy 500 giving way to larger variants, even as Fiat plans to take on the BMW Mini, the Italian automaker has now announced the name of the larger Fiat 500 model and along with it plenty of details on what to expect from the new model. The bigger Fiat 500 variant will be called the 500L and will be based on a completely different platform. Though it will retain the front end of the Fiat 500, the 500L will actually be based on a wider platform derived from the Punto hatchback.The Fiat 500L is expected to be unveiled at the upcoming 2012 Geneva Motor Show in March.

Fiat 500 Hatchback

The Fiat 500L will feature five doors on a hatchback body style with seating capacity for five adults. The 500L will be longer than the Fiat 500 by over 100mm, thus liberating much more cabin space and occupying a much bigger footprint than the super compact Fiat 500. Another 7 seater version, with jacked up suspension and ride height will follow the 500L later this year. The 7 seater version of the Fiat 500 will be more of a crossover designed to challenge the Mini Countryman and is expected to make its debut by the middle of this year.

Fiat 500L Logo

Coming to the engines that the 500L will feature, expect both Fiat Multiair turbo petrol and Multijet diesel engined variants to power this car as the car will be launched in the European market, a market which favors diesel engined cars. Also, the 500L will make its way into the United States, in a bid to put the zing back in Fiat 500 sales, as the BMW Mini has been running rings around the 500 at the hustings. With the two new variants of the 500, Fiat will have 5 variants of the 500, up from the current 3 variants. Currently, Fiat sells the 500 hatchback, the 500 convertible and the 500 Abarth variants across many markets of the world.

Via AutoNews

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