AUBURN HILLS, Mich.,
July 11,
2024 /PRNewswire/ --
- The La Pista 500 at the Lingotto building in Turin hosted FIAT's 125th anniversary ceremony
Smiling to the Future
- Founded on July 11, 1899, FIAT is
one of the longest operating automotive brands in the world and is
now set for an even brighter future
- Olivier Francois, FIAT CEO, lays
out FIAT's vision for the next decade
- World premiere of the Fiat Grande Panda, the new global model
that marks FIAT's return to the global mainstream market
- Now open at the Pinacoteca Agnelli, the new Casa FIAT
exhibition traces the brand's history and its connection to the
Lingotto building
- All-electric Fiat 500e, featuring a 149-mile driving range,
returned to North America earlier
this year after a five-year hiatus, with starting Manufacturer's
Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $32,500 and, beginning July 12, 2024, a lease price and APR as low as
$299/month and 2.9%,
respectively
FIAT's 125th anniversary event, Smiling to the Future, held at
the Lingotto building in Turin,
was a milestone celebration that few automakers reach, as well as
the beginning of a new chapter in the brand's long history of
success, social relevance and leadership, all fueled by a
customer-first approach.
The event was attended by members of the international press,
representatives of public institutions, including Minister of
Enterprise and Made in Italy Sen.
Adolfo Urso, Vice President of the
Senate Sen. Licia Ronzulli, President of the Commission for
Productive Activities, Commerce and Tourism of the Chamber of
Deputies On. Alberto Luigi
Gusmeroli, President of the Region Alberto Cirio, Mayor of
Turin Stefano Lo Russo, and top management of the Stellantis Group,
including John Elkann, chairman of Stellantis, Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO, and Olivier Francois, FIAT CEO and Stellantis
CMO.
John Elkann, Stellantis Chairman, stated, "Fiat was born in 1899
out of a passion for progress. It was among the few companies that
managed to transition from a craftsmanship stage to the industrial
era. It represented the freedom to move anywhere for millions of
people, and to do so with style. For 125 years we have never
stopped working, seeking solutions, believing in our future, and
defending tenaciously what we have built. We want to thank all the
people who made possible for that Turin startup to become Stellantis today, one
of the largest car manufacturers in the world."
Tavares stated, "I'm delighted to be in the home of FIAT in
Turin to celebrate 125 years and
share the emotion of such a moment with all stakeholders. As one of
the most iconic brands in our Stellantis constellation, FIAT brings
true Italian flavor to the heart of our customers worldwide. For
the third year in a row, FIAT is Stellantis number one brand in
terms of volume. It leads in four domestic markets across the
planet: Italy, Brazil, Turkey and Algeria. It drives the charge to offer clean,
safe and affordable mobility to citizens around the world. I want
to thank all of those who hold FIAT so dear since generations and
work hard every day to ensure another 125 years of rich history.
Fiat team shares the same passion and the same desire to always
make our customers smile."
Francois stated, "FIAT has been synonymous with social relevance
over the last 125 years, offering our customers what they really
need based on the times in which they are living. And our customers
want iconic and affordable city cars; frugal and inclusive
compacts; family mobility; commercial vehicles and, last but not
the least, Abarth for everyday fun, which is exactly what FIAT
offers. Currently we have launched FIAT's comeback to the global
mainstream based on three pillars: Italian design and development,
global platform and local relevance—and the Grande Panda is the
first member of our new global family. Therefore, over the next
decade, we'll have the right offer for every customer. Because the
customer is at the center of everything for us."
On July 11, 1899, in
Turin, the articles of association were signed for the Società
Anonima Fabbrica Italiana di Automobili – Torino. Today, after having produced millions
of cars, a common thread connects the brand's past to its present
and future; namely, a specific way of understanding cars that sets
the brand apart at a global level to this day and has led to
products that simplify everyday life and bring joy to the streets
of the world.
The event starred the Fiat Grande Panda, the new global model
that will kick-start the Italian brand's new era and the first of a
new generation of FIAT vehicles. The event premiered the first real
images of two other models in the new global family, an SUV and a
fastback, which were introduced last February as concepts and now
are at an advanced stage of development and planned to be launched
in the following years.
The celebrations held in Turin
ended with a stunning parade of classic and contemporary FIAT
vehicles that were divided into groups, icons, city cars, compact
cars, family cars and light commercial vehicles, then displayed on
the Lingotto building's legendary track to showcase the global
Italian brand's technological and historical heritage.
Since the beginning, FIAT has demonstrated a strong propension
toward internationality, with models produced throughout the globe,
while keeping its heart and soul in the Piedmont capital where it
was founded. Today, with the Grande Panda, a new season has arrived
for FIAT, which will be characterized by inclusivity, ingenuity,
Italian style and a global spirit.
Grande Panda: FIAT's new global model
The Grande Panda marks FIAT's return to the global mainstream
market, the first in the next generation of FIAT vehicles being
studied for global markets, including North America, where the all-electric 500e
returned to market earlier this year after a five-year hiatus, with
a starting MSRP of $32,500 and,
beginning July 12, 2024, a lease
price and APR as low as $299/month
and 2.9%, respectively. The Grande Panda has been developed based
on three pillars: Italian design, global platform and local
relevance.
Sustainability, inclusiveness, simplicity and beauty are the
values that gave life to the project, while the design took
inspiration from the iconic Panda from the 1980s—the "blue jeans"
of the automotive industry, something perfect for every occasion
and for every customer. It is a socially relevant car, the car for
everybody.
Designed in Italy at the FIAT
Centro Stile in Turin, the Grande
Panda makes use of a simple idea: a one-of-a-kind multi-energy
platform that is installable anywhere in the world. It is a
strictly Italian design while choosing the best powertrain fit
based on the needs of customers, wherever they might be. In short,
the new model marks FIAT's transition from local production to
global range.
The spiral charging cable stands out as one of the most
innovative solutions, making the charging experience easier and
tidier than ever. The Grande Panda is the first vehicle on the
market to include an integrated charging cable, which works in
alternating currents up to 7 kW. The spiral cable has a special
housing under the hood, which allows for space saving in the trunk,
and encourages practical everyday use as it is easy to handle and
avoids the grime of traditional cables. This solution sets itself
apart with its easy process: after opening the lid, the second step
is to take out the cable and connect it to the charging station.
Once the charge is finished, it is possible to easily return it to
its housing thanks to the spiral shape of the cable.
As with its predecessor, the iconic 1980s' Panda that changed
the way we experience the automobile for over 40 years, the Grande
Panda sports a cool personality and unexpected features, as well as
an innovative and intelligent use of space. Specifically, the new
vehicle sets itself apart from other cars in the B-segment with the
unique compactness provided by its small size (157.1 inches in
length—below the segment average — 61.8 inches in height and 69.3
inches in width) and well-organized capacity thanks to its compact
volume: for example, the trunk is 12.7 cubic feet.
Essentially, the Grande Panda is the ideal companion for
families and today's urban mobility as it can comfortably transport
five people. The Italian spirit of the new vehicle is showcased
through its iconic design, which is synonymous with beauty, and the
exteriors feature a special combination of structured lines and
soft yet bold surfaces that highlight the robust wheel arches.
Everything is made even more distinctive and cooler through the
presence of front and rear skid plates in silver, glossy-black
pillar finishes, privacy windows, 17-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels
with FIAT logo hubcaps and an eye-catching X design.
As a tribute to the classic Panda, the Grande Panda is equipped
with 3D-branded, low-relief letters on the doors, which reflect the
surrounding environment and enhance the lower part of the side.
Seven liveries are available on the Grande Panda - red, white,
black, green, brown, blue and yellow, in keeping with the No Grey
initiative.
Inside, a special homage has been made to the Lingotto
building's track, which inspired some of the interior elements. In
fact, the dashboard, as well as the polycarbonate frame, including
10-inch cluster and 10.25-inch digital radio, feature a
one-of-a-kind style that calls back to the shape of the Lingotto
track and creates a distinctive and evocative look.
Special attention has been paid to the optimization of the
space. For example, there is 0.5 cubic feet of storage in the
dashboard, allowing for many choices when it comes to stowing
objects—a simple and ingenious trademarked FIAT solution that
recalls the 1980s' Panda's timeless "pocket" dashboard.
The first of the new FIAT family will be available both in
electric and hybrid versions. With a 44kWh battery and an 83-kW
e-motor, the electric Grande Panda offers more than 199 miles* of
range in the WLTP combined cycle, making it the perfect vehicle
both for everyday use in the city and for weekend trips.
* Provisional values under homologation
Casa FIAT: a unique site to immerse oneself in the FIAT
universe
The 125th anniversary is the perfect occasion to inaugurate the
new Casa FIAT museum exhibition, a project created by the
Pinacoteca Agnelli in collaboration with FIAT. The exhibition
traces the brand's history and its relationship with the Lingotto
building, the legendary factory and iconic site of the brand's
industrial production in Turin,
which was designed by Giacomo Matté Trucco in the 1920s and
restored by Renzo Piano in the
1990s.
Thanks to the use of an interactive display, the exhibition
branches off into various thematic areas - car design,
architecture, society and kids – giving visitors the ability to
completely immerse themselves in the FIAT universe. Inside the
museum, the story of FIAT gets told, from its early days to its
most recent evolution. Casa FIAT symbolically revolves around the
wooden 500 Master model, with a museum itinerary that begins with
the company's founding year of 1899, when the founders gathered to
sign the articles of constitution of the Società Anonima Fabbrica
Italiana – Torino, giving birth to
the FIAT name.
The story proceeds decade by decade, presenting various key
moments in its history, like the production of the brand's most
iconic cars, including the Fiat Nuova 500, the compact two-seater
sedan launched in 1957, and the FIAT Panda, the versatile and
innovative car made in 1980 by the designer Giorgetto Giugiaro.
Throughout this exhibition, FIAT highlights the importance of its
past and its roots without taking its eye off the future, as
demonstrated by the new Grande Panda. FIAT's story does not come to
an end at Casa FIAT.
FIAT Brand
FIAT brand celebrates 125 years as an automaker and some things
haven't changed. Iconic Italian design and refinement, plus a
fun-to-drive factor, come standard with every Fiat.
In early 2024, FIAT brand will launch the Fiat 500e, the first
Stellantis retail battery-electric vehicle offering in North America and the best-selling city EV in
Europe.
FIAT is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading
global automaker and mobility provider Stellantis. For more
information regarding Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), please
visit www.stellantis.com
Follow FIAT and company news and video on:
Company
blog: http://blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com
Media website: http://media.stellantisnorthamerica.com
Fiat brand: www.fiatusa.com
Fiat blog: blog.fiatusa.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/fiatusa
Instagram: www.instagram.com/fiatusa
Twitter: www.twitter.com/fiatusa or @StellantisNA
YouTube: www.youtube.com/fiatusa or
https://www.youtube.com/StellantisNA
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SOURCE Stellantis