Fiat has a problem: the Multiplina is too heavy and it will need to be lightened if it wants to get it approved.

The star attractions at FIAT’s booth at the Paris Motor Show were the Multiplay prototype, a crossover that blends SUV and pickup features, as well as the Grizzly and Grizzly Fastback models, which are set to become the new top-of-the-line vehicles for the Italian brand in the European market. However, there was also room for another novelty: the Multiplina.

Still in show car form, this heavy quadricycle (category L7e) sits between lightweight quads like the Topolino (category L6e) and urban-oriented cars such as the 500 or Pandina (segment A). While L6e models are limited to 8 horsepower with a top speed of 45 km/h, L7e models can reach 20 horsepower and a top speed of 90 km/h.

In addition, while the Topolino is a strict two-seater, the Multiplina has four seats. However, its larger size presents a problem: it weighs too much, so the company will need to lighten it if it wants to meet the limits of the L7e category (450 kg without batteries, barely 25 kg above the limit for the L6e category).

FIAT’s head designer, François Leboine, says the Multiplina is close to production (its launch is scheduled for 2028). “The problem is weight. The L7e category still has a maximum weight of 450 kg. If you start with a Topolino, add two people, and lengthen the chassis, the weight increases immediately. You quickly exceed the limit.”

The FIAT Multiplina will make its debut in 2028

"The goal is to reduce weight: finding tricks and ideas to eliminate it completely. It’s a bit like in a race car, which is interesting because it has nothing to do with racing. It’s the same approach. If you can drill a hole in a part, you do it. It’s all about reducing, reducing, and reducing." Although the Topolino is based on the successful Citroën Ami, François has confirmed that FIAT will be Stellantis’ brand that invests the most in micromobility through models like the Multiplina and Tris.

The FIAT Multiplina will be a direct competitor to the Dacia Hipster, which is set to launch next year with a target price of 11,000 euros. It will also feature a four-seater interior and compete in the L7e category, placing it one tier below the recently refreshed Spring. Its production will take place at the Shiyan plant (China), where the first-generation Spring was manufactured until recently (its successor is produced in Novo Mesto, Slovenia).

Frank Marotte, Dacia’s senior vice president of global sales, marketing, and operations, recently said, “We are working on a plan with the other two shareholders of the joint venture (Dongfeng and Nissan) to safeguard operations at the plant. Renault Group wants to keep this manufacturing facility, which has an annual production capacity of 45,000 vehicles for the group, for two main reasons: its competitive production costs and its innovation capabilities.”

Source | Autocar