Fiat continues testing its subcompact
unibody pickup for South America in northern Europe’s frozen landscape but
there’s an interesting change in the camouflage compared to the previous
sighting. While older prototypes looked like cargo vans due to the camouflage,
they now look like mini Tesla Cybertrucks. That’s because the provisional
roofline drops abruptly from the cabin’s rearmost roof edge to the top of the
tailgate to cover the bed.
It’s probably a coincidence (unless FCA is
trolling) but the new look of Fiat’s subcompact pickup prototype clearly
emulates that of the Tesla Cybertruck. Not much else has changed since last
winter. The prototype is still heavily disguised, albeit there’a bit less
camouflage at the rear. This allows us to see (part of) the taillights, which
appear to be in final production guise. Reports from Brazil claim the
subcompact pickup with actually use the Strada name instead of the
previously-reported Mobi Pickup. If accurate, this makes the new model a
successor to the ancient Palio-based pickup.
While it appears to be bigger than the
Strada (especially the cargo area), it won’t grow too much to avoid getting too
close to the Toro. The small pickup is expected to borrow design cues from the
Fiat Mobi city car, Argo subcompact hatch and even the Toro compact pickup.
Underneath the sheetmetal, the new Strada
is likely to use a new platform that will combine the Argo’s Small MP1
architecture but with a longer wheelbase and components designed specifically
for it. Expect it to pack a 100 HP 1.3-liter Firefly engine, with a
turbocharged version possibly offered as an option. Base models will feature a
manual gearbox while the others will get an available automatic transmission.
The all-new Fiat Strada is expected to launch in South America later this year.
