Fiat re-enters the Sedan segment with the Linea

While a 4-door sedan is essential in the line-up of any Asian carmaker, this is not always the case with the Europeans. Take Fiat for example, it has a complete range 5-door hatchbacks - from the 1.2-litre Panda, all the way to the 2.2-litre Croma – and not a single sedan model. But things are changing, especially with an eye to expansion into new markets in Asia and Latin America. With this in mind, Fiat has just introduced the Linea, an attractive 4-door sedan that will definitely widen the brand’s appeal here in Singapore. The car was shown recently at the Istanbul Motor Show, and is slated to reach export markets in the latter half of 2007. No specifications have been released except exterior dimensions, but as Fiat’s sole sedan model, it should be available in a wide range of engine sizes. In order for it to succeed, the Linea range should span the 1.6-litre Renault Megane at the lower end, and the 2.0-litre Peugeot 407 at the upper end. It should also be available with a fully-automatic transmission, not a semi-automatic sequential gearbox now currently available in the Panda, Grande Punto and Stilo models. If everything is in place, the Linea will definitely succeed. It will certainly be one of the most attractively styled sedans in the market.