According to earlier reports, Fiat will eventually develop an entire family of low-cost B-segment models and now Automotive News is reporting that a new brand could be established for the range. Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne told reporters at a congress in Turin yesterday that there’s sufficient space in the market for a “true value brand” and a final decision would be made within the next 12 months.
Details about the new Topolino are still scarce, but chances are it will be built on a shortened version of the Punto platform and feature a low-output engine developing less than a 100hp. Production of the new low-cost family will start at a former Zastava plant in Serbia, which was recently acquired by Fiat, around 2010 with the first cars to arrive in showrooms in early 2010.