Fiat Revival Plan To Eliminate Most Badass Models?

What do American car buyers like? The answer is simple: large SUVs and trucks. Fiat doesn't offer either in the US, which has created a major problem for the Italian brand. Since Fiat's return to the US back in 2011, the brand has let its lineup become stale and sales have been plummeting.

FCA, fortunately, has been able to lean back on strong sales from the Jeep and Ram brands to make up for the lack of Fiat brand sales. But the Italian automaker has a plan to turn around the fortunes of its core brand, starting with an all-new, all-electric version of the Fiat 500. According to Autocar, Fiat is currently planning a five-model renewal plan for Europe, and if the company expects to remain viable in the US, some of that new product needs to make its way Stateside.

The plan is centered around all-new 500 and Panda models, the former of which is expected to arrive mid-2020 as an all-electric model. It makes sense for Fiat to focus on its two best-selling models in Europe, but SUVs will be important if the company wants to have a future in the US market. Along with the 500 and Panda, Fiat is also expected to reveal a new 500 Giardiniera wagon and successors to the current 500X and Tipo, the latter of which is expected to be also replaced by an SUV.

"Fiat has a double mission. Urban mobility is core today, but at the same time, it means family transportation. In southern Europe, this is especially true," said Fiat CEO Olivier Francois. This, hopefully, means Fiat will continue to sell fun city cars while also realize there is a market for more practical family vehicles. Unfortunately, Francois also talked about Fiat's future position on sports cars.