The Fiat 500 five-door, which is in development, will likely be called the Fiat 600 according to reports. The new car would be based on the platform of the current 500 with a wheelbase increased by ten centimetres to improve rear passenger space. A movable rear seat will also be introduced for greater flexibility in the cabin and to make more boot space when required.
The new Fiat 600 would have some similar aspects to other vehicles from the Fiat group, including the Fiat Panda and the Lancia Ypsilon, and is already expected to appear on the market next year. It’s uncertain though, how this new compact Fiat will be distributed, as its creation is due mostly to the US market and not Europe.
In fact, the new car could be produced exclusively in Mexico meaning its unlikely we’ll see it in Europe. Production facilities would be at Toluca, where the Fiat 500 destined for the US will be assembled. The Fiat 600 will debut in the US towards the end of 2011, but won’t represent the entry level option on that market as it will cost slightly more than the Fiat Panda. We could still see a MPV version of the Fiat 500 emerge, which would be called the 600 Multipla.
Source | Automobile-Magazine via Autoblog.it