Of the three new SUVs to be launched in 2021 by the FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles), two were already known: the Alfa Romeo Tonale it's the Maserati Grecal . The surprise comes from the announcement of a third model, the Fiat 500X Convertible , an unprecedented variant of the model that has already been officially confirmed.
A late addition to the Italian compact SUV range — it was launched in 2014 and updated in 2018 — which makes it even more surprising.
The truth is that convertible SUVs and commercial success don't usually go hand in hand — Nissan Murano and Range Rover Evoque are examples of this — but it was not an impediment for Volkswagen to launch the T-Roc Cabrio in 2019, either.
Now it's Fiat's turn, but the outlined strategy differs from the other proposals mentioned. While Volkswagen had to make deep (and costly) modifications to the T-Roc's bodywork to turn it into a convertible — from the A-pillar to the back it's essentially a new car — Fiat will repeat the recipe that turns the small 500 into the 500C.
In other words, instead of creating a true convertible, the brand new 500X Convertible will keep a large part of the bodywork we already know, including the four side doors, replacing only the roof - which becomes canvas and retractable -, the tailgate and the rear window (which will be made of glass).
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In this way, Fiat manages to reduce development and production costs and by keeping practically all the features of the 500X “closed” — implying less “sacrifices” in practicality — the chances of succeeding commercially seem to be in favor of the new model.
The new Fiat 500X Cabrio will be produced in Melfi, Italy, along with the other 500X, which further helps with the bills. The Volkswagen T-Roc Cabrio, for example, is not produced at Autoeuropa, along with the other T-Rocs, but in Osnabrück, Germany, at the former Karmann facilities.
Tonale and Grecale
It's still unclear when the Fiat 500X Cabrio will be unveiled this year, but it should also come with a new mild-hybrid engine that will be extended to the rest of the range. More certainties exist in relation to the two other SUVs to be launched in 2021 by Alfa Romeo and Maserati.
THE Alfa Romeo Tonale has an international presentation scheduled for the month of September and the beginning of commercialization will start either in the end of 2021 or in the beginning of 2022. The Tonale is based on a modified variant of the base used in the Jeep Compass and will be produced in Pomigliano, Italy, during the second period. semester of this year — the Fiat Panda is currently produced there.
The SUV takes over, albeit indirectly, the place of the Giulietta in the range of the Italian brand, whose production ended at the end of last year and is not expected to have a direct successor.
THE Maserati Grecal will see production start in November this year, at the Cassino plant, Italy, the same factory that produces the Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio. This unique SUV from the trident brand will be positioned below the Levante and its proximity to Alfa Romeo models will be greater than just being produced in the same location. Grecale is based on Giorgio, the same platform as Giulia and Stelvio and, as we saw yesterday, the same platform that also served as the foundation for the new Jeep Grand Cherokee.