Fiat Qubo for third quarter?

Fiat dealers are committed to selling the Fiorino light van from early next year. What is less certain is whether Ateco Automotive, distributors of the Italian marque, will also offer local Fiat dealers the people-mover Qubo version.

"We'll certainly take the van version -- the Fiorino -- and that's due here early next year," Edward Rowe, Public Relations Manager for Ateco told the Carsales Network.

"The Qubo, we haven't made a final decision, but what speaks strongly in its favour is that it's available with a self-shifting gearbox. It's the only way you could sell it here.

"We wouldn't consider it if it wasn't available with the self-shifting gearbox, but the fact that it is, is obviously a tick in its favour. We haven't seen pricing yet, or availability, so the earliest it could be here would be the third quarter of next year."

We first brought you news of the new model before the Qubo name had been chosen (more here). Now, we can say definitively that the Fiorino and the Qubo (assuming the latter makes it here), will only be powered by the 1.3-litre turbodiesel, driving to the front wheels through a Dualogic robotised manual transmission. The engine is shared with the Fiat 500 JTD already on sale locally. With this combination of engine and transmission, fuel consumption is expected to be as low as 3.8L/100km and CO2 emissions will be 119g/km.

Fiat will launch the Qubo globally at the Paris Motor Show next month. The new model will feature seating for five and a load volume as large as 2.5 cubic metres. With five occupants, the Qubo will still muster a luggage capacity of 330 litres. According to Fiat, the Qubo will offer 16 different seating and load-carrying permutations. By folding flat the front passenger seat along with the rear seating, the Qubo will accommodate items as long as 2.5 metres.

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