SPY PICS: Fiat's Doblo Ganger

Rarely does a car-maker go to such lengths to disguise an up and coming future model. This mobile inflatable castle was spotted by spy photographers Carparazzi, who tell us it's actually Fiat's new Doblo van, due for launch in 2010 and aimed in one way at the likes of Citroen Berlingo and Renault Kangoo -- and in another at the likes of VW's Caddy.

The idea is that families use it as a spacious all-aboard conveyance, and tradies whip out the seats and utilise its large, boxy interior for electrical gear, TV antennas -- or floral displays.

According to Carparazzi, the passenger version gets a top-hinged rear door, while commercial users will get conventional barn doors. In both cases, there is a sliding door on each side of the vehicle.

While it's doubtful that all the bulging pieces are a new type of external airbag, the Fiat van looks as if it's in line for a dramatically deep grille, free-form headlights and near-vertical side panels to maximise load space.

The Doblo is built in various plants around the world, including Turkey, Brazil and Russia and has been around since 2001, in both commercial van and seven-passenger form. It's available in front-wheel and four-wheel drive configuration and can be specified with Fiat's 1.9-litre and 1.3-litre turbodiesel engines.

Is it likely to come here?

Not all, according to Fiat and Citroen (among others) importer Ateco, who reckon they're covered with the Fiat Scudo, Citroen Dispatch and Berlingo in this segment anyway and, as well, are actually looking at the five-passenger Fiat Fiorino Panorama (more here), to bring a VW Caddy-style family van to market.

-- with Carparazzi

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