After almost a decade as Brazil’s best selling light commercial vehicle the Fiat Strada range is expanded further with the new Cabine Dupla ("double cab") version that brings the versatility to carry four people without detracting from its role as a hard working pick up. Fiat Automóveis’ first foray into the pick up segment in Brazil came in 1977 with the launch of the a popular version based around its Fiat 147 hatchback.

After almost a decade as Brazil’s best selling light commercial vehicle the Fiat Strada range is expanded further with the new Cabine Dupla ("double cab") version that brings the versatility to carry four people without detracting from its role as a hard working pick up. Robust, tough, safe and still able to carry a very useful payload the Strada Cabine Dupla now becomes a new point of reference in the category reserved for compact pick ups, continuing Fiat Automóveis'’ tradition of setting the standard.

For nine years the Strada (pick up) member of the Project 178 "World Car" family has been the Brazilian market’s light commercial vehicle of choice. The new double cab option has been designed to make the least impact on load space and it means that the Strada can offer all the advantages of a four seat passenger car, thus bolstering the Strada's credentials not just as a practical workhorse for businesses but as a real choice with the urban dweller who demands a versatile leisure vehicle. Add to this the Strada Cabine Dupla is initially being commercialised only in the aggressive-looking Adventure series specification which includes string visual features such as tough plastic protection panels all round, a raised ride height and bigger alloy wheels.

The Strada is already available on the market with an extended cab option that offers an extra 30 centimetres of storage space behind the front seats, meaning that with the arrival of the new double cab version the pickup now offers a range of three options. The Strada first arrived on the Brazilian market in 1998 as part of a new family of low cost cars built on a common platform that included a hatchback (Palio), sedan (Siena) and station wagon (Palio Weekend) and it was noted for it innovation. Fiat Automóveis’ first foray into the pick up segment in Brazil had in fact come in 1977 with the launch of the a popular version based around its Fiat 147 hatchback. In 1998 the needs of more serious rough terrain capability was addressed head on with the launch of the much larger 'Trekking' model.  The Strada though set new market standards when it arrived in 1998 while the extended cab version followed a year later. In 2000, after just two years on the Brazilian market, the Strada, which has since spawned a popular off road dressed "Adventure" version, became the market’s best seller, cementing that position to date. Last year the Strada strengthened its reputation for innovation with the arrival (on the Adventure version) of the "Locker", fitted with a self-locking differential that bolsters the model's credentials on the most demanding of terrains. The omens for the Adventure Cabine Dubla version are promising, as the current extended cab option accounts for 60 percent of the Strada sales mix.

The Strada Adventure Cabine Dupla is the work of the Fiat Stile Centre in Latin America and its designers have focused on creating a harmonious and integrated appearance that includes large rear side windows so that the external view of the rear passengers is enhanced as much as possible. A new style of hooped vertical frame allows larger objects to be securely fastened and carried and thus reduce the negative aspects to the Dupla’s reduced load space, while this large rack is smoothly integrated into a pair of roof bars. The rear cargo load area is still able to accommodate a very useful 650 kg despite the intrusion of the extension to the cab, and it compares well to the Strada Trekking CE 1.4 Flex with standard cab (705 kg) or extended cab (685 kg) while the Strada Adventure Locker 1.8 Flex can also carry a payload of 685 kg. The spare wheel is fitted in the load bay but can be easily removed to increase further space, while the tailgate can be quickly detached to increase the flexibility of the load area or to ease of loading/unloading operations.

The Cabine Dupla option is available initially only on the range topping Adventure series model, a version that uniquely melds together motoring fashion and practicality in the compact pick up segment, and which has proved popular with both serious load luggers and lifestyle owners. The Strada Adventure Cabine Dupla has bigger, tougher  and chunkier bumpers (with aluminium step plates in the rear bumper unit) while down the flanks there are aluminium plated/tubed side steps under the doors. Other features of the Strada Adventure include engine protection plates, quad front fog lights, turn signal indicators located in the door mirrors and bulbous plastic covers that wrap round the wheel arches and integrate into the bumpers and side protectors as well as dedicated Adventure badging moulded into the plastic sections.

Inside the cabin the supportive front seats have been designed to offer maximum horizontal and vertical movement, while, to take into account the travel of the front seats needed to allow passengers to access the rear compartment, the front seats have an “Easy Entry” function as well as a memory device that returns them to the original position. The doors have new storage areas for objects such as plastic drinks bottles while the seat and door card materials are hardwearing and exclusive to this version, and include a partial leather option. Attention has been paid to the ergonomics and passenger safety, with the rear seats featuring three point seatbelts.

During the development of the Strada Cabine Dupla, which included virtual computer simulation and crash-testing, more that 45,000 man hours were spent on the project, and more than 250,000 kilometres of testing was undertaken. The vehicle weights in at 1,195 kg which is only slightly higher than the Strada Trekking CE 1.4 Flex with standard cab (1,051 kg) or extended cab (1,071 kg) or the Strada Adventure Locker 1.8 Flex which weighs 1,061 kg. To ensure occupant comfort without detracting from handling the rear suspension has been softened slightly (0.36 mm/N – compared to 0.32 mm/N for the extended cab version) while the front suspension has also been recalibrated. The Magneti Marelli Cofab developed "Powershock" shock absorbers (which incorporate anti roll springs) improves stability in bends and are fitted at the front while the Locker differential is also an option.

Under the bonnet is the tried-and-tested 1.8-litre (1796cc) Flex “dual fuel” engine that can use either petrol or alcohol in pure form, or in any mixture. This unit produces maximum power of 112 CV (100 percent gasoline) or 114 CV (100 percent alcohol) and peak torque of 17.8 kgfm at 2,800 rpm (gasoline) or 18.5 kgfm at 2,800 rpm (alcohol). This unit is mated up to a 5-speed manual gearbox. Standard and optional equipment includes automatic climate control, electric windows with one-touch and anti-pinch functions, My Car Fiat (which allows the personalisation of some onboard functions), ‘follow-me-home’, 15-inch alloy wheels with 205/70 tyres, sliding rear window with protective grille, waterproofed and hard-wearing rear load bay cover with fasteners, CD/MP3 player, Bluetooth, iPod/USB docking, twin airbags (HSD) and rear headrests. The Strada Cabine Dupla comes with a 1 year unlimited mileage warrantee and it can be taken to more than 500 official service points in Brazil.