Fiat's Project 326, the
long-awaited replacement for the Palio hatchback and its
sister Siena sedan, has broken cover through several
computer images that are very close to the visual
appearance of the final models. The new Palio will come
hot on the heels of Project 327, the ‘novo’ Uno, which
has just been launched and is already creating a stir
with consumers in the Fiat showrooms across Brazil with
a waiting list that is building fast. To maximise
efficiencies and simplify production, Project 326 will
use the same platform as the new Uno, and will be built
alongside it in Fiat’s giant Betim plant.
The series of images have
been published recently by Estado de Minas, a newspaper
in the Minas Gerias region where Fiat Automóveis' giant
factory is located. The accompanying report said the
images were created by people familiar with the project.
A well-placed source at Fiat with direct involvement in
the project has confirmed to Italiaspeed that the
images are in fact a strong likeness of Project 326.
The original Palio was
introduced in 1996 as the first member of ‘Project 178’,
Fiat’s attempt to build a ‘World Car Family’ with the
same basic design being produced in numerous nations
around the globe. Four principal models were produced, a
hatchback (Palio), sedan (Siena, also known as the Albea
and Petra in different markets), pick-up (Strada) and
estate (Palio Weekend), different versions being built
in different countries. The powerplants, both diesel and
petrol, also varied from region to region depending on
local production capability, legislation and market
requirements.
The basic chassis of the
Palio "world car' project was a development of the
original Uno, but little remained unchanged. The entire
structure was significantly stronger in order to be
suitable on the rougher roads found in some of the
markets for which it was intended, as was the
suspension. The body was a completely new design by the
I.DE.A. studio of Turin, who also designed the new
interior.
The Palio family very
quickly became a true ‘world car’. Production began in
Brazil and was followed later that year by a line at
Cordoba in Argentina. In 1997, production started in
Venezuela, Poland and Morocco, whilst Turkey started
building the same car in 1998. India and South Africa
began production in 1999, Egypt in 2001 and China in
2002, while more recently it also went into production
in Russia.
In Brazil, its main
market for sales, the Palio has received almost
countless facelifts to keep it fresh, and the arrival of
Project 326 is urgently needed to allow this key market
model for Fiat to keep pace with its rivals. In
particular, Fiat Automóveis hopes that the nuova Palio
will give it the car to finally topple VW's Gol, which
has been almost uninterruptedly the best-selling car in
Brazil in its various guises for almost a quarter of a
century, and a model the original Palio was never able
to get to grips with in a head-to-head sales contest.
While Fiat Automóveis'
just-launched new Uno (Project 327) draws heavily on the
Polish-built Panda for design inspiration, the novo
5-door Palio will take its styling cues from the
European Grande Punto and the newly facelifted Punto EVO,
while a similar ‘family’ styling treatment to the new
Uno will be meted out to the front bumper. While the
current-generation Palio has a length of just over 3.7
metres, the new model will grow slightly in length,
closer to that of the Grande Punto, at around 4 metres.
Meanwhile, its sedan
sister, which is also being designed and engineered in
Brazil, will be distinctly styled away from the new
Palio's theme in certain visual areas: again following
the Punto EVO theme at the front end, it will attain
greater self-identity by drawing cues in particular from
the Linea sedan, a model that is also built at the Betim
factory, along the flanks. The rear end shows distinct
outline cues from the current Siena sedan, while the
rear light units ape those seen in the new Alfa Romeo
Giulietta, demonstrating influences, just like the new
Uno, that are being thrown up by the closer integration
of the Fiat Group's styling divisions.
