Fiat India recently launched its Linea Classic model in the country, amid great buzz. The entry-level sedan of Fiat carries an ex-showroom price of Rs. 5.99 lakh for the base variant while for the high grade version, it further goes up till Rs. 7.51 lakh (all prices are ex-showroom Delhi). Commenting on the launch, Nagesh Basavanhalli, President and Managing Director of Fiat Chrysler Operations India, was quoted as saying, “Fiat India has exciting plans this festive season. To celebrate and share the festivities with our customers, we have launched the Linea Classic which will give them the luxuries of a sedan at the price range of a hatchback. The car will be an attractive offering for the customers at a very affordable price, price and we plan to reach customers in all the cities through our 79 exclusive dealership in the near future.”
The latest car of Fiat is slotted in between Grand Punto and the standard version of Linea. As Linea Classic is priced lower than the regular version of the sedan, the company has omitted a lot of premium features from the recently introduced model. The car is offered in two trims levels namely Classic and Classic+ and is available in five different colour options. Since being a low-priced car, Linea Classic loses out on a number of features that include airbags, steering mounted controls, rear AC vents. Also to mention, alloy wheels are are not standard in Linea Classic and one will have to pay a fixed amount to get them.
In terms of engine specifications, Linea Classic will be offered in two engine options having different specifications. The 1.3-litre Multijet diesel engine that generates 74 bhp of power as opposed to the 91 bhp one given in regular Linea. On the other hand, the 1.4-litre petrol engine is kept the same with 88 bhp. As claimed by Fiat, Linea Classic has the longest and largest wheelbase as compared to the other cars of the company.
The car maker also revealed its plans to sell around 30,000 units despite the challenging market situation of the Indian auto market. As far as the competition of Linea Classic is concerned, it will square off against the likes of Maruti Suzuki Swift DZire, Honda Amaze and Toyota Etios, amid others.
In the meanwhile, the regular version of Linea might undergo several changes in engine and exteriors. It is reported that Fiat will be launching the next generation Linea sedan at the 2014 Auto Expo and it will come along with enhanced features along with a higher price tag. Sources close to the development process have suggested that the car might be provided with a powerful 1.6-litre Multijet diesel engine; however nothing is confirmed as of now.
