Fiat has teased a new concept for Paris Motor Show, called the Multiplay. It will combine the practicality of a pickup with the comfort of an SUV. Profile graphics honor the Fiat Multipla generations from 1956 and 1998. Stellantis will storm the Paris Motor Show with a number of concepts, and Fiat is getting a piece of the action. The automaker has announced a new Fiat Multiplay concept, referencing both the classic 600 Multipla from the mid ’50s and the modern Multipla from the late ’90s. However, unlike its predecessors, the concept won’t be a minivan and has nothing to do with the Multiplina micro-MPV. The official teaser doesn’t reveal much about the design of the Multiplay, as it is focused on an oval-shaped insert, likely positioned on its profile. The insert has a modern black pattern and a body-colored section with the overlaying silhouettes of both Multipla models. More: Fiat’s Cheapest Crossover Hatchback Gains A New Name And A New Mission Fiat described the model as a “new concept of mobility” promising it will be “flexible, accessible, and radically useful”. The automaker claims that innovation “lies in reimagining space, freedom, and shared everyday life”. What is interesting is the company’s description of the bodystyle. The Multiplay is said to combine “the open load space and outdoor versatility of a pickup with the comfort and flexibility of an SUV”. The different configurations will be interchangeable in “a few movements” thanks to an “ingenious mechanism”. 2024 Fiat Concept Pick-Up Despite being presented in concept form, Fiat hints at a potential production version adding that the Multiplay “could create an entirely new category by responding to the way people live today, as the boundaries between family life, leisure, work and adventure become increasingly fluid.” More: Stellantis Is Using A 15-Year-Old Fiat To Stop Italy From Handing Autobianchi To China Reading between the lines, this sounds a lot like the Panda-themed Concept Pick-Up from 2024, that could evolve into a potential sibling of the upcoming Grizzly and Grizzly Fastback production SUVs. After all, the Italian brand admits that the concept serves as “a source of inspiration for the future development of products that will complete its affordable family transportation range”. If this is the case, expect the pickup/SUV to ride on Stellantis’ Smart Car architecture, which is compatible with gasoline, mild-hybrid, and fully electric powertrains. The Multipla Heritage The 1998 Fiat Multipla (above) and the 1956 Fiat 600 Multipla (below). The original Fiat 600 Multipla was introduced in 1955 with a single-volume body measuring 3.5 m (137.8 in) long and a three-row six-seater interior. It was based on the underpinnings of the Fiat 600, but featured an LCV-inspired cab-over design that proved to be beneficial for packaging. More: The Fiat Multipla Deserves A Comeback, And This Is The Perfect Starting Point Decades later, the moniker was revived in the Multipla which entered production in 1998 following the concept from 1996. The compact minivan became notorious for its two-story headlights and unconventional shape, but managed to gather a cult following. It was also able to carry six occupants, albeit in two rows of seats, measuring only 3,994 mm (157.2 in) long. It remains to be seen whether Fiat designers will infuse enough practicality to the Multiplay pickup/SUV inspired by the ingenious mininvans from the past. Fiat Multiplay Teaser.
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