In order to effectively market a new small car, Fiat is still strongly considering a new, low-cost brand. We first reported that Fiat was considering a brand for low-cost cars earlier this year, but it looks as though the idea has gained some momentum since then.
Fiat Group CEO Sergio Marchionne told Automotive News that if the Italian automaker ultimately decides to give the new brand the green light, it will be completely developed internally. Whichever direction Fiat decides to go, Marchionne says a decision will be made in the next 12 months.
The first car that would be sold under the new brand would be a new model that is intended to bridge the gap between the A-segment Panda and the recently-upscaled B-segment Grande Punto — currently being developed under the codename Project 327. The yet-to-be-named car is scheduled for a 2011 launch.
