By: Dave Abrahams
Dubai, United Arab Emirates - We knew there was a new Fiat bakkie coming to South Africa, and the buzz around the cybergarage was that it would the Brazilian Toro unibody double-cab.
But it's not. Fiat SA has confirmed that the Fullback medium-duty one-tonner, based on the 2015 Mitsubishi L200 and unveiled today at the Dubai motor show, will be released in South Africa during the third quarter of 2016, in both single and double-cab format, with an all-wheel drive option for the double cab.
Each is platformed on a three-metre wheelbase; the single cab is 5155mm long overall, 1815mm wide and 1780mm high, with a 2265mm long load-bed that can take an 1100kg payload.
The double cab is a little longer overall at 5285mm and gives up 745mm of its load-bed, as well as an unspecified prpportion of its payload capacity, to the second row of seats.
MOPAR ACCESSORIES
The Fullback will be available in South Africa with either a 2.4-litre naturally-aspirated petrol four rated at 97kW, or a 2.5-litre turbodiesel, tuned for either 100kW or 131kW. All three variants will be mated to a five-speed manual.
Fiat has promised further details of the SA-market Fullback variants closer to launch. It's worth noting, however, that at least one of the Fullbacks on show at Dubai is wearing a selection of accessories presently under development by Mopar, the aftermarket arm of Fiat's sister company Chrysler which, hopefully we will be seeing in South Africa in the third quarter of 2016.
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