Fiat
Stellantis dropped a veritable heap of concept cars at the Paris Motor Show, including the terminally cheerful Citroen 2CV Concept and the gorgeous Alfa Romeo Cuorerosso Concept, but the one that's caught my eye is the wacky Fiat Multiplay. A play on Fiat's Multipla MPV that first debuted in the 1950s and then got resurrected in the late '90s as the zany, swollen-looking six-seater that we all know and love, the Multiplay concept takes versatility to new heights. Those heights include a "Metamorfosi" C-pillar that slides to turn the family wagon into a pickup truck, and a new "Petsenger" seat that can be used as a pet bed, a perch for a child car seat, or as a small table or storage compartment. Where the four-seat Fiat Multiplina we saw in the summer keeps things truly small, the Multiplay maximizes versatility.
Fiat calls it a "laboratory of ideas for future innovations," and its green exterior and bright red-and-pink interior draw inspiration from watermelons, which Fiat says are evocative of the Italian summer and its spirit of togetherness. It's been a while since we've seen such a kooky and creative concept car, so it warms my heart to see this wagon-up truck, as I'm calling it.
The Multipla has always been about maximizing interior space with a small exterior footprint
Fiat
The original 1956 Fiat 600 Multipla was based on the rear-engined Fiat 500, and its blunted pug nose and tall roof were intended to maximize interior space for six occupants, who could actually fit into the tiny 139-inch-long car. The controversial 1998 Multipla also had an upright shape that was aimed at maximizing functionality, and it came with six seat belts despite being the same length as a first-gen Honda Fit.
The Multiplay grows a bit to 175.2 inches long, but in the modern automotive landscape that's still rather compact, slightly shorter than a current Subaru Impreza while seating six peope. The band of light pixels under the Multiplay's large windshield pays a little nod to the '90s Multipla, and the blunt nose pays tribute to the original Multipla.
Fiat
The "play" in Multiplay shows itself when the vehicle is in pickup configuration, where it retains four interior seats with an open bed for bicycles, bulky items, and sports or outdoor equipment. The rear spoiler even rotates and turns into a bike rack that can carry two bikes. Fiat calls the front passenger seat the Sunseat, because when the vehicle is parked it can face rearward and use the dash as a backrest to offer a chaise lounge beneath the panoramic roof.
There's no mention of powertrain or expected on-sale date for this watermelon pie-in-the-sky concept car, but Stellantis's European marques have been bringing other seemingly far-fetched concept cars to market, so who knows if we'll see Multiplays roaming the roads some time soon. For now, I'm just glad to see a cheerful, innovative, and playful concept car that envisions a bright future.