Fiat debuts Freemont For those out of the picture regarding who’s who in the automotive zoo, we don’t blame you. Many firms, small and large alike, have seen themselves as owners or under the ownership of new brands, especially in the US. One of these lesser known exchanges was that of Fiat taking over the troubled Dodge brand from Chrysler, in a deal to save the one and grow the other. Under this new stewardship, the Fiat Freemont, built on the base of the Dodge Journey, will be the first Fiat vehicle to come out of the partnership. It will be produced in the Mexican plant of Toluca, where the Fiat 500 is produced for the US market, and will be shown at the 2011 Geneva motor show.
The Fiat Freemont, to add to your literary arsenal, is dubbed a ‘factotum vehicle’ designed to meet the diverse needs of families and those seeking a spacious, comfortable and versatile vehicle to cater for the frenetic pace of everyday life or weekend leisure time. The name does conjure up a sense of freedom, the pleasure of life in the open air, of adventure and the possibility of facing any situation that arises in daily life with equanimity. The vehicle combines flexibility and practicality with its own distinctive and original style. The dimensions 489omm long, 1880mm wide and 1720mm tall) provide good interior roominess, aided by the best wheelbase in its category of 2890mm. The Fiat Freemont provides its promised roominess, comfort and versatility via seven standard seats, with a third row that is easily accessible thanks largely to doors which open to 90°. The seats of the third row may be folded down with one movement to disappear completely below the floor and create a regular load platform. The seats of the second row are fitted higher than those at the front while the third row is raised in relation to the second allowing all occupants maximum visibility. The second row can also be fitted with the innovative child booster system: booster seats are used to make sure that children on board are sitting