Concept Car of the Week: Fiat Ecobasic

This week we're celebrating if not the most glamorous then certainly one of the most relevant concept of the last decade, the Fiat Ecobasic.

The car was first shown at the 2004 Geneva motor show as Fiat investigated how to replace Giugiaro's ancient but brilliantly utilitarian Panda. The brief was: cheap to produce, cheap to own and friendly to the environment. The design and engineering teams scrutinized every aspect of its construction, meaning Ecobasics could be churned out quickly and cheaply if Fiat should green light the project.

The majority of the car's exterior is formed of pre-dyed plastic, cutting out the painting stage altogether, while the windows are polycarbonate. And because there would only ever be one version there would be no added extras, again reducing cost and complexity.

The Ecobasic's modular design allowed different components to be made in different factories and slotted together before bolting in the drivetrain. This modularity allowed reconfigurable door arrangements and extends to the interior, which features removable seats meaning it could be changed according to the user's different needs.

Interestingly, Fiat designers decided that the Ecobasic's engine would be so reliable that the driver would never need to get to it, and so only the dealership would be able to get to it for repairs, something it shares with the Audi A2 and TVR Tuscan, a car that could never be accused of being reliable...

Sadly the Ecobasic remained a concept, Fiat instead opting for the more conventional Panda but many of its ideas – particularly its holistic approach – are as pertinent now as then.

Year 2004
First shown Geneva motor show
Designer Roberto Giolito
Length 3,480mm
Weight 756kg
Engine 1.2-liter JTD 16 valve MultiJet

By Rufus Thompson