Fiat Doblo Is Coming to North America
In its continued march to fill every commercial truck niche in North America, Fiat on Monday announced an agreement with its Turkish partner TOFAS to produce a version of the Doblo cargo van for the U.S. and Canadian markets.
The Doblo is a midsize cargo van that will be branded a Ram truck, and it will slot above the newly arriving Ram C/V and below a larger mid- to full-size transport van (probably the Iveco). Current Doblo models abroad can be ordered with two, three, four or five doors, with rear sliding doors.
No announcement has been made about U.S. powertrains, but most Doblos overseas use various four-cylinder engines, including several turbo-diesel and other turbogas options. Compressed natural gas, full electric and electric hybrid powertrains also are available.
The plant in Bursa, Turkey, is the largest automotive plant in the country, and $160 million will be invested into the plant’s production line to make the vehicles ready for North America.
Expect the Doblo to go head to head with the Ford Transit Connect and to offer several passenger packages — called Leisure Activity Vehicles — in addition to the modular ordering strategy of a typical commercial vehicle. Pricing has not been announced. The Ram-branded Doblo is expected to arrive in early 2013.
