Fiat Multiplay: an MPV, SUV and pick-up in one, with a seventh seat for the dog

Fiat has shown the Multiplay concept at the Paris Motor Show, a car whose name and idea hark back to the old Multipla. It is 4.45 m long, has three rows of seats in a 6+1 layout and can turn into a pick-up. Fiat itself describes it as combining "the space efficiency of an MPV, the character of an SUV and the versatility of a pick-up". It is not, however, a preview of a model headed for showrooms.

Three rows and a seat for the dog

The Multiplay seats six people in three rows. The "+1" in the layout is not an extra seat for a person but what Fiat calls a "Petsenger seat": a seat for a dog. It is a nod to families who travel with a four-legged companion and usually have to find it room in the boot or on the back seat. At 4.45 m long, it is very compact for a car with three rows of seats.

"Metamorfosi": from MPV to pick-up

The cleverest idea is at the back. In a mode Fiat calls "Metamorfosi", the rear section of the roof slides forward together with the third row of seats. The three-row family car then becomes a four-seat double-cab pick-up with an open load area at the back. On top of that, the spoiler rotates to become a rack for two bikes, so there is no need to buy a separate carrier. Once the rear of the cabin has slid forward, the car stops being a family hauler and becomes a tool for carrying bulkier loads, such as sports gear.

A cabin without a console

Inside there is no conventional centre console, which frees up space between the front seats. The passenger seat can turn into a recliner, with the dashboard acting as its backrest. That makes most sense when the car is parked, for example during a break on a long journey. Fiat calls the Multiplay "a laboratory of solutions for tomorrow's mobility".

Back to the Multipla idea

Auto Świat points out that Fiat is returning to a name it has not used for 16 years. The original Multipla of 1998 was an MPV with six seats in two rows of three and is still remembered for its bold, often criticised styling. The Multiplay repeats its core idea: lots of space and unusual solutions in a body that is not especially long. Today MPVs are a rarity in Europe because buyers have moved en masse to SUVs. The Multiplay tries to combine both worlds and adds pick-up traits on top.

A concept, not a preview

Fiat has not revealed what powers the Multiplay and has no plans to build it. Nor does the concept preview a specific production model. According to Auto Świat, it is one of six concepts Stellantis has shown so far, out of nine announced for the show. The group has brought more than 60 cars to Paris, on 5,340 m². The show at Porte de Versailles is open to visitors from 13 to 18 October. The photo in this article was taken at the show premiere.