New Palio coming soon

Fiat’s refreshed and face-lifted Palio is headed for Tata-Fiat showrooms this September. Pictures of the face-lifted Palio being tested in the vicinity of Fiat’s plant in Kurla prove that Fiat has finally decided to launch the new Palio to give its ailing model line-up a shot in the arm. The face-lifted Palio was launched in Brazil two years ago and features a stunning new nose, flush bumpers and a brand new grille. The best bits are the double-barrelled headlamps housed in smart headlamp clusters. The rear houses taller taillights and a squared off tailgate.

Though, the interiors will be revamped, the car won’t come with the Brazilian version’s dashboard, as it is only available in left-hand-drive configuration. On the engine front, the Palio is likely to retain the current 1.2-litre petrol and 1.9-litre diesel, with the 1.3-Multi-jet diesel to follow soon. Within that time however, Fiat will be out with the Multi-jet-powered Grande Punto.

The new Palio will be the first true test of the Fiat-Tata alliance, and the success of this hatch will be imperative for the future of this combine. The good news is that Fiat in Italy has posted its first profit in years with the Grande Punto becoming the largest selling car in western Europe.