First look: Fiat reveals its off-road future

STRUGGLING Italian car-maker Fiat has used its home-turf motor show to unveil the future styling direction of not just the company's light cars - but also a medium-sized crossover due to break cover in just two years.

Unveiled at the Bologna motor show in late December, Simba employs a viscous coupled full-time four-wheel drive system and, measuring a compact 3.6 metres long, 1.6 metres wide and 1.7 metres tall, is likely to replace Fiat's Seicento and Panda four-wheel drive.

But while Simba is more compact than the smallest car currently earmarked as part of Fiat's Australian comeback in 2004 - the Punto - it is also said to provide a serious visual insight into what a new mid-sized sports four-wheel drive to rival BMW's X5 the following year may look like.

Due to appear from 2005, Fiat's new range of medium all-terrain recreational vehicles was confirmed at the Bologna show by Alfa Romeo CEO Daniele Bandiera, who flagged the company's intention to match BMW model for model - including in the burgeoning crossover segment.

Mr Bandiera announced that no fewer than 16 new products, including 10 all-new models, would be added to the Alfa Romeo range between now and 2007.

While both Alfa Romeo and parent company Fiat are expected to present separate versions of the same new mud-plugger for sale from 2006, current Australian Alfa Romeo and future Fiat importer Ateco Automotive is unlikely to import both versions.

Ateco plans to reintroduce the Fiat nameplate to Australia in early 2004 after a launch at the Sydney motor show late in 2003.

Launching the brand will be top sporting Abarth versions of the Corolla-sized Stilo and Echo-sized Punto, with other models due to start arriving 12 months later.