Fullback surrogate Titano is based on a Chinese bakkie
Fiat is heading back into the bakkie world with a new one-tonner called Titano. The Italian carmaker’s pickup plans went awry off its divorce from Mitsubishi, on which previous edition Triton the Fiat Fullback was based. At around the same time that the Turin based brand amalgamated with Peugeot, Citroen, and Opel, alongside its own many brands, including Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Jeep, and Ram, under the Stellantis banner.
Titano will be based on the Changan Hunter
Now, while your immediate reaction would be that a new Fiat bakkie would be based on its US Ram arm’s machinery, the next Fiat to rival Hilux and Ranger, et al, will not be like that. It will rather be based on its facelifted second generation Peugeot Landtrek sibling. Which is itself based on the Chinese Kaicene F70 and Changan Hunter twins. Titano is also a step up the range from the Brazilian Fiat Toro, on which the forthcoming Ram Rampage will be built.
Fiat has been testing unbadged Peugeot Landtreks in Brasil in recent months. Now its South American arm has released a video confirming the Titano name and some close-up shots of the rebadged new Kaicene bakkie. The renders on this page are inspired by those video clips. Fiat once used Titano, Italian for Titan, to name a range of 1960s and 70s OM trucks. As its commercial vehicles were then known.
Will South Africans take to a Chinese Fiat bakkie?
So, rather than a US Ram-based bakkie as some may have expected, the new Fiat will be built on a Chinese base. Which is a concern considering Peugeot’s premium priced version sold all of 10 units in April 2023. When Ford sold 2,201 new Rangers and Toyota shifted 2,187 Hiluxes. Chinese rival GWM moved 257 P-Series and 68 Steeds in SA last month.
Already wary, South African bakkie buyers remain sensitive after Mercedes put an alarming markup on its Nissan Navara based X-class. It only lasted a little over a year on the market before being killed off. Now it seems local buyers remain shy of a European badge on a Chinese vehicle.
Titano should carry 1000kg, tug 3.5 tonnes
Either way, expect the Titano to get the Peugeot’s Chinese-built 110 kW 350 Nm 1.9-litre turbodiesel. And allegedly also a 147 kW 440 Nm 2.2-litre Multijet turbodiesel. Expect a choice of six-speed manual or nine-speed automatic gearboxes, and rear or selectable four-wheel-drive. Like Landtrek, the chassis cab Titano should sit on a ladder frame. It will be capable of taking a 1,000 kg payload, and tug a 3 500 kg braked trailer.
A full Fiat Titano reveal is expected imminently. Considering Peugeot Landtrek is already available in SA, it should be a formality that Titano will follow.
Renderings: Michele Lupini
