It"s often thought that...
It"s often thought that the term "station wagon" originated in the US to name the large, boxy cars used to ferry guests from railroad stations to hotels. They were usually home-made affairs, but in 1928, Ford was the first firm to offer a "station wagon" as part of its Model A line-up. However, similar passenger-carrying vehicles had been in use in the early 20th century on Australian farms, which were often called "sheep stations", hence the name station wagon.
Stylish materials include...
Stylish materials include a metal-look panel running the width of the cabin, while the outgoing Punto"s dash-top cubby has been ditched. Clear instruments are mounted in a conventional binnacle ahead of the driver, with major controls located on the centre console.
Higher-spec models are likely to get buttons for the stereo on the spokes of the chunky steering wheel. Meanwhile, colour-coded door and seating panels will be included on sporty variants. A Fiat spokesman confirmed the move upmarket and added: "Very few parts are carried over from the old model."
Also worth noting is the unusual A-pillar design, which features a small quarterlight "window" ahead of the door mirror. However, closer inspection shows what appears to be a speaker behind a dummy panel. Outside, the three-door model retains the high-level light clusters used on the current Punto design.
This body shape is expected to form the basis of the firm"s Sporting-badged variants. The new car will go on sale in the UK next year, priced from í‚á£8,000.