Fiat may develop a production version of the Multiplay, a six-seat concept that combines minivan practicality with SUV styling and a pickup-bed transformation. The model was initially presented as a “laboratory of solutions,” but comments from Fiat executives suggest it could reach dealerships before the end of the decade if customer feedback supports the idea.

Fiat CEO Arnaud Belloni described the family-focused concept as highly relevant to the brand. He said Fiat needs a family vehicle and pointed to the original Multipla as the company’s strongest name in that category across Europe and, potentially, worldwide.

A modern interpretation of the Multipla

The original Fiat Multipla launched in 1998 with a distinctive design and an unusual two-row, six-seat layout in a vehicle measuring just 3.5 meters long. Its styling became more conventional after a 2004 update, and production ended in 2010 without a direct successor.

Belloni said his personal experience with minivans has influenced his view that there is still room for them alongside SUVs. After moving into an SUV, he reportedly found its interior practicality disappointing. The Multiplay is therefore intended to retain the usefulness associated with a family van while adopting SUV-inspired design ideas to make the format more appealing.

From three-row family vehicle to pickup

The 4.45-meter-long Multiplay features a modular three-row cabin with seating for six, plus an additional position for a pet. Its most unusual feature is the rear roof section, which slides forward with the third row. This changes the vehicle from an SUV-like minivan into a four-seat, dual-cab pickup with a split tailgate.

It remains unclear whether that transformation will be retained if Fiat develops a production model. The concept’s unconventional layout is intended to give the brand a distinctive position rather than compete directly within an established vehicle category.

Fiat design chief François Leboine said the project is aimed at identifying a new direction for the period after the current SUV-focused market. He also cautioned that buyers may not immediately be ready for such an unusual product, noting that the original Multipla’s reception is often attributed either to its early innovation or its controversial appearance.

Production would depend on shared Stellantis components

A production Multiplay would only be viable if Fiat could reuse existing components from Stellantis. That approach could help control the vehicle’s price, although Leboine acknowledged that using shared parts would bring compromises.

The concept could potentially use the same multi-energy foundations as the Fiat Grizzly and Grizzly Fastback SUVs, while a production interior would likely be considerably less ambitious than the show vehicle’s cabin. One unresolved question is whether the rear bed would survive the transition to production. Removing it would leave a more conventional minivan-inspired crossover.

Fiat has not confirmed that the Multiplay will enter production. Leboine indicated that such a model would be at least two to three years away, and that estimate applies only if the company moves quickly. Customer response will determine whether the concept progresses beyond its current experimental stage.