Following a number of internet leaks, Fiat has officially announced the Viaggio, to be based on the upcoming Dodge Dart, but with Italian styling and power.
The new Italian/American/Chinese C-segment sedan will make its world debut at Auto China 2012 in Beijing on Monday 23 April. It shares its Compact US Wide architecture with the Dart, and will be the first car to be built at the Gac-Fiat plant in Changsha in Hunan province.
The name is the Italian word for voyage.
The car's Chinese name, Fei Xiang, means flying.
The Flying Voyage will be available with 1.4-litre T-jet turbopetrol power in both 90 and 110kW outputs, linked either a five-speed manual 'box or Fiat's new dual dry-clutch semi-auto transmission.
Production is expected to start from July and the first cars will reach Chinese showrooms in the third quarter of this year.
We asked Fiat SA if the Viaggio would be coming to South Africa, but they said they didn't even know yet whether it would be available in right-hand drive. If it is, they said, we'll look at it.