The Fiat Scudo is set to make a return now that FCA is part of the Stellantis Group. It will be based on the Stellantis EMP2 platform, originally developed by PSA for the Peugeot and Citroën brands.
The new Scudo is essentially yet another take on the EMP2 mid-size van, so it’s basically the same van as the Peugeot Expert, Citroën Dispatch, Vauxhall Vivaro and Toyota Proace.
The original Scudo was first developed in a joint venture with what was then the PSA Group in the early 1990s, before being replaced by the Talento, which was based on the Renault Trafic.
A new PSA-based van for Fiat has been expected since the formation of Stellantis from the PSA Group and FCA Group last year, since the production of the current Renault-based Talento seemed set to end and a Renault-sourced van was never going to be particularly palatable to the new owners.
Vauxhall also ended production of its Renault-based LCV Combo, Vivaro and Movano ranges, switching to the Stellantis-based models.
Fiat Professional will release pricing and further details closer to the planned launch date at the end of 2021/beginning of 2022. There will be three body variants: van, combi and platform cab. At the same time, there will be a passenger variant, which like the Scudo will adopt an earlier name for the passenger variant, Ulysse. Ulysse will be offered with between six and nine seats.
If the Scudo follows the same pattern as its Stellantis cousins, vans will be available in three lengths with a single roof height. Fiat Professional will offer both internal combustion engine models and battery electric models.
Scudo and Ulysse will be produced at the Stellantis Hordain plant near Valenciennes in northern France, alongside the Peugeot, Citroën, Vauxhall/Opel and Toyota variants. The site also produced the original Scudo between 1996 and 2012, while the original Ulysse was also produced there between 1994 and 2002.
This leaves the current Fiat Professional Doblo Cargo and passenger variants still based on Fiat’s stand-alone smaller light CV. Doblo models are expected to adopt the Berlingo/Partner/Combo/Proace City architecture in the coming months. The beginning of production of electric variants of these models at Ellesmere Port on Merseyside could free up the production capacity needed to accommodate the replacement Doblo models.
