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Fiat Multiplay Concept Turns Into Pickup, SUV And Minivan
Fiat has unveiled the Multiplay concept at the Paris Motor Show, a modular vehicle that transforms from a three-row family SUV into a four-seat pickup, reviving the spirit of the Multipla.
By Edward Beaumont · 3 min read
Fiat has unveiled a concept car that can switch between being a family SUV, a minivan and a pickup, reviving the spirit of its polarising Multipla people carrier. The Multiplay, shown at the Paris Motor Show, is a modular vehicle that transforms from a three-row family car into a four-seat lifestyle pickup at the touch of a button.
The Italian brand describes the «3-in-1» concept as combining «the space efficiency of an MPV, the character of an SUV and the versatility of a pick-up» in a single vehicle. Fiat says the goal was to meet the needs of «a family juggling work, school, sport and outdoor activities».
The transformation is made possible by what Fiat calls its «Metamorfosi» architecture. The rear section of the roof slides forward together with the third row of seats, exposing a cargo area at the back and turning the vehicle into a dual-cab four-seater pickup. In truck form, the Multiplay gains a split tailgate, a retractable bed cover and a modular floor system for securing cargo. A rotating roof spoiler reveals an integrated rack that can carry two bicycles.
Visually, the Multiplay looks like an evolution of Fiat's Concept Pick-Up from 2024, with a shorter bonnet, a different greenhouse and a revised lighting signature that retains the pixel-style LEDs from the Grande Panda. It has generous ground clearance and plastic cladding around the wheel arches, giving it the look of a crossover minivan.
At 4.45 metres long, the concept is shorter than a Jeep Compass, yet in SUV form it offers a three-row interior with a 6+1 seat configuration. The number six is deliberate: the 1955 Fiat 600 Multipla could seat six people in three rows despite measuring just 3.5 metres, while the 1998 Multipla offered a two-row six-seater layout at 3,994mm long. The «+1» refers to a «Petsenger seat» in the second row, distinguished by the absence of a seatback and by green upholstery.
The rest of the cabin is finished in orange, with green details on a futuristic dashboard, a yoke steering wheel and an ultra-wide display. The front passenger seat folds down into a recliner, paired with a cylindrical pillow on the dashboard.
Fiat has not disclosed the concept's underpinnings or powertrain. With no room for a combustion engine up front, it is most likely electric.
The company insists the Multiplay does not preview a specific production model. Instead, it was conceived as «a laboratory of solutions for tomorrow's mobility», meaning some of its features could appear in future models. While the 3-in-1 concept is considered too radical for production, Fiat could introduce a unibody pickup based on the underpinnings of the Grizzly and Grizzly Fastback, adopting Panda-inspired styling and potentially replacing the Fiat Toro in South America. A production version of the 2024 Concept Pick-Up could use the Smart Car architecture, which supports petrol, mild-hybrid and fully electric powertrains.
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