This is a Fiat Linea, a compact sedan based on the Fiat Grande Punto. I found this dark blue example near the Goldenport race track in Beijing. The Linea was manufactured from 2007 until 2017.
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The Linea was officially marketed in China, but only from 2008 until 2010. Sales were very slow. The Linea was an import, and thus expensive compared to the locally made competition.
Consumers also didn’t have much options: there were just two trim levels, one engine, and one gearbox. And that ‘box was probably the Linea’s biggest problem:
It was a five-speed manual, whereas all competitors offered automatics, which is the preferred choice in this segment. The engine was a 1.4 liter turbocharged ‘T-Jet’, good for 120 hp and 206 Nm. Price in 2008 started at 171.000 yuan and ended at 186.000 yuan.
It is not a bad looking car. Had it been made locally, with an automatic, it might have been a success. Fiat, somewhat sadly, has a long history of bringing in the wrong cars at the wrong moment.
The brand has been in and out of China for numerous times, and after the cancellation of the Viaggio and Ottimo they are going to leave the largest car market in the world once again.
Cool font. Cool car..?