The Stellantis plant in Luton has expanded its manufacturing portfolio with the start of production of the FIAT Professional Scudo light commercial vehicle. This production supports the strong demand and high order banks for the FIAT Professional Scudo further to its launch.
This is the first time that FIAT vehicles will have been manufactured in the UK. Vehicles will be produced here in both right and left-hand drive for both UK and European markets.
The FIAT Professional Scudo will continue to also be produced at Hordain, France, where the battery electric e-Scudo version is manufactured for all markets.
Luton continues to build the internal combustion derivatives of the Vauxhall Vivaro, Opel Vivaro, Citroën Jumpy, Citroën Dispatch and Peugeot Expert LCVs.
Mark Noble, Luton Plant Director, said:
“It’s great news for Luton Plant to start manufacturing the FIAT Professional Scudo, this means we now produce all of the Stellantis brands mid-sized LCVs, for both the UK and the European markets”.
The New Scudo is a modern and evolved vehicle, now based on the Stellantis mid-van platform, and is available with a 100% electric powertrain and with last generation diesel engine. The New Scudo thus becomes Fiat Professional’s second commercial vehicle also available in an electric version, joining the E-Ducato, launched in April this year, creating a wider range to meet the needs of a varied clientele made up of professionals, who see their vehicle first and foremost as a work tool and a source of income. Precisely to meet such needs, the New Scudo comes with a series of features to make it the best in its class.
The manifesto for the Scudo’s ‘uncompromising’ approach lies in the features of the electric version, best-in-class range of up to 330 km in the WLTP cycle, ideal for those who work in the city and inner suburbs.
The zero-emissions version also boasts unique flexibility from the perspective of the client’s mission, with two battery sizes – 50 and 75 kWh, an AC charging capacity of up to 11 kW, and up to 100 kW in DC, to charge the more capacious battery to 80% in just 45 minutes.
The target audience is professionals who use their vehicle for eight hours or more per day; another aspect carefully considered in the design phase was, therefore, comfort. The aim of the New Scudo is to offer a stress-free experience at work, via various measures such as a car-like driving position, top level soundproofing, to minimise jolts and vibrations.
The car-like driving position ensures an excellent comfort level, while the elevated seat position ensures optimal road visibility. Easy accessibility is ensured by an ergonomic step in the cabin.
The road holding, comfort and suspension filtering are ensured in all driving conditions thanks to the four independent wheel suspensions (reinforced McPherson front axle with anti-roll bar and oblique wishbone trailing arms for the rear axle) enhancing variable stiffness springs, with load adaptive variable damping (AMVAC) shock absorbers, a system which varies the damping with the vehicle’s ride height.
The Scudo has been designed as an all-round commercial vehicle, but one that feels like a car, with the advantage of offering smart, concrete solutions while maintaining compact dimensions. Fully configurable up to nine seats, the seats are foldable to increase load capacity according to the needs, with folding partition walls that enable it to carry three additional people.
The Scudo also features special cabin modularity courtesy of the exclusive Moduwork system, which transforms the passenger seat into a workstation and an extension of the load compartment, to transport items up to four metres long (Maxi version), and to increase the volume by half a cubic metre, to a total capacity of up to 6.6 cubic metres.
The vehicle is therefore flexible enough for all requirements and all kinds of clients, from hydraulics operators and shipbuilders to the needs of home delivery professionals.
Find out more about the Fiat Professional range on their website.
