FIAT Auto's restyled Multipla and new Doblo Family 7-seater, together with the new Panda SUV and Geneva Show-stopping Trepiuno concept car, all made their UK public debuts at the Sunday Times Motor Show at the Birmingham NEC yesterday, also showing were the new Panda and Idea.

The new Panda SUV has a two-tone body, as well as the equipment typical of an SUV; large round headlights and aluminium protective elements for the chassis and engine. This all-terrain look is highlighted by generous 185/65 R15 wheels and a ground clearance of 170mm. There are few difficulties that the Panda SUV cannot tackle, thanks to its permanent four-wheel drive system with viscous coupling and two differentials: the system cuts in automatically and enables the car to negotiate a maximum gradient of over 50 %. The Panda SUV is the only small off-road vehicle powered by a diesel engine with a capacity of less than 1900cc.

Benefiting from the company's unrivalled expertise in the field of small cars, the new Fiat Idea is a class-leading, up-to-the-minute vehicle with all the versatility and practicality demanded by the modern family. Its inspired design means that although its exterior dimensions are only marginally bigger than the average supermini, its interior space is enormous, whilst its clever seating arrangements and well thought out storage facilities will prove to be a boon to all those confronted with the problems of family life on the move.