No date still as Fiat delays Titano due to electronic concerns

With little else having emerged since the reveal of the interior as part of a prolonged teaser campaign in June, a new report from Brazil has alleged that the wait for the new Fiat Titano bakkie could become longer due to apparent electronic differences.

Concerns at Fiat

Reportedly due for unveiling in December in spite of an official launch date being outstanding, the replacement for the Mitsubishi Triton-based Fullback will in effect be a rebadged version of the Peugeot Landtrek, itself derived from the Kaicene F70 made in China as part of a joint venture between Stellantis and Changan Automobile.

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Although first teased in December last year undergoing testing, sporadic teasers since May, confirming the use of the Titano name and as mentioned, snaps of the interior and parts of the exterior, have since followed, albeit without any technical details being disclosed.

While set to take-up station above the Toro in Fiat’s South American bakkie range, motor1.com Brazil, citing auto+.com.br, claims the switch from Peugeot to Fiat electronics have been cited as a key reason for the delay due to some features not being compatible as result of not being offered on the former.

In addition, extensive re-engineering had to be undertaken after failures of the suspension and the actual structure during testing on Brazilian roads in what the latter publication describes as having happened while “simulating normal working conditions”.

More power

Set to be built alongside the Landtrek at the Nordex plant in Uruguay, the Titano’s retention of its sibling’s switchgear, as evident by the mentioned teasers, won’t extend to the choice of powertrain.

As is known by now, the Titano will swap out the Peugeot’s 1.9-litre turbodiesel engine for the bigger 2.2-litre oil-burner powering the Ducato van.

A powerplant also once used in the European-spec Jeep Cherokee, the mill, at its peak, produced 147kW/440Nm, which represents an increase of 37kW/90Nm over the Landtrek and a 22kW/60Nm hike versus the 2.0-litre used in the new Ram Rampage.

Reportedly, the only transmission so far mentioned is a six-speed automatic, with four-wheel-drive rumoured to be standard in order to justify the Titano’s expected price premium over the Landtrek.

That South African factory

Tipped to be offered only as a double cab unlike the Fullback that came as a single cab as well, the Titano, until an announcement is made, is on-course to remain a left-hand-drive only model similar to the Nissan Navara-underpinned Renault Alaskan made at the Santa Isabel plant in Argentina.

It, therefore, rules the Titano out from being one of the bakkies Stellantis will build at its new plant in the Coega Special Economic Zone in the Eastern Cape from 2026 as part of an investment worth R3-billion that will produce 50 000 units a year from complete knockdown (CKD) kits.

While it remains unknown as to which bakkie will be assembled at the facility located outside Gqeberha, formerly Port Elizabeth, unconfirmed reports suggest it will be the Landtrek as opposed to the Toro, Titano and Strada, as well as the Rampage, Ram’s incoming new body-on-frame bakkie or indeed the Jeep Gladiator.

As mentioned though, nothing has been announced officially by Stellantis South Africa and will most likely only be revealed closer to 2026.

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