Official: Fiat 500L previewed ahead of Geneva Motor Show Car News and Review

Fiat has finally tipped its hand on the 500L. After months of watching painful renderings of the five-door hatchback float to the surface, the company has dished a few official details forward of the vehicle’s debut at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show in March.

The 500L is 162.9 inches long, a smidge over 70 inches wide and 65.3 inches tall. Fiat says the four-door 500 combines an SUV driving experience with B-segment fuel efficiency and could easily serve as a first car for those who like the 500 but need a little more functionality. The Fiat 500L will start production in Europe in the last quarter of this year. When it does, two gasoline engines and a turbo-diesel will find their way behind the headlights.

The Italian automaker isn’t saying much around the company’s plans for the 500L in the U.S., but we’ve previously heard American buyers will be capable to sample the five-seater soon. Believe it or not, a seven-seat version is also planned for Europe. Follow the jump for the full press release and stay tuned for the unveil on March 6.