Fiat Bravo needs new name

The Bravo is coming later next year as back-up to the baby Punto, but it will have a different name and badges after the Italian carmaker lost out to Mazda on the use of its name in Australia.

The Japanese company has the Bravo utility and would not concede any ground to Fiat, just as Hyundai refused to allow Toyota to use its Highlander name on the Japanese people mover, which is now called the Kluger.

Fiat has ruled out changing it to to Brava, the most obvious of 10 potential names for its newcomer.

"The name is too close to the Mazda," Fiat's Australian spokesman Edward Rowe says. "We've got about 10 choices and we'll make a decision for next year."

Fiat recently revealed early details of the new Bravo, which goes public in Europe on January 29 next year.

It has a compact five-door body that will put it into the same class as the Ford Focus and Holden Astra, which have also come to Australia from Europe.

Fiat is claiming class-leading space and quality, while the mechanical package includes engine choices from 1.5 litres to 1.9 litres.

While Fiat isn't talking too much about the Bravo, the Italian company is happy to discuss its new logo.

It will be seen for the first time on the nose of the Bravo — whatever it is called in Australia — before jumping on to everything in the Fiat family. The logo was created jointly by Fiat Style Centre and Robilant Associati, an agency that specialises in brand creation and strategic design.

Fiat says the logo is derived from the shield used on Fiat cars from 1931 to 1968.