Fiat has been developing an open source design through the company's www.fiatmio.cc website since August 2009. More than two million people from 160 countries – but mostly from Brazil – have visited the website, collaborating with roughly 10,000 ideas for the new Fiat Mio concept. The public had the opportunity to vote for their favorite designs from earlier sketches, helping to define typologies and decide details, such as what kind of doors to adopt.

Speaking to CDN, Peter Fassbender, head the Fiat Centro Stile of Betim, said that main function of the studio on this project was "to give shape to other's dreams". The popular choices included, surprisingly, a two-seater typology, electric powertrain and 'boxy body'.

Paulo Nakamura, design supervisor of the project, pointed out that the open source project was frozen prematurely despite the fact that the process was not yet complete. The Centro Stile then began to create the FCC III (as the project was known internally) and completed the car in time for it's unveiling at the Sao Paulo Auto Show. Special care was given to the graphic value of the light clusters, which harmonically enhance the smooth, fluid lines of the body. The color is quite traditional – following usual Brazilian tastes – but balances out the proportions of the body. The covered wheels can incorporate electric motors at the front and rear, says Nakamura.

The Mio concept features a large glass area at the front that, together with a minimal floating dashboard, creates a spacious feeling interior. Regardless of the fact that the vehicle is intended to be driven autonomously in some circumstances, the participants considered that it was important to hold a stylish steering wheel.

Aesthetically, the clean shape of the FCC III is very different from the FCC II concept, unveiled at the 2008 Sao Paulo Auto Show, which can only reflect the public's taste, but it may also present new directions for the brand. For Fassbender, the open source project has been an extraordinary experience and the materialization of new design thinking, the design chief said.

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Two years ago, GM Brazil unveiled the Chevrolet GPiX concept, designed locally under the direction of Carlos Barba. The concept defined the DNA of the Viva family, formed by the Agile, which has been sold in Latin America since 2009.

Now, General Motors is launching a new small size pickup truck called the Montana at the 2010 Sao Paulo Auto Show. The pickup will battle in a niche market that is not strictly focused on utility, but also caters to users that want a leisure vehicle. Indeed, this versatility has already inspired, initially, the Strada Adventure – produced by rival market-leader Fiat – and more recently the Peugeot Hoggar.

The Viva family presented a major change in direction for GM's Brazilian branch, which used the Chevrolet nameplate to sell heavy duty vehicles for four decades before starting to produce passenger cars. From that point on GM Brazil based its portfolio on Opel cars. Following new GM policies, this profile is now changing. According to Carlos Barba, the most important reference for his design center currently is the North American Chevrolet Malibu, from which designers took inspiration for the front-end design of the Agile and Montana.

At 4510mm long, the small Montana pickup truck is the largest offering in its category. Its bodyside is intentionally sectioned in two, using vertical lines that suggest a side step bed, but without a wider rear axle. The overall language intends to demonstrate strength and a heavy duty vocation – a counterpoint to the rival from VW also unveiled at the show, which Barba sees more as a 'city car'.

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Chevrolet GPiX concept – Sao Paulo Auto Show 2008

Following the launch of the new Uno, Fiat Brazil presented the Ecology concept at the Sao Paulo Auto Show. The model shows how the company has approached the subject of sustainability. The car uses some of the technologies Fiat has investigated, which – sooner or later – may be seen on the road.

The ecological credentials of the concept starts with a roof that features solar panels. The Uno Way Ecology is powered by the latest 1L ethanol (E100) engine, which incorporates fuel-saving technologies such as stop-start.

The car also uses the sub-products of ethanol production on its body and interior. The bumpers, door panels and dashboard are made from sugar cane fibers that reduce the weight of these parts by eight percent. More importantly, using fibers that are left over after the production of ethanol and inserting these into a bio-cycle design increases their ecological attributes.

Valeria Santos, from the color and trim team at fiat's Centro Stile in Betim told CDN that the intention was to show the new material in its raw form, with no added color pigments.

More natural fibers were used to fill the seats. The 7kg of oil-based polyurethane normally used in their construction was substituted with sustainable and renewable coconut and latex material. Moreover, in the manufacturing of the seats, Fiat used workers from a non-profit organization that assists the community of a favela (typical Brazilian slums) in Betim, which makes the creative stitching of the seats even more interesting. The seats and carpets were made of textiles based on recycled PET.

The concept gave a positive impression of Fiat, suggesting the company understands sustainability in a country where the subject has not yet come to dominate the industry, or to prominence in the consumers' mind.