For its latest concept, Fiat's gone way, way back to the ol' drawing board, found inspiration in possibly its quirkiest car in history, and come up with the Multiplay. This shape-shifter concept can transform from a family MPV to a pickup – open bed and all.

That's from auto giant Stellantis' event ahead of the 2026 Paris Motor Show. The multi-brand firm has some radical ideas for future four-wheelers, and this one is arguably the most fun one of the lot.

I'll get to the wacko transformation stuff right after I talk through the historical reference here. Back in the 50s, Fiat took a wild swing at the challenge of hauling larger families around with the 600 Multipla – a six-seater that came in at just 137.8 in (3.5 m) long. It made an especially odd-looking version in 1998 that you've likely come across too.

Practicality is the name of the game here, and the Multiplay takes things further with flexible interiors for all sorts of seating and storage configurations. Fiat imagines a novel type of rear end that can slide along the car's length and take the cabin from a 6+1 seater setup to a four-seater pickup cab with a cargo bed, within an overall length of just over 175 in (4.45 m).

The company says it's invented a new type of C-pillar architecture to make this happen. And to clarify, 6+1 refers to two bucket seats up front, a bench for three kids (or maybe two and a supervising adult) at the rear, and in the middle, a third bucket seat along with a 'Petsenger' floor seat for your furry companion. That won me over rather embarrassingly easily.

You can also have the front passenger seat extend like a chaise lounge and face the rear when the car's parked. The idea is this would make for a great spot to relax and take in the great outdoors through the Multiplay's expansive windows and a panoramic roof.

Now, details on how far along Fiat's gotten with making this a reality are slim. There's a lot to think about when it comes to a sliding C-pillar, from how it'll stay locked in place, whether that Petsenger seat will pass muster from a safety perspective, and how this architecture will hold up to impact, dust, and water ingress.

There's also all the homologation and regulatory hurdles attached to having something that flits between being a passenger-car and a light truck.

Still, it's nice to see a brand think out of the box about how its products could be used. Fiat is also dreaming of a rear spoiler that could provide aero in its usual configuration, and rotate to hold the front wheels of two bicycles in place when the Multiplay is in pickup mode. It's also decked out the car's interiors in waterproof materials in a fun watermelon-themed color scheme, and created a full-length display on the dashboard that disappears from view when the car is switched off.

Fiat notes the Multiplay is a "laboratory of ideas," which means you won't see this stuff in a production vehicle anytime soon. That said, it does show that the automaker is thinking about flexibility and utility beyond what we've seen from the competition lately.

Source: Stellantis