NEW models, and a new look - that's the Fiat strategy to freshen the face of the Italian car giant.

First of all, a new symbol is set to define the brand - and, like the cars, it's simple, straightforward, and fuss-free.

It will be seen in Britain next year, on the new Fiat Bravo family car range.

Luca De Meo, president of the Fiat Brand, said: "Changing our logo is a tangible sign of the new impetus that is projecting us towards future challenges.

"This is why the logo will make its debut on the front of the new Bravo, before being gradually adopted on all Fiat models."

The new symbol is derived from the famous shield that adorned the front of Fiat cars from 1931 to 1968, with the vertically elongated letters of the word FIAT standing out against a ruby red background, encased in a chromed frame. Fiat says it has a three-dimensional effect, which conveys an idea of technology, Italian design, dynamism and a strong personality, while it also harks back to the round logo (white wording against a red background, surrounded by laurel leaves) that identified high-performance Fiat models for many years. The two main elements of the new logo will evoke memories of the Fiat 524 of 1931 vintage, the first Fiat product to use a rectangular logo that blended into the new grille in the shape of a shield.

Luca De Meo added: "For more than 100 years, Fiat Auto has been building attractive, accessible cars. This logo is designed to encapsulate a proud history, as well as a renewed focus on the future."

The new Fiat Bravo will be presented to the international motoring media in Rome next January, and it will then go on sale throughout mainland Europe during the early weeks of 2007.

Britain will have to wait until next summer for the family hatchback to appear in showrooms, but already motoring pundits are saying it has the looks to challenge strongly in the C-segment, which is dominated by the likes of the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra. The new Bravo aims, says Fiat, to set a benchmark in the most important sector of the European market, and "it has been designed and developed to embody both beauty and substance".

Developed by the Fiat Style Centre, the exterior design of the Bravo is unmistakably Italian, and follows along with current the development of the brand's visual identity.

The new Bravo combines a compact five-door body with generous interior space: it is 4.34 metres long, 1.79 metres wide, and a top-of-class cargo load capacity of 400 litres.

The latest Fiat also comes with a wide range of technological features, and has excellent build quality, safety, comfort, and driving enjoyment.