Archive for Fiat

Can you imagine 265 horsepower and 348Nm of torque in a small Fiat 500? Hamann has managed to do it, but unfortunately the base car is the 500 Abarth so you won’t be able to apply this kit to the 500 sold here in Malaysia.

But I suppose it’s nice for the larger Bravo GT’s owners knowing that the 1.4 liter T-JET engine is capable of such power outputs. The 265 horses is achieved at 5,630rpm while you will have to wait longer for the massive torque as it is only achieved at 4,200rpm.

This Hamann 500 (which they’ve called the Hamann Largo) is going to be one scary car indeed – that amount of power and torque in such a small car beats both the Cooper S and Cooper JCW flat. But er, if it were up to me, I’m gonna go for the power upgrade, the brakes, and skip the bodykit.

Click here to read the rest of Hamann Largo – Fiat 500 with 348Nm torque!

Fiat has decided to rename the Grande Punto with its mid-life facelift. It is now known as the Fiat Punto Evo (no relation to Mitsubishi) and it will be making its first public appearance at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The chassis and wheelbase remains the same but the new bodykit makes the car longer, though width and height remains the same as the outgoing Grande Punto.

Portable Tom-Tom device functions as the car’s infotainment controller when mounted in the car

Under the hood is either a 1.4 liter MultiAir petrol or a 1.3 liter MultiJet diesel but Fiat seems to be shouting the loudest about the latest version of its Blue&Me which debuts in the Punto Evo. The new system is called Blue&Me – TomTom and it is a fully integrated infotainment system that lets you manage telephony, GPS navi and other information functions on a touch-screen LCD.

Thanks to working together with car systems provider Magneti Marelli for tighter integration with the car, the display will also display information fed from Fiat’s Eco:Drive Info system for real-time information on driving style and suggestions for reducing fuel consumption by changing gears and accelerating to suit the nature of the GPS navigation route.

Look after the jump for more pix of the new Punto Evo.

Click here to read the rest of Punto drops Grande name, undergoes Evolution?

Italian-based Fiat recently launched the 500C at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. The 500C is not a full convertible variant of the famous micro-car, instead it is a topless model that comes with an electric sliding roof.

The cute little Fiat 500C is offered with three engine options, including a 75HP 1.3 liter MultiJet Turbodiesel mated to a 5-speed manual, as well as a 69HP 1.2 liter and a 100HP 1.4 liter powerplant from the petrol family. It also comes with a Start & Stop engine shut down system.

On that note, Fiat has released a 5 minute 27 second-long driving footage of the 500C. Continue reading to watch the 500C being driven on some gorgeous European routes.

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GM Europe’s Insignia has been getting good reviews

Well, the conditions for Fiat to take up a stake with the now bankrupt Chrysler has been fulfilled, and Fiat has been quick to look to something else in order to hasten the move towards consolidation of the auto companies during this recession.

Many have predicted that there will only be a few automakers left after this slump, with the rest either eliminated or merged. Datuk Syed Zainal’s suggestion for Proton to merge with Perodua a couple of weeks back would put Proton under the Toyota umbrella via Perodua’s Daihatsu shareholding, which is in turn owned by Toyota.

Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Vauxhall and Opel could share B and C platforms

Anyway back to Fiat and the New Chrysler – a third piece of the puzzle that Fiat is said to be interested in acquiring is GM Europe, which covers Opel, Vauxhall, and other GM European operations. The resulting company would be a giant with annual sales of 6 to 7 million cars, which is claimed to be similiar to how much the Volkswagen Group puts out. Saab is pretty much a separate thing, and at least 10 parties are interested in acquiring them at the moment, according to Saab spokersman Eric Geers.

The new company is temporarily given the codename Fiat/Opel and is described by Fiat head Sergio Marchionne to be a “marriage made in heaven” as Fiat and Opel could consolidate their B and C segment cars to use the same platforms, while Fiat continued with its small A-segment platform and Opel’s D-segment platform. Apparently Fiat offered 1 billion Euros for Opel, but GM considers the amount too small for the moment. No updates if any other follow-up offers were made.

Volkswagen’s platform-sharing success is an inspiration to all

But of course whenever there’s any news to do with GM you have to listen to what their unions have to say. Opel senior labor leader Klaus Franz says if the Fiat and GM Europe merger does happen, between 9k to 10k jobs may be lost via factory closures and other restructuring. He then accused Marchionne of trying to build a global carmaker financed with German and American taxpayer money.

Volkswagen’s CEO Martin Winterkorn also warned that achieving and maintaining real synergies between multiple brands while increasing volumes and lowering costs is a very difficult thing to do. He added that Volkswagen’s platform-sharing strategy started all the way back in 1992 and it was alot of hard work and planning for it to be the success that it is today.

And Fiat and GM have already been in some sort of alliance from the year 2000 to 2005, which ended in GM paying over US$2 billion to get out of the arrangement because it was not going very well. At that time Fiat was burning cash at a rate of nearly US$2 billion a year, accumulating $14 billion in net losses during the 5 year period. It was the time of the Fiat Stilo which went nowhere, and a Fiat Punto that shared components with an Opel Corsa.

Whatever happens, it’s really one thing to build a huge empire that could be the second largest carmaker in the world and perhaps the largest in the future, but another to structure and manage it properly once formed. Just look at GM and its mess of brands. You could end up flourishing like the Volkswagen Group or just another GM or DaimlerChrysler.

A 2nd variant of the Bravo GT has been unveiled for the Malaysian market. Yes, we’re talking about the Fiat Bravo GT, not the other Bravo GT back from the 1990s.

This version comes with an automated manual version of the 6-speed gearbox called the Duologic gearbox instead of a proper slushbox, which means its a regular manual but with a robotised clutch to do all the shifting for you. For this, the Bravo GT manual’s RM 135,000 OTR without insurance price tag gets bumped up to RM 145,000.

The original Bravo GT manual (with 150 PS at 5,500rpm and 206Nm of torque at 2,250rpm) used to look attractive before the 308 Turbo came about, now it actually feels a little pricey considering another European turbocharged C-segment hatch is only pegged at RM 111,000 (though its CBU versus CKD), though this is expected to increase in price soon slightly, but will come with an upgraded equipment level as well.

Each has its own charms of course, but I say, it would be terrific if that extra equipment that’s coming with the 308 Turbo is the glass roof from the 308 GT as it does wonders to the cabin ambiance. Read our very short first impressions of the Bravo GT 1.4 T-JET manual from 2007 in the related link listed below.

Related Posts:
Fiat Bravo GT 1.4 T-JET 150hp Short Test Drive

Italian-based auto maker, Fiat which is being linked with BMW to co-develop platforms for small sized vehicles has released the Fiat Grande Punto X-Factor, specially for the Dutch market. And, yes, as the name suggests, its a special model inspired by the hit reality TV show, X-Factor.

X-Factor, as many of you would know is a U.K-based singing contest which has helped bring people like Leona Lewis into the music scene. She is also the voice behind the “A Moment Like This” hit number. Anyway, enough of Leona Lewis and back to the Punto Grande.

With a price tag of 14,595 Euros, the Fiat Grande Punto X-Factor comes with a number of features such as a CD/MP3 radio with 6 speakers and control commands on the steering wheel, air conditioning, alarm with remote control, seat covers with special “Sport” padding, 16 inch alloy whees, rear spoiler and fog lamps. Buyers of this model will also receive free tickets to attend the X-Factor TV show. Imagine a Proton Saga One In A Million.

Words are being exchanged that Italian-based Fiat and German-based BMW are working together to develop new platforms for small sized vehicles. With this, people in the industry are indicating that BMW is planing to revive the Isetta name, while Fiat would add another super mini along side its famous 500, the new Topolino, and that both these “upcoming” cars will share the same underpinnings.

Apparently, both cars will feature rear-mounted small displacement engines, 4 seats and light weight construction with the use of aluminum and carbon fiber for the chassis and possibly even plastic bodywork. Both cars are also expected to carry premium price tags. There is also word that both auto makers might add electric versions.

If there is truth under the speculation, expect to see a concept version by BMW under the MINI brand in Frankfurt later this year. Sources also revealed that production versions of these city cars can be expected by 2011. Lets just keep things as speculation for now, and play the waiting game.

Click here to read the rest of Fiat and BMW to work together on new small vehicle platforms?

Fiat has revealed a new engine technology called the MultiAir technology which significantly reduces emissions, while improving fuel economy and power delivery. This rather complicated electro-hydraulic variable valve actuation technology is implemented to the intake system. A piston is connected to the intake valve via a hydraulic chamber, which is controlled by a solenoid valve. The movement of this piston is controlled by a mechanical intake camshaft.

When the solenoid valve is closed, the oil in the hydraulic chamber behaves like a solid body and transmits the lift schedule to the intake valves. The lift schedule is imposed by the mechanical intake camshaft. When the solenoid valve is open on the other hand, the hydraulic chamber and the intake valves are de-coupled; the intake valves do not follow the intake camshaft anymore and close under the valve spring action.

The final part of the valve closing stroke is controlled by a dedicated hydraulic brake, to ensure a soft and regular landing phase in any engine operating conditions. Through solenoid valve opening and closing time control, a wide range of optimum intake valve opening schedules can be easily obtained. Continue reading to view more images and to watch a video.

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Click for enlarged version

Chrysler has unveiled their business restructuring plan for submission to the US government in order to quality for the rest of their bailout money. The total money asked for us now US$9 billion, up US$2 billion from the original US$7 billion amount, of which they have already received US$4 billion. Anyway that is not the point, what we’re here to look at is how they plan to integrate Fiat models into their product line-up.

Chrysler will be grabbing 9 models for the US market together with Fiat’s Multi-Air engines (FIRE and FAMB), commonrail turbodiesel engine technology and a dual clutch transmission. Chrysler will be able to supply Fiat with the Dodge Journey, the GEMA world engine with displacements between 1.8 liters to 2.4 liters, and the Phoenix family 3.6 liter V6 engine. The 9 Fiat models include models that will be sold as their original brands which are the Fiat 500, the Alfa Romeo Mito, the Fiat Punto, the Alfa Milano and Giulia (149 and C-EVO based 159 replacement), and an unnamed Alfa crossover.

The other three will use Fiat underpinings but will be Chrysler-branded vehicles: a B-segment 5-door hatchback, a sedan based on the 159’s C-EVO platform, and a larger vehicle based on the D-EVO platform.

Of course whether this will all happen or not depends on whether Chrysler gets the bailout money. Fiat will only confirm its on board with a share take-up (for free!) if that happens.

Fiat will be showing the new Fiat 500C at the Geneva Motorshow next month but has released this preview of its now topless cute little number ahead of the show. Unlike the MINI Convertible which is a full-blown cabriolet, the Fiat 500C instead uses a sliding soft top design, which means only the canvas roof slides down, while other roof structures such as the top rail and B and C pillars remain.

This ensures the 500C retains all-round protection even with the top down. Unfortunately from the shot above it looks like rear visibility for the 500C is pretty bad when the top is down as the folded roof is in the way, but there is a rear glass window for when the roof is up.

The Fiat 500C has the exact same dimensions as the base model – 3550mm x 1650mm x 1490 mm and uses the same trio of powerplants. First up is a 1.3 litre 75 hp MultiJet Turbodiesel mated to a 5-speed manual while the petrol units are a 1.2 liter and a 1.4 liter with 69hp and 100hp respectively. The Fiat 500C also gets the recently announced Start & Stop system which shuts down the engine and reignites it automatically according to usage in slow speed traffic.

Look after the jump for a few more photos of the 500C.

Click here to read the rest of New Fiat 500C with sliding soft roof