Advertisement

What women want? A pink Fiat 500, it seems!

January 20, 2010 at 11:04 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Fiat, International News

This is the limited edition Fiat 500 that customers have been asking for ever since the popular city car was launched, says Fiat UK, which also states the obvious by saying that it’s “appealing mainly to young women” because it’s a “must-have’ motoring fashion item”.

The first of several Fiat 500 limited editions that will be introduced in 2010, the Fiat 500 Pink comes with Start&Stop, sunroof, black interior (suprisingly!), special pink key cover and unique carpet mats. Based on the 1.2 Lounge, it’s priced at £11,700, £1,000 more than the standard car but with £1,500 worth of extra kit. Only 500 examples will be available through Fiat’s UK website.

Don’t let your daughters/girlfriends see this, or else…

18 Comments      

Chrysler upgrades powertrain tech, courtesy of Fiat

January 11, 2010 at 11:18 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Chrysler, Fiat, International News

American manufacturers have been lagging behind in powertrain development compared to their European counterparts, but as we just read about Ford’s aggresive catch up plans, US automakers realise that they need to deliver more efficient and economical drivetrains, or face seeing customers looking to Japan and Korea for their new cars.

The Chrysler Group is also on the same boat, but doesn’t need to self-develop thanks to its alliance with Fiat. The Pentastar has announced a powertrain revamp that will see overall fuel-efficiency improvement of over 25% from now till 2014. “Chrysler will attain leadership by rapidly applying Fiat Powertrain tech, such as Multiair, direct injection, turbocharging and transmission systems to its powertrain portfolio,” said Paolo Ferrero, Senior VP, Chrysler Powertrain.

Fiat will donate its 1.4-litre FIRE engine with Multiair, available in naturally aspirated and turbo form. Multiair emplys electro-hydraulic variable-valve actuation to deliver increase in power of up to 10%, improvement in low rpm torque of up to 15% and reduction in fuel consumption and emissions by 10%. The system has full control of the lift and timing of engine valves, independently on each cylinder and during each single engine stroke. The N/A engine has 100 bhp and 129 Nm while the turbo comes with 170 bhp/231 Nm.

Chrysler has also integrated Multiair into its 2.4-litre GEMA World Engine, boosting figures to 190 bhp and 237 Nm from the previous 172 bhp/223 Nm. A turbo version is under development.

Beginning with its D-segment cars, Chrysler will use Fiat’s six-speed Dual Dry Clutch Transmission, which delivers 10% better fuel efficiency. The ‘box can handle up to 350 Nm of torque.

9 Comments      


Ferrari to share Detroit show stand with Chrysler

January 4, 2010 at 1:35 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Chrysler, Ferrari, Fiat, International News, Maserati

Glamour brands Ferrari and Maserati will be present at the 2010 Detroit Motor Show – Maranello was absent last year – but will share the same floor space with the Chrysler Group! High-end marques normally set up shop at the show’s luxury row, so imagine seeing the Ferrari 458 Italia next to a Dodge Ram and a Jeep Wrangler!

But that’s where the Italians will be, sandwiched between Dodge and Jeep brands. Both are part of the Chrysler Group, now part of the greater Fiat Group, which has Ferrari and Maserati under its umbrella. One big happy family indeed!

Chrysler is reportedly not hosting a press conference at this year’s show, so its new neighbours will do the job of drawing in the crowd. The Lancia Delta rebadged as a Chrysler is set to be one of the few “new” offerings on display.

The North American International Auto Show 2010 press preview starts on January 11, and we will bring you the best Detroit has to offer so keep your eyes peeled!

Source

5 Comments      

Fiat 500 to get 900cc two-cylinder engine in 2010

December 28, 2009 at 1:44 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Fiat, International News

Downsizing seems to be the trend these days, and why not? Coupled with direct injection and forced induction, carmakers are coming out with smaller capacity engines that can outpoint their bigger siblings in performance and economy. Volkswagen was among the early promoters of downsizing with their 1.4-litre TSI engines, but Fiat is taking the concept to extremes with its upcoming 900cc two-cylinder engine.

The “New Small Gasoline Engine” will make its premiere in the Fiat 500 next year and will be used in the firm’s A and B-segment cars. The Euro5 powerplant combines turbocharging and Fiat’s Multiair technology that controls the intake valves to match horsepower needs. Two variants will be launched – 80 bhp and 105 bhp – followed by a 65 bhp naturally aspirated unit and a version propelled by compressed natural gas, CNG.

Fiat says that its two potter is 20 per cent lighter and more compact than a 4-cylinder with the same output. Naturally, fuel economy and CO2 emissions are significantly reduced, with the latter dropping “well below 100 g/km”.

26 Comments      

Fiat reveals aggresive expansion plan – Chrysler to contribute big car and SUV platforms

December 24, 2009 at 3:23 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Chrysler, Fiat, International News

After Fiat took a stake in Chrysler, it’s only natural to see some synergy between the American company and Fiat Group brands which include Alfa Romeo and Lancia. Now Fiat has announced how it will capitalise on the situation and broaden its product portfolio while investing more than €8 billion in the process.

The result of this will be a 50% increase in car production figures in Italy over the next two years – a very optimistic target. This year’s Italian output is likely to total 650,000 units.

To achieve the growth, Fiat plans to launch 17 new models and 13 upgraded versions of existing models in 2010 and 2011, revealed Sergio Marchionne, CEO of the Fiat Group. Chrysler’s first contribution to the masterplan will be an SUV that will be launched next year, followed by five new models in 2011 consisting a Fiat crossover and four models for the Lancia brand, including a sedan and a convertible, all based on Chrysler’s big car, SUV and crossover platforms. There was no mention of sharing plans for Alfa Romeo.

In November, Fiat rolled out an equally ambitious five-year plan for Chrysler (which brands include Dodge and Jeep) that would see global sales rise from this year’s 1.3 million to 2.8 million in 2014. By then, half of its models will be based on Fiat Group platforms and most will use Fiat Multiair variable valve engine technology.

The ultimate target for Marchionne is a minimum of five million cars per year from the entire Group, to be achieved by 2014.

Source

7 Comments      

Hamann Largo – Fiat 500 with 348Nm torque!

September 18, 2009 at 3:46 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Fiat

Hamann Largo

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 litre 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.
[Read more...]

22 Comments      

Punto drops Grande name, undergoes Evolution?

September 1, 2009 at 5:02 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Fiat, International News

Fiat Punto Evo

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.

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

Under the hood is either a 1.4 litre MultiAir petrol or a 1.3 litre 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.
[Read more...]

25 Comments      

Fiat 500C: 5 minute-long driving footage

June 24, 2009 at 11:26 am By Harvinder Sidhu Filed Under Cars, Fiat, Videos

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 litre MultiJet Turbodiesel mated to a 5-speed manual, as well as a 69HP 1.2 litre and a 100HP 1.4 litre 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.
[Read more...]

8 Comments      

Fiat-Chrysler now interested in GM Europe

May 6, 2009 at 12:55 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Chrysler, Fiat, Opel, Vauxhall

Vauxhall Insignia
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 Delta Hardblack
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 Golf
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.

24 Comments      

Fiat Bravo GT Automatic 6-speed Duologic AMT

March 20, 2009 at 1:20 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Fiat, Local News

Fiat Bravo GT

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

24 Comments