- by Brian Byrne
Fiat to launch two cars, new diesel, at Geneva
09 February 2003: Fiat is to launch two new cars at the Geneva Motor Show in the first week of March, one of which the company describes as 'the compact car of the future'. The other will be an MPV in the B segment. Both are likely to be featured with the new 1.3-litre turbodiesel developed by Fiat in association with GM.
The 'compact car' will, Fiat says, 'appeal to a broad band of users: customers who need a car to move around easily and cut a dash in the city, customers who want a car with strong personality and customers who want a protective car, virtually a small off-roader'.
The MPV (left) is clearly Fiat's Punto-based answer to the Ford Fusion and the forthcoming Opel Meriva, and is hyped to have 'good enough interiors, passenger space and detailing to reach out to a new user category and motorists who until now would only have considered segment C MPVs'.
But the main interest is likely to be how far Fiat is going spread the launch of its new 1.3-litre diesel engine. At least in continental Europe, this will be a key engine of growth for both Fiat and Opel small cars in a segment where diesel power has grown from 5 per cent in 1997 to 20 per cent now. Analysts expect that up to 40 per cent of supermini production - 1.5 million units annually - in three years' time will be diesel powered.
The new Fiat-GM engine has already exceeded emissions targets set for 2006, and has achieved the highest specific performance figures in its class. Unlike the 1.2-litre VW diesel engines, which are 3-pots, the new Fiat unit is a 4-cylinder, making it intrinsically smoother.
©2003 irishcar.com