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The new FIAT 500 has won the EuroCarBody 2007 award, the world’s most prestigious prize for car bodies. The ninth edition of the Forum organised by Automotive Circle International was held in Bad Nauheim/Frankfurt from October 16 to 18, attended by about 600 experts in the development of the design, materials, processes and manufacture of car bodies. 2007 Fiat 500 The 600 specialists, from 15 international carmakers, gave the award to the Fiat 500, assigning it 38.33 points out of a possible 50. This enabled the “small” Fiat – the only segment A model present – to defeat the other 11 candidates from Japan, the United States, Europe and Russia. The experts particularly appreciated the contribution made by the innovative bodyshell to the car’s NCAP 5-star rating (with a total score of 35 points), and class 11 “Insurer Impact” assessment: this is a record that puts the Fiat 500 at the top of its class in the safety field, and is even more extraordinary if we remember that it has been ac...

The Fiat 500 does not only offer styling with plenty of personality, modern, reliable engineering, lavish equipment and outstanding comfort. It is also an extremely safe car. More than individual devices it is a combination of various systems that make it one of the safest cars in its segment. The new model is the first car in this category to offer up to 7 airbags (front, side, curtain- and knee-bags are all standard throughout the range, except for the Naked version). And the new 500 also proposes a number of sophisticated technical solutions to control the car’s dynamic behaviour. They include ABS complete with EBD, the sophisticated ESP (Electronic Stability Program), ASR (Anti Slip Regulation), HBA (Hydraulic Brake Assistance) and a Hill Holder device. And to guarantee the safety of the occupants, the bodyshell of the new model is designed to respect all the latest impact resistance criteria (it is the first super-mini with a front structure designed specifically to improve compa...

New Fiat 500 Enter the new Fiat 500, the manifesto of the ‘new Fiat’, a model that represents to all intents and purposes the materialisation of a new approach, of new brand strategies, and a different approach to the car. Exactly 50 years after the launch of the first edition of the model, which was to become an icon of Italian motoring and of an entire period of history, Fiat is accelerating into the future. Anyone could re-edit the Fiat 500, because its shape is part of our collective memory. Some industrial objects that were the fruit of Italian creativeness in the period after the war, like the 500 or the Vespa, cannot be judged purely in aesthetic terms, nor do they represent just a good engineering exercise in which form serves a function. On the contrary, they are powerful catalysts, revolutionary in their design and in the concept that defines common reference points and benchmarks. When this happens, the result is a masterpiece that is an essential part of indust...

2007 Fiat Linea 03/05/2007 -- The 2007 Fiat Linea, which was present in Istanbul last October, now makes its market debut. This three-box Segment C saloon gives a new interpretation of styling, practicality and enjoyable driving, all for an extremely competitive price/contents ratio. The car was developed by Tofas A.S., the 50-50 joint venture between Fiat Auto and Koç Holding which is listed on the Istanbul Stock Exchange. It will be manufactured in the plant in Bursa, Turkey (fully operative, output will reach 60,000 units per year) and will be marketed in a number of European and non-European countries: Spain, Germany, Morocco and Finland. At a later date, the Fiat Linea will also be manufactured in Brazil, India, China and Russia. The new model clearly has an international vocation; it was designed by the Fiat Style Centre, and its exterior styling is elegant, dynamic and typically ‘Italian’. The aim was to appeal to the public with uncluttered, smooth lines which conf...

Fiat had a small but impressive lineup at the Auto Shanghai . The Italian company is trying to revive its local operation and find new partners to cash in on the China automotive boom. Currently, Fiat has just one small production plant in China: a joint venture with Nanjing Auto, where a small number of Palio and Siena cars are being produced each year. Now that Nanjing Auto is focusing on reviving MG, Fiat is looking for a new angle to make its way in the China market. At the Shanghai show, many visitors were attracted to the stylish new Bravo hatchback. As Fred Duan, commercial director of Nanjing-Fiat, put it: "When you buy an import car in China, you want something special." Bringing in the Bravo would provide a halo effect for the brand, but it wouldn't be a mainstream product. The midsize Linea — which was the centerpiece of Fiat's stand here — could do that job, but the business case has not yet been made for its local production. Fiat is also trying to find...

PARIS — Dassault-Heuliez of France has developed a system called Cleanova II that turned a Fiat Doblo into a 100 percent electric vehicle. The system combines an electric motor from the Quebec company TM4 with lithium-ion batteries. The Doblo with this system was displayed at the Geneva auto show earlier this month. The Cleanova II system has also been tested on the Renault Kangoo, notably by the French post office, and the company now plans to put it into production. Vehicles equipped with the Cleanova II system would cost somewhere around $10,000 extra, according to a report by the French electric-vehicle organization AVEM. Dassault-Heuliez says it projects production of about 1,000 electric-powered vehicles, which will be built by the Heuliez factory in Deux-Sèvres, France — 400 of which would be Doblo s and 600 Kangoos. At least for the near future, however, the company plans only to sell them to businesses and municipalities.

New Fiat 500 On July 4, 1957, in Turin, Fiat presented the Nuova Fiat 500, a real icon of our times, with which Fiat concluded a revival that had begun straight after the Second World War. On July 4, 2007, exactly 50 years later, again in Turin, Fiat will present the new Fiat 500 which will be marketed immediately after the launch. And the new car will conclude an equally important cycle of revival for Fiat Automobiles SpA. Developed by the Fiat Style Centre and manufactured in the plant in Tychy (Poland), the new 500 is a 3-door model with very compact measurements: it is 355 cm long, 165 cm wide, 149 cm tall and has a wheelbase of 230 cm. The car is extremely entertaining to drive, due to its three engines: a 75 bhp 1.3 16v Multijet turbodiesel unit and two petrol engines, the 69 bhp 1.2 8v and the 100 bhp 1.4 16v, all of which are available with five or six speed mechanical gearboxes. The model confirms Fiat Automobiles SpA’s undisputed leadership in this category - a result of its ...

SAO PAOLO, Brazil — The Fiat Palio is ever popular in Brazil, even as its excitement factor has dimmed in the developing markets for which it was originally intended. This predecessor to the Dacia Logan has become too expensive for its quality in many places, but in Brazil it has just been revamped for its many fans here. Since it was launched in 1996, more than 3.5 million units have been produced of the Palio family, which incorporates a hatch, a sedan, a wagon and a pickup. In Brazil it is one of the bestsellers. There were two face-lifts, in 2000 and in 2003, but the basic mechanical package has remained intact. This is the third and final modification before the New Palio arrives in 2008 on the platform of the Grande Punto. The revamped model is slightly longer and wider, with a new, more rounded front and revised rear. Fiat tries to put even more emphasis on the sportiness of the car, so there's a new 1.8R version in striking yellow with a leather-covered steering wheel, ...

GENEVA — Next week at the Geneva auto show, the Fiat stand will be devoted in its entirety to the 10 models that make up the Bravo lineup. The company hopes this move will maximize the effect of the show debut for the new model. There will be engine variants from a 150-horsepower 1.4-liter gasoline engine to a 150-hp 1.9-liter Multijet diesel, a wide range of equipment levels, trim options and custom choices, and all kinds of enticingly named colors like Maranello Red, Maserati Blue, Provocative Black and so on. This is not an unprecedented move for media days. A couple of years ago, Rover showed two prototypes of a forthcoming Mini replacement to journalists, but by the time the general public arrived, the stand had been rearranged and the one-off cars disappeared. Fiat will also change the layout when the Geneva show opens to public scrutiny. Then the whole Fiat lineup will be presented, including the 100-hp Panda, the highly popular Sedici and the quirky Croma. Also, the Geneva s...

PRESS RELEASE: The legendary Abarth "Scorpion" returns A great project will be launched at the 77th Geneva International Motor Show: the rebirth of one of the most prestigious brands in world motorsports. Its symbol is a scorpion, and its name is Abarth. Abarth has always been synonymous with assertive cars, competitiveness, passion and excitement, and it now returns with a new range that will appeal to all lovers of motorsports. Abarth's first interpretation of the Grande Punto will be on the "catwalk" at the Geneva Show, the first step in an initiative which will later involve other models. This new adventure starts in the familiar, uniquely emotional context and exclusive setting of the Geneva Motor Show. A striking stand has been prepared, in line with the philosophy of Abarth's rebirth, an innovative space with a fresh, contemporary, technological language and great attention to every detail. The new elements that will publicise the Abarth brand are dis...

New Fiat Bravo The Fiat stand at Geneva exudes stylistic and architectural appeal, and provides the ideal setting for the world premiere of the new Bravo and for the presentation of the Brand’s new logo to the general public. It is clearly an important event, and Fiat has decided to prepare a spectacular presentation, dedicating the stand exclusively to a display of ten examples of the new Bravo on the first day, reserved for the international media, a significant decision that draws attention to the launch taking place simultaneously in numerous European countries. The ten Bravos will represent the whole range, outfitted with the Dynamic, Emotion and Sport specifications, equipped with the 120 and 150 bhp 1.9 Multijet engine and the 150 bhp 1.4 T-JET, ‘dressed’ in Maranello Red, Maserati Blue, Nocturnal Blue, Warm Grey, Provocative Black and Trusty Light Blue, and with interior upholstery in fabric and leather with a variety of shades and embroidery. These truly beautiful cars will wi...

GENEVA, Switzerland — While releasing few details, Italian design house Bertone on Thursday said it will unveil a new two-seater concept car based on the Fiat Panda 100 HP at the upcoming Geneva auto show. The new Bertone concept features an aluminum body, clear door panels and bucket seats. It is expected to use a 1.4-liter 16-valve engine that delivers 100 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 96 pound-feet of torque at 4,250 rpm. It can sprint from zero to 62 mph in 9.5 seconds. The concept "harks back explicitly to the Fiat 500 barchetta designed by a young Nuccio Bertone in 1947 as a one-off for his own personal use in races," the company said in a statement. It is intended to celebrate the 95th anniversary of Bertone , which was founded in 1912 when Giovanni Bertone opened a workshop for the repair of horse-drawn carriages. The concept is based on the new Fiat Panda 100 HP , which made its world debut at the Paris auto show last fall. The Bertone /Fiat link on the concep...

Italian automaker Fiat today finally launched the long awaited Fiat Bravo. The 2007 Fiat Bravo is replacing the company’s big flop, the Stilo. The car is a five-door hatchback with various engine sizes. The 1.9 liter Multijet produces 120 and 150 horsepower, the 1.4 liter produces 90 horsepower and the 1.4 liter turbocharged T-JET engine produces 120 and 150 horsepower as well. The new Fiat Bravo aims to become the benchmark for what is the most important segment of the European market, which accounted for over 3,400,000 cars sold in 2006, or little more than one fifth of the total market. The 2007 Fiat Bravo will be built at the plant in Piedimonte S. Germano (Frosinone) and its 3500 employees are preparing themselves enthusiastically to turn out an average of 120,000 cars a year, which will be marketed in 55 countries around the world, starting in 2007. Video: Fiat Bravo Exterior: Video: Fiat Bravo in Action: Press Release 31/01/2007 Fiat Bravo The model in brief When B...