Fiat 500C Reviews

While it may spend its life on racetracks, the tiny Fiat Abarth 500 Assetto Corse will be a wild little thing. It is powered by a four-cylinder turbocharged 1.4-litre engine that puts out 147kW of power and 300Nm of torque. It will have a six-speed gearbox and full racing trim that includes 17-inch ultralight racing wheels, an aerodynamic rear spoiler and racing front grille, complete with twin air-intakes. Although gaining a full racing roll-cage for safety, the baby Fiat race car will be 180kg lighter than the road car. They will be available in any colour you want, as long as it is pastel grey with red stripes. Fiat released the first pictures of the new car this week. Fiat Australia spokesman Edward Rowe says the car will be raced in a series of one-marque national championships throughout Europe from next year. Rowe says the power output of the baby racer is twice that of the Fiat 500 cars used in the celebrity challenge at this year's Australian Grand Prix. Fiat's involvement in personalising the car and the series extends to the Italian marque providing full racing outfits for each driver. An appearance Down Under is unlikely as there is not a natural category for it to race in. Fiat has no plans to introduce a one-make championship in Australia as BMW has done with the Mini Challenge for Mini Cooper racing cars that started this year. But Rowe says the company has received expressions of interest from drivers in Australia to race versions of the sporty Fiat 500 Abarth road car due here next year. They would most likely contest production car championship events, including the Bathurst 12 Hour race. Fiat Abarth racing cars were a common sight on European racetracks and rallies in the 1960s. The most successful model was the 850TC. In Australia, two Fiat 600s (the larger version of the 500) contested the first Armstrong 500 at Phillip Island in 1960, the forerunner of the Bathurst 1000.   Snapshot Fiat 500 Abarth Assetto Corse Price: N/A Engine: 1.4L/4-cylinder turbo 147kW/300Nm Transmission: 6-speed manual  

Fiat vans are a common sight but it seems like only yesterday that the company re-entered the passenger car market with the launch of the Punto hatch. Punto has since been joined by the retro look Fiat 500 that we drove recently and now another larger hatch called the Ritmo. We were pleased to find that both cars are finished to a much higher standard than the Punto. Ritmo also sees the debut of a brand new Fiat logo. It is larger than Punto and sits on a modified version of the platform that underpinned the earlier Stilo. It is also slightly longer and wider than its cousin the Alfa 147, but we are told the new 147 (make that 149) will share the same platform. Ritmo is designed to go head-to-head with the likes of VW's best-selling Golf. It is offered in two grades with a choice of 1.4-litre petrol or 1.9-litre diesel turbocharged engines. Our test car was the petrol 1.4-litre Ritmo Sport T-Jet priced from $32,990. It is a good looking car and the combination of burgundy paint, charcoal alloys and piano black trim inside create a smouldering kind of appeal. Far from being a bit of a yawn, the 1.4-litre turbocharged engine produces a surprising amount of pep. It is good for 110kW of power at 5500rpm and up to 230Nm of torque at 3000rpm, if the sport setting is selected. The trend is towards smaller engines in Europe where the same engine produces anywhere from 52 to 137kW, with a 150kW unit said to be in the pipeline. The dash from 0-100km/h takes 8.2 seconds and it has a top speed of 208km/h. Fuel economy for this model is rated at 7.1 litres/100km, but we were typically getting between 8.8 and 9.0. Once up and running, disengaging the overboost Sport button improves economy. To get the best results from the car you need to keep the engine on the boil, but with a slick six-speed manual and a nice note from the exhaust that is easily accomplished. In fact, it can be a difficult task getting the car off the line quickly without spinning the front wheels. Although its fitted with electronic stability control, the system is designed to provide some wheel spin. The sports suspension can be a rough at times, but it pays dividends in the handling department. Point Ritmo at a corner and it hangs on nicely, with controlled slide at the limit. Stability control and six airbags are standard and the car has a five-star safety rating. The Sport model adds a rear spoiler, sideskirts, sports pedals, sports seats with lumbar adjustment of driver's seat, leather sports steering wheel, gear lever and handbrake knobs, sports upholstery, red brake callipers and 17 inch alloys fitted with 225/45 tyres. Climate air and Blue&Me integrated telematics system are also part of the package. It offers Bluetooth hands-free technology with steering wheel controls, instrument panel with multifunction display, MP3 audio file player from a USB port and SMS text reader. Rear leg room is adequate and the deep boot could easily accommodate a full-sized spare, but unfortunately a space-saver is provided.  

We live in strange times — or at least under a Federal Government that has some strange ideas about things on four wheels. A big, heavy luxury SUV cops less tax than a more efficient, cleaner imported car. Diesel is less expensive to produce than petrol yet costs more at the pump than premium unleaded. Diesel cars are more fuel efficient than petrol equivalents, yet continue to command a price premium. Perhaps the only surprise is that Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan hasn't stuck an import duty on the cars we present here for being too efficient. It would be in keeping with the logic of his budget. All cars listed here offer official or claimed fuel consumption of less than five litres per 100km (56 miles per gallon by the old measure) in ideal conditions. Fiat 500 1.3 JTD Pop $25,990 4.2L/100km Such was the demand for diesel that Fiat Australia has expanded its availability to the top of the 500 range's Lounge trim. If the existing Pop lacks the Lounge level of spec, it has all its desirability and efficiency. In fact, official figures place this immensely cute and quite practical re-born 500 as the most fuel-efficient auto on the Australian market. The smallest of the Fiat Group's turbo diesel, the 1.3 is a shade laggedly but winds up nicely to provide a cruisability that belies itscapacity. The DINK's city car par excellence: if the 500 doesn't raise a smile, then it's you that's wrong. Citroen C3 HDi $23,990 4.4L/100km While the French marque's reputation for reliability gets nowhere near Japanese surety, Citroen does chic in a way that, shall we say, Toyota doesn't. That Prius-equalling consumption is achieved with 65kW/215Nm 1.6-litre turbo diesel that utterly erases the petrol C3s for efficiency and performance. It typifies the “downsizing but upspeccing” paradigm that has seen sales of light and small cars overwhelm the “Falcodores”. While we do try to be enlightened, we gotta to say that if the C3 is chic, it's also for chicks. Sorry. Toyota Prius II $37,400 4.4L/100km The world's most successful automotive marketing exercise, one which has caused denuded whole forests for paper devoted to its praise, the Prius is synonymous with lean and green motoring. Another paradox is that being as visually appealing as a chunk of cheddar has enhanced rather than damaged its appeal. It's distinctive and that's what counts. What's the point of making an eco-statement if no one knows you're making one? The Prius comes into its own in commuter traffic, where the constant throttle needed to extract the best return from diesel is hard to maintain. If anodyne to drive in the Toyota fashion, it's by no means awful with quite responsive and reasonably direct handling. Too dear, though. Fiat Punto 1.3 JTD $25,490 4.5L/100km Rather more practical than the 500, the larger Fiat achieves its frugal consumption via a robotised six-speed sequential manual; one that does without a clutch pedal and provides an automatic drive mode, minimising the emission spikes that occur when gear changing in a conventional manual. If you can do without the rear seat headroom and don't mind joining a queue, take the 500. Fiat have invested too much in this car for it to flop qualitively. The Punto's interior does not inspire the same confidence. Audi A3 1.9 TDIe $38,900 diesel 4.5L/100km This hugely efficient and incredibly clean (119g of CO2/km) turbo diesel is absolutely a Prius rival, both in terms of its figures and mad pricing. An eco-conscience can come with a considerable cost but, in this instance, at least you get a decent badge for your splodge (never you mind that it's all Volkswagen Golf underneath). We've yet to test this particular car — that comes in a few weeks — but on the basis of other Golf/A3 diesels, the 77kW/250Nm provided by this unit promises to make being green slightly easier to bear. Citroen C4 SX HDi $30,990 diesel 4.5L/100km Again you've got to go for the sequential/robotised transmission to realise this figure from the 1.6-litre 80kW/240Nm diesel — which is probably no hardship given how most of you bleat about having to change gears for yourself. Harden the frack up, Australia ... Anyway, this version of Peugeot's 307 in a smarter suit is a cleverly-designed number that manages to afford more usable passenger space than certain bigger cars. You'll not quickly tire of instruments and features that initially appear quirky but are indeed highly practical. Though not the most composed drive on RTA roads and never in danger of providing excitement, the C4 would probably be the family pick from those here. Honda Civic Hybrid $32,990 4.6L/100km This Honda would run the Citroen close, though. A 1.3-litre petrol-electric hybrid that's much cheaper than the Prius, the Civic attracts infinitely less attention just by virtue of the fact it looks like a common-or-garden Civic, rather than an advertisement for itself. A good but almost forgotten thing, we'll be revisiting the hybrid Honda in depth in the coming weeks. Hyundai i30 SX CRDi $21,490 4.7L/100km Carsguide's Car of 2007, in case we haven't mentioned it recently, at least with the $1300 safety pack that includes stability control and the full complement of airbags. With its responsive 85kW/2455Nm 1.6-litre diesel, the i30 is a spacious, European-designed hatch that dispels any lingering notions about Korean cars. If such doubts do linger, there's always its five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty. Steering feel and standard rubber leave something to be desired, but we liked it. So will you.   What do you think about hybrid cars, bio fuels and all things green? Have your say.    

The most frugal version of Fiat's baby 500 model, using a small diesel, consumes less than Japan's best hybrids, which can cost about $10,000 more. A flood of imported new-generation diesel models has arrived, delivering fuel consumption of better than five litres per 100km — equivalent to 56mpg. Most are able to drive about 1000km without visiting a service station. However, these bowser-beaters are small cars with premium prices. The new champ is the 500 diesel version, rated at 4.2 litres per 100km in official testing, and costing $25,990. Petrol 500s, which are slightly thirstier, start from about $23,000. The most popular hybrids, using an electric motor teamed with a petrol engine, are the Toyota Prius (4.4 litres/100km, from $37,400) and the Honda Civic Hybrid (4.6 litres/100km, $32,990). The first batch of diesel 500s for Queensland buyers is expected to arrive soon, but petrol versions are already here. New owner Kitty Mackay, of New Farm in inner Brisbane, has just bought a Fiat 500 from a dealer. “With me, it's a nostalgia thing,” she said. “I had a Fiat 500 when I was going to uni in the '70s. Also, I'm doing my little bit for the environment.” She said it c to fill the tank, which was still half-full after five days of heavy use. “It's fun, it's cute and it fits all the shopping in the boot, no trouble at all,” she said. “It's a really handy little car for everything and a perfect, perfect, perfect town car.” The 1.4 litre 500 Sport has a list price of $26,990, but Ms Mackay's came with extras including red leather upholstery, red stripes, sunroof and tinted windows, making it $35,000 on-road. “That's a lot to pay for a little car, but it's worth it,” she said. Meanwhile, the Queensland Government, which has had hybrid cars on its fleet since getting six of the first Toyota Prius hatchbacks in 2001, is adding Honda Civic Hybrids. The first 10 Hondas have just been delivered, with another 40 on the way this year to join QFleet's stock of 177 hybrids. Premier Anna Bligh said: “The cars we buy are important as they not only end up in the government fleet but then in the community.”   Fuel misers Fiat 500 diesel 4.2L/100km Citroen C3 diesel 4.4L/100km Fiat Punto diesel 4.4L/100km Toyota Prius 4.4L/100km Audi A3 1.9 diesel 4.5L/100km Citroen C4 diesel 4.5L/100km Honda Civic Hybrid 4.6L/100km  

Fiat's cute little 500 is taking aim at the Mini Clubman wagon with its own “estate” version expected to be released in 2010.

But its big brother is making a splash of its own. And a noisy one at that. The 500 sits at the base of Fiat's attack on Australia as far as size goes, starting with the two-door, 1.2-litre $22,990 Pop model. Bigger, but with a lower starting price, are the 1.4-litre and 1.9-litre Punto 3 and five-door hatch from $19,990. Biggest brother in the Fiat world is the Ritmo five-door hatch, which starts just under $30,000. Ritmo is called Bravo elsewhere but as Mazda already had the name on its vans, Fiat opted for the Italian word for rhythm. It arrives in Australia in four different models. Two different spec levels can be matched with either a 1.4-litre petrol or 1.9-litre diesel engine. Prices range from $29,990 to $36,490. Buying an Italian car is all about emotion. People get these cars because they want the look, the feel and the style — even if in the past build quality was questionable. Alfas have suffered in the past from reliability dramas. And the former generation of Fiats didn't gain the catch phrase “Fix It Again Tony” for nothing. Emotion sells, though. Which is as good a reason as any for Fiat to name its base model Ritmo the Emotion. The higher-specced model is the Sport. I tested the diesel Emotion in Sydney and it stirred quite a lot of emotions — and senses. The first was my hearing. I have driven quite a few small diesels in recent times and this is definitely on the noisier end of the scale. The chatter from the diesel engine is clearly audible in the cabin. To test it, I turned to one of our long-term fleet cars, a slightly smaller and cheaper non-European (but a diesel competitor nonetheless) currently in our garage: the Hyundai i30. A simple back-to-back comparison drive revealed the Korean diesel sounds considerably quieter inside. Then again, you can always pump up the sound system and enjoy a whole lot of other things about the Ritmo. The car was designed by the same bloke who created some recent Ferraris and it shows. There is a lot of style about the Ritmo. It starts at the front with the small grille, the style of the headlights and the slightly raised bodywork behind them that extends to the windscreen and leaves the bonnet sitting stylishly lower. Very Italian. Then there's the gradual shaping of the side windows, tracing to a well-rounded rump that gives the car a certain chic feel. It's too big to be cute ... but it does border on sexy. And much more than either the bambino or the Punto models will ever do. Fiat proudly proclaims that the Ritmo is powered by a jet engine. Well, in name at least, they are correct. The 1.9-litre Multijet diesel boasts 110kW of power and a considerable 305Nm torque. Acceleration is good, and the 0-100km/h benchmark arrives in a decent nine seconds. There is plenty of pull, too, in the lower range. Currently only manual gearboxes are available, though you can expect some auto boxed-versions by the end of the year. However, the lack of an auto is not a hindrance here. The six-speed shifts easily up through the range although there is a noticeable gap between third and second when changing down. The big value in buying a modern diesel is in fuel savings. The official claimed fuel use figure is just 5.6 litres per 100km. That meant I didn't trouble the local garage for a refuel in the time I had the car. And even though diesel prices are running at record highs of around $1.60 a litre, the oilers are still a great buy, particularly if you are not just keen to save money, but also to help the environment, there's a $3000 slug on buying an equivalent diesel to a petrol Ritmo, but you can expect to get that money back reasonably early in the car's life. Inside the car there is plenty of room for the driver and front-seat passenger. Five-door hatches make better sense than three doors for rear-seat access and there is reasonable leg room in the back. The design of the car also enables a sizeable boot area. The groceries fit easily as should luggage for two or, indeed, a small family. Instruments and controls are well laid out and the dash has a tactile finish that gives a more dynamic look to the plastic interior. Airconditioning and fan controls are easily reached. One unusual control is the ability to change the lightness of the steering. Depressing a button on the dash switches between a normal and a sportier feel but the overall effect when driving seems fairly minimal. One hitch with the layout of the controls is in the seat adjustment. The handle to move the driver's seat forward and back is below the front of the seat. It's too small, and worse, it's not easily found. Standard features include electric windows and side mirrors, cruise control, power steering, remote central locking, a good sound system, airconditioning and alloy wheels. For an extra $3000 the Sport model gains a better look, with a rear spoiler and sideskirts plus climate control airconditioning, sports pedals, front sports seats, leather sports steering wheel, gear lever and handbrake knobs and 17-inch sports alloy wheels. It also gains the Blue&Me integrated telematics system, which is a joint venture with Microsoft. That covers Bluetooth mobile phone technology with steering wheel controls, an instrument panel with multifunction display and an MP3 player with USB port and SMS text reader. And there's one other key factor that might attract buyers. While you wallow in the attention of other motorists, relishing the dynamic Italian pizazz and style, there is also a comforting thought. The Ritmo is one of the safest cars on our roads today. With a five-star safety rating for adult-occupant safety, the Ritmo recorded 33 points in EuroNCap testing. It has six airbags, ESP electronic stability program and a chassis designed to increase passive-safety by minimising the impact of pedestrian accidents.

Australian car-makers have never quite grasped that many of us no longer live on quarter-acre blocks with white picket palisades in suburbs straight from Neighbours. But style, luxury, comfort and even performance needn't be sacrificed at the altar of practicality or forsaken in the pursuit of greenness. Only a decade ago, Volkswagen's Golf was considered a small car, but the current model is quite big enough for a family mobile. Beneath that, there's an emerging class of diminutive but dynamically pleasing, usefully spacious and (of increasing importance) eco-friendly city cars. It's the segment that shows less in terms of horsepower really can be more in terms of liveability and sustainability. In terms of luxury, too: you can downsize but up-spec - and cut quite a figure when you do. When a car weighs not much more than a tonne, low fuel consumption and low emissions are pretty much guaranteed. The Citroen C2 and C3 won't win any traffic-light derbies, but they do tick both those green boxes and the less tangible - but just as important - one marked “style”. In terms of reliability, it's said there's no such thing as French without tears, but it's hard not to be enamoured of the chic siblings. Our selections would be the C2 VTS with 1.6-litre petrol engine or the C3 Hdi with super-frugal, 1.6-litre turbo diesel (both from $23,990). The latter variant would also be the overwhelmingly popular choice in Paris. Italy gave the world the original city car, designed to provide affordable personal transport while being able to park on a postage stamp. It was the Fiat 500. The reborn, and instantly iconic, Fiat 500 fulfils that brief as a chunk of retro chic that's also fun to drive. Our choice is the top-spec Lounge variant, priced from $25,990 with a perky 1.4-litre petrol engine mated to a six-speed manual. If the 500 doesn't raise a smile, you probably don't like sunny days, either. There's also the option of a robotised manual transmission with auto-drive mode. It dispenses with both a clutch pedal and the emission spikes that occur when you change ratios in a conventional gearbox. And, with seven airbags, the ESP-equipped top models in the 500 range have better crash-safety credentials than a Falcodore. The Honda Jazz has been around longer than any other car mentioned here but, in several respects, it remains the benchmark for city cars. Honda's build quality is world-leading; the Jazz's space, practicality and economy are class-leading. Although a small engine combines best with a manual gearbox, it's equally true that changing gears for yourself is a dying art. So try the range-topping VTi-S with continuously variable transmission and 1.5-litre powerplant at $22,920. In the next-size-up Civic range, Honda offers a petrol/electric model which has been submerged beneath the decidedly eco-unfriendly mountain of print devoted to Toyota's Prius. The Civic Hybrid ($32,990) is massively cheaper than the Prius and at least looks like a car rather than a self-conscious eco-statement. Anyone who equates Hyundai with its old $13,990 drive-away-then-chuck-it-away days is labouring under a mighty misapprehension. The new Hyundai i30 has won car-of-the-year awards both here and in Europe (where this, the best car ever built in Korea, was designed). The 1.6-litre diesel-powered models take it up to just about any supposedly more prestigious European equivalent you care to name. The name of our preferred variant, the SX CRDi (from $21,490, plus $1500 for the safety pack) is the only clunky thing about it. More Australians spent their own money on a Mazda3 last year than on any other car. It's the fourth-best seller overall but, unlike the top three, there are no fleet sales among them. Sales-wise, the newer, next-size-down Mazda2 will run its bigger brother close this year. And so it should, being, if anything, an even more convincing package. Diminutive in stance but capacious within, cute to the eye but perhaps the best-driving car here, tolerably rapid but easy on fuel and easy to park, the Mazda2 Maxx (from $18,710) is the ideal city car. Nor will it fall short when freeway trips are required. Frankly, it's brilliant - and a cheaper, lighter, more efficient coupe version will arrive in Australia shortly. Look out also for the Peugeot 107, due mid-year. It will slot under the 207's entry-level ask of $19,990. If you remember the Top Gear episode in which a game of five-a-side football was played using Toyota Aygos, the 107 is the same car, made in the same factory, but with different badges. Actually, it's cars like the 107 and the Fiat 500 that make us look askance at Smart's ForTwo (from $19,990). Yes, it's very clever, but Sydney isn't yet Turin, despite the epic ineptitude of the RTA and our Roads Minister. Besides, you've got an allocated parking space downstairs. So why go without a boot and back seats? Toyota's Yaris shows how a small car can fit a family, although you really need to ignore the base models and go straight to the YRX (from $20,790). Of course, it's the Prius that gets all the attention in Toyota's range; as such, it's the world's most successful automotive marketing exercise. Granted, the hybrid-powered Prius uses staggeringly little petrol in the city, but on the open road we'd take a diesel such as Volkswagen's Polo Match TDI ($22,990).  

Fiat is making the most of its biggest moment since returning to Australia, with the new 500 named as car of the Australian Grand Prix Celebrity Challenge. Thirty-two of the instantly recognisable baby cars will be fitted out for the annual novelty event, in which more cars finish in the kitty litter than over the line. But with the Australian allocation sold out four months beyond the March launch date, the racing 500s will be readapted for road use and sold. Fiat has released full pricing and specification for its instantly famous 500 baby car three months ahead of its local launch. Prices start from $22,990 for the 51kW 1.2-litre petrol model with five-speed manual transmission, rising to $29,990 for the 74kW 1.4-litre petrol with the Dualogic robotised manual. ABS brakes with electronic brake distribution are standard, but not ESP, except on the 1.4-litre cars. These models also get anti-slip regulation, hill holder and brake assist. Then we get to the three trim levels — Pop, Sport and Lounge — and the 17 main options. These are combined with a choice of three engines (apart from the petrol units there is a 1.3-litre turbo diesel, all of which meet Euro V emission standards) and three transmissions (the five- and six-speed manual or the five-speed Dualogic). With such a bewildering array of (mainly cosmetic) embellishments, buyers can personalise their 500s to a Mini Cooper-like degree. Indeed, Fiat has said that it's unlikely any two pieces of this post-modernist motor will be precisely identical. A sell-out success in Europe, this modernised homage to the original 1957 Fiat 500 combines a light kerb weight of less than 1100kg with modest but willing engines. The 1.2 makes 100km/h from standing in a fairly glacial claimed time of 12.5 seconds, but achieves combined-cycle fuel consumption of 5.1 litres per 100km. The 1.4 petrol is a tad thirstier and does it in 10.5 seconds, using 6.3-litres, while the diesel gets there in 11.5 seconds and uses 4.2 litres. Despite its air of novelty, a brief drive on a recent European trip showed carsguide the 500 is a proper car and one that promises to be both a practical urban conveyance and fun to drive.   Snapshot Fiat 500 Price: from $22,990 Engines: 1.2L/4-cylinder; 1.4L/4-clyinder petrol; 1.3L/4-cylinder turbo diesel Economy: 5.1L/100km (1.2); 6.3 (1.4); 4.2 (1.3) Transmission: 5- or 6-speed manual, or 5-speed Dualogic  

The new model sits above the Fiat Punto providing the Italian car maker with a second model in the important and lucrative small car category. Fiat will also launch the turbocharged version of the Punto Sport at the show. David Stone, general manager for Fiat Cars in Australia, said the Brisbane International Motor Show marked the “coming of age” for Fiat's return to the Australia market. “The Ritmo is our move into a market sector that is becoming increasingly important in the Australian market premium and prestige small cars,” he said. Ritmo comes with ABS, stability control, remote central locking, four airbags, electric front windows, CD player, power steering and Follow Me Home headlamps in the Emotion trim level. The Sport version adds dual zone climate air, cruise control, Bluetooth, sports seats, alloy wheels and a body kit. Pricing will be announced at the show. It is powered by a choice of petrol and diesel engines. The 110kW 1.4 litre T-Jet turbocharged petrol engine is the first example of a new family of turbocharged petrol units developed by Fiat Powertrain Technologies. The T-Jet engine offers an over boost button on the centre console in Sport versions and deliver 230Nm at 3000rpm, giving it a 0-100kmh acceleration time of 8.2 seconds. At the same time, Fiat claims fuel economy figures of 7.1L/100 km in the combined cycle and restrict CO2 emissions to 167g/km. Ritmo also comes with a 110kW 1.9 litre JTD turbo diesel with 305Nm of torque at 2000rpm. Fiat claims a 0-100kmh time of 9.0 seconds and fuel consumption of less than 5.6 litres in the combined cycle. These engines are mated to six-speed manual gearboxes with a Dualogic self-shifting gearbox later in the year for the 1.4L T-Jet. The new Fiat Ritmo was created in just 18 months from design freeze to production, using Computer Aided Design Computer Aided Engineering systems. This meant its development was almost entirely achieved through virtual analysis and engineering. Fiat claims this led to consistent build quality, driving dynamics and low noise, vibration and harshness levels. Ritmo has recorded a maximum 5-star rating for adult occupant protection in the Euro NCAP crash test programme, three stars for child protection and two for pedestrian protection.  

The Italian small car boasts a 0-100km/h sprint time of just 8.9 seconds, making it the fastest little Fiat here, until the Abarth arrives midyear. But if you can't wait that long, the T-Jet offers performance and economy, says Fiat. The more aggressive Abarth will also feature a 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine that offers 116kW of power and 206Nm of torque (230Nm on over boost) which, with a six-speed manual gearbox, will sprint from zero to 100km/h in 8.2 seconds. Fiat Australia general manager David Stone says the 1.4-litre T-Jet is the engine of the future. “The highly efficient 1.4 gains a turbocharger to produce power and torque levels the equivalent of a two-litre engine,” he says. Fiat is claiming the Punto Turbo Sport is one of the quickest and one of the most economical sub-$30,000 hot hatches. The low-pressure turbo 1.4-litre engine ups the power from 57kW to 90kW and torque from 115Nm to 206Nm. Fiat says 200Nm is on tap from 1700rpm. But the engine needs just 6.6 litres of petrol to cover 100km while emissions are 155g/km. The turbocharged five-speed manual car has not gained much weight, according to the manufacturer, helping performance, economy and keeping the little Fiat's good road manners intact. The Punto T-Jet will slot into the Fiat range beneath the range-topping Sport 1.9 JTD turbodiesel, with similar equipment levels. Among the features are ABS brakes, stability control, a hill holder, 17in alloy wheels, colour-coded body kit, sports seats, a leather-trimmed sports steering wheel and gear shifter. The T-Jet also gets sports-tuned suspension, power steering, power windows, power mirrors, cruise control, airconditioning and remote central locking. Mr Stone believes the addition of the T-Jet gives the Punto range a car to suit a wide variety of buyers. “Each power unit offers its own blend of performance, economy and purchase price to offer buyers of small cars the ability to tailor a Punto to their own particular budget and motoring needs,” he says. “Whichever Punto they buy, they will own a car with benchmark safety, superb good looks and a small car that has something only a Fiat can offer - Italian soul.” The Fiat Punto Sport T-Jet will carry a $25,990 price tag and deliveries start today