Fiat Punto 2013 News

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 Punto Abarth brings the badge back on sale in its home market later this month and is set for a mid-2008 arrival. The Abarth model will be offering 116kW at 5500rpm and peak torque of 206Nm (just 500rpm earlier) from a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol 16-valve four-cylinder engine. Fiat also says there's a powerboost mode that increases torque to 230Nm at 3000rpm and tightens up the steering for a sportier drive. Hooked up to a six-speed manual, the Italian marque is claiming a 208km/h top speed and 0-100km/h time of 8.2 seconds. The interior has been tweaked for sports-oriented drivers and has been trimmed with black and red leather. The brakes behind the 17-inch alloy wheels have been upgraded to cope with the extra performance and Fiat says the track is up by 6mm, with a redesigned nose including larger air intakes. The Abarth also gets a body kit for better aerodynamics and four-wheel disc brakes (the front discs are ventilated and have Brembo calipers). The MacPherson strut front/torsion bar rear suspension has been lowered by 10mm and sports-tuned, with the anti-roll bar widened to 19mm. The front springs are 20 per cent firmer. The stability control system is standard and cannot be deactivated. Australian pricing and specification will be announced when it goes on sale mid-way through next year.  

Fiat will offer the Grande Punto for sale mid-year, joining the Fiat Ducato commercial vehicles and its Alfa Romeo cousins in the market. The Grande Punto is a brand new model, setting a trend for all Australian-market Fiats to be all-new models from the Italian maker. As with Alfa Romeo, Fiat will launch its models in Australia as they are launched in Europe, and the initial dealer network will largely comprise established Alfa Romeo dealers. There will be a full range of Grande Punto versions, including a diesel, and all will be uniquely specified for the Australian market and priced to match their Japanese and European rivals in the premium small car sector. Grande Punto is aimed at buyers moving into smaller cars, but not willing to give up the style, equipment and performance they are used to in larger cars. Judging by the enthusiastic reception received by Alfa Romeo when it returned to Australia just over seven years ago, Fiat can expect to be one of the top show attractions for Italian car enthusiasts. Along with Italian supercars from Ferrari and Maserati - corporate relatives within the Fiat family - the Grande Punto delivers a distinctive Italian flavour that sets it apart from its rivals. Melbourne International Motor Show runs from Thursday 9 February to Sunday 19 February at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, and is organised and promoted by the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce through its dealer division the Australian Automobile Dealers Association (Vic).