Fiat News

Fiat is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the unveiling of the original Abarth 595 at the 1963 Turin Motor Show by launching a tribute edition based on its latest 500 hatch.  And we can expect to see the newcomer here next year."We are hoping to get some of the Abarth 595’s in Australia, but exact volumes are still to be confirmed," Fiat-Chrysler spokesperson Karla Leach says.  "We expect to have them in Australia by mid-year,  2014."The modern version will don the famous red and white livery of the original but will make its debut at the 2013 Frankfurt motor show this week, following which just 299 examples will be built.The modern Abarth 595 carries the same engine as the current Abarth 695, a 132kW/250Nm turbocharged 1.4-litre four-cylinder matched to what’s referred to as an “Abarth Competizione” gearbox -- an automated manual unit that channels drive to the front wheels. Other specs include 17-inch alloy wheels, uprated Brembo brakes and new shock absorbers. There’s also a sports exhaust system dubbed the Record Monza.Just as the exterior has been designed to match that of the original, so has the cabin, which sports red leather trim, red stitching and a dashboard that is also red. The historical logo adorns both the black leather steering wheel with red inserts, and custom door sills have also been fitted.The original Abarth 595 helped put the Abarth brand on the map. It proved an immediate success thanks to its strong performance, unusual for such a small car, and helped deliver many race victories.www.motorauthority.com 

The Townsville dealership of China's Great Wall Motors is to have a new showroom. The Motoco Group, operated by Jason Collins and Alan Baxter, has confirmed its purchase of the former BP service station site at the corner of Bowen Rd and Balls Lane, Mundingburra, for $1 million.The firm will spend about another $500,000 converting the property into a showroom and car yard for the dealership, which it has operated for about four years. It will also sell Foton light trucks. Motoco dealer Jason Collins said the Great Wall team, which had traded almost opposite on Bowen Rd alongside its used car business, had earned its new location.“They should have their own stand-alone facility,” Mr Collins said. “We are consistently in the top 10 in Australia with Great Wall.” There are about 80 Great Wall dealerships around the country and the number is growing. It is one of the largest manufacturers in China, where the auto industry has exploded in recent years to become the world's largest vehicle maker.Work to fit out the new Townsville showroom has just began. “It will be gutted and turned into a showroom with a new glass facade and a modern awning,” Mr Collins said. He said they were confident about the prospects for business in Townsville despite a difficult market recently.“Townsville has been very good to this business,” Mr Collins said. “Talking to the Gold Coast dealers, they are still doing it tough and there's a general feeling that we have it far better in this area.” Peter Wheeler of Colliers International Townsville, who negotiated the sale of the 2233sq m property, said the purchase opposite Motoco's Audi Townsville Centre was a logical extension of their business.But with interest rates at their lowest levels for some 50 years, it was also a well-timed move. “Now really is the time to be buying. It's a good time to be getting into the market,” Mr Wheeler said. The Motoco Group which also operates in Cairns was formerly Honeycombes Cars. It has dealerships in Audi, Alfa Romeo, Citroen, Fiat, Great Wall, Peugeot, Winnebago and Millard. It is also involved in Rising Sun Marine and Townsville Suzuki Marine dealerships.tony.raggatt@news.com.au 

Fiat is no stranger to special editions. First, there was the “So Pink” version of the 500, which titillated Mary Kay representatives around the globe. It was followed by the “Pink Ribbon” edition, which promoted breast cancer awareness. And then we saw the “500 by Gucci” model -- a model that proved so popular, the company recently brought it back from the fashion grave.Now, we have the Fiat 500c GQ edition, which is, according to a press release, “designed for the athletic yet style-conscious lifestyle of the modern man”. On the “athletic” side, the GQ edition comes with the same 1.4-litre MultiAir turbocharged engine found in the 500 Turbo. Mated to a five-speed manual transmission, that engine churns out 120 kilowatts and up to 230 Newton Metres of torque.Most of the other features on this special-edition fall into the “style-conscious” category. The 500c GQ features snazzy new 16-inch aluminium wheels finished in Hyper Nero (i.e. black), with a Rosso (red) accent in the middle.Subtle sills along the side boost the city car's sporty appearance without looking gimmicky. The headlamps, tail lamps, and parking lamps are finished in a Glossy version of Nero, and at the bottom of the B-pillar, you'll find a “GQ 500” badge.The interior echoes the exterior's understated, manly vibe. There's a three-spoke steering wheel trimmed in black leather -- leather that continues along the top of the dashboard, hopscotching onto the shift knob, and landing comfortably on the car's sport seats.Those seats are accented with inserts of Alcantara (a featured fabric on Lincoln's new “Black Label” models), with spiffy leather rings in Steam (aka white) and “GQ” logos on the back. To give the whole look a bit of polish, the interior is dotted with accents of satin chrome.The Fiat 500c GQ edition will come with four exterior paint options: Nero, Bianco (white), Argento (silver), and Granito Lucente (granite crystal). However, the fabric roof appears to come in one colour only: Nero. Pricing isn't available just yet, but the Fiat 500c GQ is expected to appear early next year as a 2014 model-year vehicle.www.thecarconnection.com 

Just 499 examples of the Fiat 500 based Edizione Maserati are being produced for global markets, with Fiat Australia securing just 40 units for local customers. The Abarth 695 Edizione Maserati features exclusive style details and special technical features developed especially for the Abarth/Maserati collaboration, based on a host of shared values, including attention to detail, elegance and a passion for performance and sport. It follows the hugely successful Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari collaboration project of four years ago and confirms the authoritative presence of Abarth in the luxury sports segment, this time flanked by a brand with a long history of sporting achievements and great road cars. Heading the list of customised specifications for the Abarth 695 Edizione Maserati is the uprated 1.4-litre turbocharged engine, which produces 132kW of power and 250Nm peak torque. It is teamed with an electrically-operated manual Abarth Competizione gearbox with steering wheel-mounted paddle shift controls, which enhances the performance of the engine via quicker gearshifts, while ensuring an experience of superior comfort at the wheel. A variable back-pressure 'dual mode' exhaust also improves engine performance, delivering an inspiring exhaust note above 3000 revs and featuring tailpipes modified to assume the hexagonal shape that is a hallmark of Maserati models. Other mechanical highlights include 17-inch Maserati-inspired Neptune alloy wheels with performance 205/40 R17 tyres, Brembo disc brakes front and rear, and special Koni shock absorbers. The Abarth 695 Edizione Maserati is priced from $60,000.  

Fiat-Chrysler opens with a 500 for around $16,000 next month before opening more boxes with other 500 derivatives and then, in December, the four-door Panda and then the Punto. Panda, a stable-mate Fiat city car in Europe, makes its first appearance in Australia despite being available in selected markets - including the UK - for about 30 years. Now in its third generation, the Panda will compete with similar baby SUVs - including Ford's Fiesta-based EcoSport reviewed last week - and is expected to sell for less than $20,000. Fiat Alfa Romeo spokesperson Karla Leach won't confirm pricing but says ‘it will be competitive’. There's also no confirmation on engine choices though Ms Leach says “there will be a wide range” of powerplants and five-speed manual and the automatic Dualogic robotised transmission. It will arrive as a front-wheel drive though an all-wheel drive version is being considered for launch later. Available powerplants are the 63kW/145Nm 0.9-litre two-cylinder TwinAir engine borrowed from the 500, the 51kW/102Nm 1.2-litre petrol four and a diesel, likely the small 55kW/190Nm 1.3-litre unit. The Panda is 3650mm long and sits on a 2300mm wheelbase, smaller than the EcoSport's 3999mm length and 2521mm wheelbase. But cabin room seats five at a pinch and cargo space is a relatively generous 260-litres to 870-litres with seats that fold flat to take objects up to 2m long. Ms Leach also confirmed the Punto will be added to the Australian inventory. The Punto four-door hatchback goes up against Japanese favourites the Mazda2 and Toyota Yaris and would cost about $18,000. Fiat has previously said that the 132kW/272Nm hot Punto, the three-door Abarth Punto Evo Supersport, may be considered as a halo model. Meanwhile the 500's entry level model, the Pop, gets here early next month with a price that competes with the Volkswagen Up ($14,990) and 20 other equally as voracious light-car manufacturers. The Pop will undercut the price of the existing Fiat 500 TwinAir Plus that sells for $18,800.  

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has knocked a star off an imported seven-seater.