Fiat News

It is the first Fiat in Australia to offer the combination of Fiat's innovative Blue&Me Telematics system with Tom Tom's cutting edge SatNav technology to produce the ideal solution for the Australian market. Fiat cars equipped with the Microsoft based Blue&Me Nav system come with a small socket on the top of the dashboard. Into this plugs a dedicated arm which holds a portable Tom Tom SatNav unit designed specifically for Blue&Me. In addition to sourcing its power from the car, it also links to the Blue&Me system so that it can be voice activated or operated from the buttons on the steering wheel. Route instructions come through the car speakers, overriding audio programs or reducing volume during phone calls. It even knows when the driver is given a low fuel warning and will guide the driver to the nearest petrol station. The TomTom unit can be removed from the car and used as a free standing satnav unit or used in another vehicle.

The red $70,000 pocket rocket has a top speed of 225km/h and does the dash from 0-100km/h in less than seven seconds. It's been built as a tribute to the historic performance links between Ferrari and Abarth. The Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari is fitted with a 1.4 Turbo T-Jet 16v, tuned to develop more than 132kW of power. This is combined with an MTA (Manual Transmission Automated) electromechanical gearbox with race-inspired steering wheel controls that enhances engine's performance by reducing gearshift times. It rides on 17" alloy wheels featuring a design inspired by Ferrari wheels. Ride and braking systems have also been strengthened to cope with the extra power: modular Brembo 305mm disc brakes with fixed four-piston calliper disc and special shock absorbers that let you enjoy performance in total safety. And of course there is a "Record Monza" variable back pressure "dual mode" exhaust, designed to improve engine performance and deliver an inspiring sound over 3000 revs. Still, it's a lot of money for a tiny car. The Tributo Ferrari is finished not just in classic Modena Red, but also in the brand-new shade of Modena Yellow, with carbon fibre door mirrors and B pillar trims.  Details such as the wheels and front air intakes are in Racing Grey. "Abarth Corsa by Sabelt" carbon fibre racing seats are fitted and finished in black leather and Alcantara with a shell and seat base in carbon fibre. The list goes on ... but it's a lot of money for a tiny car. The interior is embellished with other details too, like the special kick plate passenger footwell, door sill trim and a plate bearing the vehicle series number. The Tributo Ferrari comes with a special pack to keep it safe and clean. The safety pack includes a dedicated travel bag with an emergency triangle, work gloves, emergency lights, and an Abarth yellow safety vest.  The cleaning kit includes Abarth Leather Cleaning Fluid, Abarth Body Wax and Abarth Interior Cleaning fluid. It even comes with its own personalised car cover. The standard Abarth Travel Pack comprises of a set of "stone washed" black leather luggage designed specifically for the luggage compartment of the Abarth 695 "Tributo Ferrari". The Abarth 695 "Tributo Ferrari" has a recommended retail price of $69,990 excluding statutory charges, delivery and dealer costs. The bad news is that all 45 of the cars destined for Australia and New Zealand have been sold.

The Fiat Strada Sporting is the mini-ute for all reasons and most seasons and the only downside is that you have to go to Brazil to drive it.  The ute, based on the platform of the Strada and built in Brazil at one of Fiat's South American factories, is made only in left-hand drive. Fiat importers for Australia, Ateco Automotive, says there's "no chance" of it getting here.  "It is a left hand drive only vehicle and has never been engineered for right hand drive," says cold water specialist Edward Rowe of Ateco. The ute is based on the Strada Extended Cab and is powered by a 97kW/249Nm 1.8-litre four-cylinder driving the front wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox. It is on sale at $BRL46,270, equivalent to about $27,000. Though that sounds expensive, it is hit with Brazil's high taxation regime.  By comparison, a Toyota Corolla in Brazil is equivalent to about $52,000 - a car that in Australia sells for $21,000.

It becomes Fiat SpA through a demerger effective January 1. That leaves all the Fiat truck, tractor, industrial and marine businesses to create Fiat Industrial SpA, also to be listed as a public company. Both companies will adopt new logos. Fiat SpA will include Alfa Romeo, Abarth, Fiat, Ferrari, Lancia and Maserati, as well as Fiat light commercial vehicles, along with the division of Fiat Powertrain Technology (FPT) responsible for cars and commercial vehicles, and the component companies Magneti Marelli, Teksid and Comau. Fiat Industrial will contain CNH (which includes the Case, New Holland, Steyr and Kobelco), Iveco commercial vehicles (which include Iveco, Iveco Magirus, Iveco Astra and Iveco Irisbus brands) and the Industrial and Marine division of FPT. It may appear a book entry but the split cleans up the Chrysler deal, putting all the cars into one basket and - hopefully - forming a unit that will swim on its own merits. Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne will be CEO of the new Fiat SpA and will also become chairman of Fiat Industrial. Fiat SpA forecasts revenue of about $90 billion in 2014, up from $45 billion expected this year. Fiat Industrial predicts revenue of $40 billion in 2014, compared with about $27 billion expected this year. The demerger immediately prompted the new Fiat SpA to announce it will join Chrysler in building Alfa Romeo and Jeep models at Fiat's Mirafiori plant in Turin. The plant will be retooled at a cost of about $1.5 billion to make models for global markets.

"I like to say I sell pre-loved cars not second-hand cars. Unfortunately I love too many of them," the 44-year-old Southport dealer principal says. "That's the problem with being a dealer principal; you are in the shop with all these lollies coming in through the front door. You say, 'will I buy it to keep it or sell it?'. What do you do? It's hard when you love cars. You end up with a collection."Dean's collection is mainly made up of cars that have come down from the bedroom walls of his youth into his garage. They include: a 1966 Austin Healey Sprite, a "black, lowered and lovely" 1970 Fiat 124 BC Sport, a 1982 Lancia Beta Coupe which "not surprisingly has rust in all the wrong places", a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III, a 1970 Honda Civic that's only done 20,000km, a 1972 one-owner VW millionth edition Beetle, a 1968 Meyers Manx beach buggy, a 1990s Nissan S-cargo mini van "my wife calls Daisy", a 1988 Corolla hillclimber and a rare 1988 Lancia Delta Integrale HF 4WD eight-valve."I just bought another Integrale from Japan which is basically rust free," he says. "But I'll have to give up some of my other toys like the Beta, Veedub and the Civic."He plans to strip back the second Integrale and make it into a replica white Martini rally car like the ones driven to six World Rally Championships in the 1980s and '90s by drivers such as Juha Kankkunen and Miki Biasion. It's got the 16-valve, two-litre turbo engine but even though it has a smaller turbo than my eight-valve, it doesn't have as much lag. "You can get about 700 horsepower (522kW) out of them which I imagine could be quite scary."He plans to drive the Lancias in historic sprint meetings such as the Tweed on Speed, Leyburn Sprints and recent Cootha Classic. Meanwhile, he seriously campaigns his Corolla in the Queensland hillclimb championships which he won a few weeks ago."I got into it about three years ago through a friend of mine with a little Alfa who kept hounding me and hounding me," he says. "I kept putting it off because you have to be committed, but I did it one day at Mt Cotton and I was hooked. They're a great bunch of blokes. It's not exactly a blood sport."His Corolla has a 4AGE blacktop 20-valve Toyota four-cylinder naturally aspirated improved classified category race engine developing 89kW at the wheels."But it has a lot more torque which is great for hillclimbs," he says. He bought it for $1500 and has turned it into a $28,000 project racer. This is just a car that was supposed to hold me over until I got into the Evo monster," he says. "But you just can't jump in and hit the track with something that has 350kW at the wheels. It's a bit dangerous. I bought the Corolla to step up to the Evo, but I've fallen in love with it and the Evo is still sitting there. And in the interim I've come across the Integrale and now I'm getting another one. It's a sickness."He bought the 134kW Delta from Western Australia for $15,000 after "hunting one down" over several years. "It's got coil-over springs, it's been chipped, I've replaced the manifold and exhaust, and it's had tender loving care...  and about $5000 spent on it. I only use it for special exhibition events, not serious competition. I worry a little bit. I don't want to put it into a wall."

But peak motoring body the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries believes consumers are confused enough to warrant a broad-ranging education program about what ESC is and what it does.The Transport Accident Commission has already been running an ad highlighting the merits of curtain airbags and ESC. It has been endeavouring to lift awareness among buyers about what they do, via websites like howsafeisyourcar.com.au.But with Victoria moving ahead for the compulsory fitting of ESC to all passenger cars from January, the FCAI believes now is the time to increase awareness among car buyers.Despite TAC's efforts some carmakers like Honda believe consumers are still confused by the different acronyms used to describe the various systems. However, FCAI spokesman, James Goodwin, believes it will be difficult to mandate a single naming strategy."It comes down to marketing," he says. "All systems are different to some degree."Goodwin also believes it would cost too much to standardise the terminology on imported cars because the volumes are relatively small. Carmakers use different terms for the proprietary electronic stability program invented by Bosch and co-developed with Mercedes-Benz.Subaru Australia spokesman, David Rowley, says Subaru's own research shows a higher awareness among buyers of its own electronic stability control system, called vehicle dynamic control."Our customers tend to look in depth at the features of our cars," Rowley says. He backs an education program as “something worth considering" but balks at a name change. "A lot a brands have invested a lot of intellectual time in creating a point of difference with their various stability systems," he says.What they call it -Electronic Stability Control (ESC) - Holden, HSV, JeepElectronic Stability Program (ESP) - Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes Benz, Renault, Chrysler, Citroen, Dodge, Skoda, Peugeot, SuzukiDynamic Stability Control (DSC) - Ford, FPV, BMW, Mazda, Land Rover, Aston Martin, JaguarVehicle Dynamic Integrated Management (VDIM) - ToyotaVehicle Stability Control (VSC) - LexusVehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) - Nissan, SubaruDynamic Stability and Traction Control (DSTC) - VolvoElectronic Stabilisation Program (ESP) - Audi, VolkswagenActive Stability Control (ASC) - MitsubishiVehicle Stability Assist (VSA)- HondaAutomatic Stability Control + Traction (ASC+T)  MiniMaserati Stability Program (MSP) - MaseratiPorsche Stability Management (PSM) - PorscheStability and Traction Control - FiatStabiliTrak -Hummer

Winnebago marketing manager Max Mayo says while most campervans are designed to cater for two people, these ones will be patterned after the space and comfort of the larger motorhome styles."Our new campervans take comfort and versatility to a new plateau and both models will cater for four people in style," he says.The Escape is a 6.4m campervan on a Fiat Ducato three-litre turbo diesel, while the Diversion is built on a 7.3m, long-wheelbase Mercedes Benz Sprinter van. There are no prices yet for the Diversion, but the drive-away price of the Escape is $105,929.They feature an electric roll-down bed which drops from the ceiling and can sleep two adults. There are other beds for two more people.Both will be displayed for the first time at the Queensland Caravan Camping Touring and Holiday Show from June 9 to 15 at the RNA Showgrounds in Brisbane.While most campervans do not include bathroom and toilet facilities or have a small shower recess, the Escape and Diversion have an expanding bathroom system with a flushing toilet.There is also a large "garage" area in the rear of the campervans made by storing the electric double bed against the ceiling and folding up the two single beds against the wall. The space created can hold a motorbike or two, a quad bike, bicycles, surfboards fishing rods and more.During the week, the Escape can double as mum's car or as a tradies truck with optional checker plating installed for the tool box. On the weekend, it can be used as a self-contained campervan. Winnebago claims the Escape has the biggest bathroom of any campervan and features a fold away external table.The Diversion is highlighted by leather armchairs, well-equipped kitchen, a sofa bed which converts electronically into a large comfortable bed and large awning. It also features roof and cabin air-conditioning, an LCD 12 volt TV with DVD player inbuilt , awning, microwave, two gas bottles and the largest campervan bathroom on the market.Both campervans have kitchen drawers that can be accessed from outside.

But the 62-year-old Sicilian-born semi-retired school principal says his parents drove an FJ Holden and when he went to buy his first car salesmen tried to sell him something else. He immigrated to Australia at the age of 10 in 1957 and grew up in an Italian environment in the wine growing region of Stanthorpe."But Italians never drove Italian cars," he says. "They drove local cars, mainly Valiants because of all the chrome and the big fins. They wanted to be seen; to be noticed."For Impellizzeri, it was love at first sight when he clapped eyes on a brand-new 1969 Fiat 8590 Coupe. "It was red and sporty. It was different and I fell in love," he says. "Everyone was trying to sell me a Mini or a Torana but this was different." He paid $2350 and kept it three years."The baby came along and it got too small, so I traded it in for a second-hand 1969 125 sedan," he says. "At the time I appreciated the engineering in Fiats. They were way ahead of their time. They had four and five-speed gearboxes, four-wheel discs and belt-driven twin overhead cams. You couldn't get these things even as an option on anything else."He joined the Fiat Car Club of Australia in 1970 and attended several motorkhanas in Dubbo, driving the 850 down on Saturday, competing on Sunday, celebrating Sunday night and driving home on Monday. "We had a heap of fun in it."He kept the coupe five years and traded up to a 1974 132 GLS for $3000. He still owns it and drives it every day. "It's survived the test of time," he says. "It's so underrated. It's got 700,000km on it and you wouldn't keep a car that long if it broke down all the time."Around this time, he also bought his first Fiat restoration project, a 1950 Topolino (little mouse) 500C for which he paid just $50. "It was being used as a chook pen but the car was complete," he says. "The tyres were flat and it had grass grown all around it, but we pulled it out, took it home, cleaned and washed it, replaced the plugs, got the water out of one cylinder, put a battery in it and away it went. And it's still going."He has restored it twice and is considering another, more complete, restoration. "The first restoration was when I was young so it wasn't stripped properly in the first place and it was done on a budget." The car was deregistered in 1978 and got a more thorough restoration in 1984. In 1990, he paid $5500 for a left-hand-drive 1971 124BS Spider Sport which had been imported from the US. "It was pathetic," he says. "The engine was falling out of it because the cross member had come loose. But there wasn't a skerrick of rust on it."Impellizzeri admits that rust was a problem with most Italian cars. "They say they were treated, but if they were it wasn't worth talking about," he says. "Some say the fault was cheap Russian steel. Either way the cars we got here were all rusted. I always take off the door and interior trim and treat them with my own concoction of Killrust and fisholene. At first it smells but that's short lived. You can always spray a bit of your wife's perfume on it."Impellizzeri has spent about $15,000 bringing the Spider back to concours standard over about eight years. "You can hop in it and drive it anywhere," he says. "But the Topolino was never made for 100km/h, so I don't drive it on the open road as it struggles to keep up."His next project is a 1950s Fiat 1400 cabrio which he bought at auction in Adelaide for an undisclosed sum. "They were never sold in Australia. Only seven were imported and only two remain," he says. "When I found out how rare it was, I became interested."When he begins restoration, most of the parts will probably be found somewhere in his shed which is packed to the rafters with everything a Fiat owner would ever need. There are boxes of engine gaskets, nuts and bolts, locks and latches, horn buttons, alternator brushes, window regulators, even windscreens. "You name it, it's here," he says.So much so that even garages contact him for help and parts. Around the back of the shed are several 131 and 124 wrecks used for parts. His son, Danny, also owns some Fiats, including a 124 that he races with his father as head mechanic. The pair hope to run it in the Cootha Classic hillclimb at Mt Coot-tha on May 28-29. The event features more than 250 cars and about 50 motorcycles from the 1920s to today in timed sprints around a 1450m track up and down Sir Samuel Griffith Drive with seven corners and chicanes. Racing starts at 8.30am. Entry is $20 a day, $15 for concession, $30 for a two-day pass and $5 for parking in the J.C. Slaughter Falls carpark.

It's the topless cutie that Fiat Australia is hoping will give its stagnating 500 a swift kick in the class.  Deliveries of the soft-top Fiat 500C began last week and with more than 100 customer orders in the wings Fiat Australia is hoping the renewed interest in the re-born Fifties icon will help arrest a slide that saw the car's sales tumble from 584 in 2008 to just 342 last year.Over the same period class competitors like the Ford Fiesta and Hyundai Getz increased sales while other light passenger rivals like the Honda Jazz, Mazda 2 and Smart held their ground significantly better.  "When you are selling a car like this it is very important that there is something fresh and new (on a regular basis)," Fiat Australia spokesman Edward Rowe says."Unfortunately for us, while Fiat has recognised this on a global basis and there has been something fresh and new for the 500 every year (since the retro model was launched in Europe in 2007) we have missed out on one of those steps ... the Abarth version."As luck would have it the cars have come out of order for us. We are still hoping to have the Abarth later this year. It is definitely not off the future planning menu."While the Abarth model may yet make it to Australia, Rowe wouldn't comment on suggestions that the next stage of Fiat's global plans to keep the 500 fresh and exciting is a wagon version which could make its public debut at the Paris Motor Show in October and pay tribute to the tiny 500 Giardiniera wagon from the early 1960s.In a bid to re-ignite interest in the 500 Fiat Australia set pricing for the 500C ($28,990 manual and $30,990 DuaLogic automatic) last year and started taking orders at the same time."We started forward selling it last year because we knew the numbers were going to be limited and we wanted to make sure the first cars that arrived were going to be the colours and trims that customers wanted," Rowe says. "Those orders are already well into three figures and we will probably be able to get two or three hundred this year."The 500C has the same 74kW engine featured in the 3-door hatch version coupled to either the five-speed manual or five-speed DuaLogic automatic. The electric soft-top is a dual stage affair with the cloth roof folding back between the fixed rails to be either partially or totally open.Seven airbags are standard, including a driver's kneebag, along with anti-lock brakes and electronic brakeforce distribution. Electronic stability program and traction control along with a hill hold function are also standard."The Fiat 500C has to be the car to be seen in this summer," says Andrei Zaitzev, General Manager of Fiat in Australia. "But the 500C is much more than a stylish body. It shares the same technology as the 500 and that means it is as economical as it is cute, it has a five star EuroNCAP safety rating."Like the 500, the 500C is as clever as it is beautiful and fun to drive."  Rowe also downplayed suggestions that Fiat's distributorship arrangements in Australia currently held by Ateco Automotive, importers of Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Citroen and Great Wall could be up for reassessment following the Fiat and Chrysler amalgamation. That joint venture is aimed giving Fiat greater distribution reach within the United States while Chrysler will win through access to Fiat's small car platforms."It is not an issue of any sort," Rowe says. "Nothing is going to change here. Neville (Ateco owner Neville Crichton) has the contract to import Fiat to Australia ... that's that."  Rowe says that news reports out of the United States that Chrysler Australia will import the Lancia Delta into Australia has fired the latest round of speculation."I think that where people have become confused is that they do not understand that it is not uncommon around the world for the same car to be sold as a different brand, even within the same market. Lancia, as a brand, will not come back to Australia ... rather the plan will likely be for a Lancia product to come to Australia as a Chrysler-badged product."Fiat 500CPrice: $28,990 (manual), $30,990 (automatic)Engine: 1.4L/4-cylinder 74kW/131NmTransmission: 5-speed manual, 5-speed DuaLogic automated manualEconomy: 6.3l/100km combined (supplied)Performance: 0-100km/h 10.5 seconds, top speed 182km/h

I realised this while finalising the judging of this year's Carsguide Car of the Year contest, which you can read about in today's liftout.  Yes, there are still bad things in cars. I think the damping of the Maserati Quattroporte is awful, cannot stand the seats in the Fiat 500, find a lot of Japanese headlamps lacklustre, and worry about the long-term quality of Alfa Romeo.But these are little things compared to some of the howlers I have driven in the past.  The Fiat Argento was supposed to be an executive express but it was so bad that it was canned after the first press preview drive. The evaluation cars were dropped onto executives and the plan died.The Holden Piazza was, for me, nasty and dangerous. I only drove it once and was glad when the over-powered Gemini coupe was binned.  On the Holden front, the Gemini diesel was also awful. Ahead of its time in efficiency but behind the times in every other way.And I could go on. And on.  But the cars of 2009 are brilliant. It truly is a golden age in motoring.  We had a lot of trouble culling the COTY field to just 10 cars and the finalists are so, so close in so many ways. Great value, too.Things will only get better in coming years and I am expecting better efficiency, better performance, more safety and so much more before the day when environmental pressures and a lack of oil turns cars into transport modules and nothing more.We should all enjoy things today because it, truly, has never been better.Follow Paul Gover on Twitter!