World Best Car Image Zone: Fiat

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The Fiat Sentiero is the work of Dragos Prodan, a 2009 industrial design graduate of George Enescu University in Iasi, Romania. The vehicle was developed as part of his final year project.

The concept was developed for the Fiat brand as Dragos felt that a utility vehicle such as the Sentiero would be a natural progression to the company's line up and compliment the other vehicles on offer.

The styling was based on both Fiat's current design language and also Italian design in general. The vehicle needed to be practical, functional and perhaps most important for a concept, Innovative. Dragos also wanted to give the concept a strong personality and a striking shape.

The Fiat Sentiero concept is a compact sized pick-up truck which is primarily designed for the European markets. The vehicle offers several different cargo areas. There is a the obvious main bed at the rear, but the concept also features lockable storage compartments just forward of the rear wheels, and other sealed compartments in both the rear of the bed and in the tailgate.

The drivetrain has 3 running modes:
-2WD mode - traction sent only to the front wheels
-Auto mode - auto engaging the rear axle if needed
-Lock mode - power is evenly distributed between the front and rear wheels.

The proposed engine for the Sentiero is a 3.0 litre, v6 diesel engine, offering 250 hp. The truck can tow up to 2400 kg (5291 lbs), and a payload capacity of 820 kg (1807 lbs). It is prewired for trailer brake controller, and features an integrated class III hitch.

Active and passive safety systems of the Fiat Sentiero concept include a closed box frame with internal strength steel frame stiffener, electronic brake distribution and brake assistance.

Source : Diseno-art

Elle Macpherson & the Fiat 500C

The new Fiat 500C, just recently launched on main European markets, has a new fan: the supermodel Elle Macpherson. Already the owner of a 500, as soon as she set eyes on the convertible version, Elle wanted to try it out and promptly fell in love with it.

“I love the Fiat 500C, it has that sexy, cool Italian thing going on!” says Elle. “I like the way the car drives – it’s perfect for cities with its small turning circle and the easy way it manoeuvres through London”.

The Fiat 500C was launched in the UK earlier in July and is guaranteed to be one of the “greatest hits” among the motoring public, also in view of its decidedly competitive price.

Source : Automotoportal

The Small Wonder Fiat Panda 4x4

We have seen an all wheel drive Panda before, but the latest one is a good deal more sophisticated than its appealing predecessor.

For most people, a bleak, windswept and snowy mountain pass at 5,000 feet above sea level isn't their idea of a perfect holiday destination. A roaring log fire and a warming meal could alleviate this to a certain extent, but when home for the season is a Fiat Panda 4x4 and the evenings hearty fare is a granola bar and a can of French beer that's slowly warmed over a hexamine burner to prevent it refreezing, it takes a certain Shackletonesque spirit to see the appeal.

Being a true ski bum, my friend wasn't residing in the latest version of Fiats all wheel drive Panda. This was the original square box, rescued from a breakers yard for £300 and which resolutely refused to die despite most of its constituent parts appearing to fly in close formation rather than be bolted securely together. This was a car that, despite being rammed by a snowplough, buried in an avalanche, and suffering a fire in the cabin caused by a combination of naked flames and excess Kronenbourg, would always start first time and never once failed to extract itself from any sticky situation. Small wonder that a whole generation of ex-owners still have a soft spot for the Fiat Panda 4x4.

Reprising the theme is a tricky task. The latest Panda, while gathering rave reviews for its equipment, styling, and big car feel, has become a far more sophisticated beast than the spartan original. Can it carry off the same cheeky charm or does it attempt to woo a different sector of the market? With prices pitched at £9,995, the 4x4 version of the latest car is, when inflation is taken into account, no more expensive than the original version. It boasts a raised ride height, but Fiat have thankfully been conservative with the lifestyle addenda.

It would have been easy to plaster it with bull bars, auxiliary roof lights and chromed steps, but the overall effect is subtle and just the right side of utilitarian. The market for this type of vehicle is one thats currently been invaded by a whole slew of faux-by-fours those rather puzzling vehicles like the Rover Streetwise, the Citroen C2 XTR and the Volkswagen Polo Dune that look as if theyll clamber up a hillside but boast nothing in the way of off-road aptitude, their underlying front-wheel drive mechanicals being identical to their humbler supermini siblings. Try to extricate one of these from a nine-foot deep snowdrift and you'll need to have ticked the options box marked Tow Rope and Land Rover Defender Accessory Pack. With this Fiat, its a different story.

"A whole generation of ex-owners still have a soft spot for the Fiat Panda 4x4"

A viscous coupling mounted on the centre differential directs a percentage of drive to the rear tyres when the front pair start scrabbling for traction and the Panda 4x4 has a surprisingly amount of ability on low friction surfaces. There are no buttons to press or levers to pull. The four-wheel drive system cuts in when necessary and butts out when not required. The addition of a propshaft heading aft hasn't done the Panda too many favours when it comes to interior space, although the longitudinal tie-rod rear suspension thats been specially developed for this variant is compact.

The ride height is just enough to give the Panda some genuine utility without being so extreme that adventurous drivers are tempted to push the Panda beyond its capabilities. Buyers looking to use the off road performance extensively should look at uprating the tyres to a proper crossover tyre capable of offering even more grip, albeit at the expense of on-road refinement. Equipment levels are loosely based on the Dynamic trim level in the regular Panda line up and include anti lock brakes with remote central locking, twin airbags, electric front windows and body coloured bumpers. There's also Fiats Dualdrive steering which takes much of the effort out of low-speed manoeuvring, a set of roof bars, alloy wheels and front foglights thrown in.

A radio/CD player and a split/folding rear seat also make living with the Panda 4x4 that little bit easier. Some diehards may see the exclusion of cooking facilities, a ski waxing bench and an inflatable mattress as glaring omissions. For those of you who require a more stylish 4x4 and a few more gadgets, the Panda Cross may be more up your street. This version retains the four-wheel drive and adds chunky side protection strips, roof bars, 15-inch alloy wheels and round light units front and rear.

Inside the equipment list boasts air-conditioning, an MP3-comaptible stereo with steering wheel controls and electric power steering. It also features a different engine in the shape of a 1.3 16v Multijet turbodiesel, producing 70bhp and an impressive torque of 145Nm at just 1,500rpm. Fiat have gone to great lengths to instill a big car feel in the Panda and the amount of soundproofing pays dividends.

Fiat claim the Panda is the only car in its class to have 99 per cent of its interior surface lined, and this certainly helps both the perception of quality and noise suppression. The Panda will pull from low speeds cleanly and the gearshift is probably the best in the citycar class. The clutch feels like a well-engineered item as well, being progressive in its action, making stop/go progress easy to manage. The City button takes all the weight out of the steering system and makes three point turns an exercise in effortless wheel twirling.

Fiat seem determined to prove that the latest Panda 4x4 is at least as capable as the indestructible original. Even my friend was impressed to hear that two had managed to clamber all the way up to Everest base camp at nearly 17,000 feet above sea level. Give the Panda 4x4 a decade and hell no doubt be in the market for one. The rest of you should be a little less circumspect.

Source : Yahoo Cars UK

Limited Edition Model Fiat 500 Abarth

Fiat's reborn 500 has gone off like a bomb in Europe, definitely the next big small thing. It's retro-stylish as anything, and it's not just a show-pony, either. Real substance is lent by spirited engines, sharp handing, and an interior full of nicely made touches of jewelery.

But let's face it, there's only so much you can do with the standard 500's 1.4L and 100 hp. For full gear head approval, Fiat needed to launch a hot version. And there was only one thing it could be called: Abarth.

Just as Minis historically were hopped up by John Cooper, 500s were given the treatment by Carlo Abarth. Little Fiat Abarths terrorized the Continent's racetracks in the 1960s, performing far beyond their size or displacement. There will be race versions of the new 500 Abarth, too.

But for the moment it shows as a roadgoing 135-hp hottie, achieved by turbocharging and considerably modifying the 1.4L base engine. It serves up 152 lb-ft of torque, and the twin tailpipes play a fruity tune. You might be thinking these aren't colossal figures, but remember the Abarth weighs a scant 2200 lb (and still matching a Mini in the Euro NCAP crash tests), giving 0-62-mph acceleration of 7.9 sec via a five-speed tranny -- five is enough.

The gearshift emerges from the fascia, showing the platform's origins as a sort of space-efficient microvan, the Panda. So does the high seating position. And the suspension is a simple setup, with struts at the front and a torsion beam behind.

High or not, it doesn't sway much. On 205/40 17 tires and stiffened chassis settings over the regular 500, there's grip to burn. And it gets the torque down well, digging itself urgently out of tight curves. But that's not what makes the Abarth so special -- it's the way it gives you such abundant knowledge of the tire patches moving on the road, the squirming transition from power-on mild understeer to lift-off slight oversteer. The stability electronics are uncommonly well finessed.

Inside, there are huge race-style seats and a clever instrument pod with concentric speedo and tach needles. When you're in low gear, your speed chases the revs around the dial. In the higher gears, your revs chase the speed. It goads you on. Abarth has plundered its heritage as an add-on tuner: A boost gauge sprouts mushroom-like out of the main dial binnacle, the pedals get big aluminum pads, the gearknob is stitched leather. There isn't a Fiat badge on the car, but it's peppered with big red and yellow Abarth scorpions.

I love the Abarth. It's no thoroughbred racer: It remains underneath a small tall hatchback. And it won't be winning any drag races. These days, 500 hp has become the sports-car entry ticket. But when can you use that much? The Abarth reminds us there's a lot to be said for taking a small terrier of a car and driving the door handles off it.

Source : Motortrend

Fiat 500's birthday celebrates by Europe

The new Fiat 500 was launched in unforgettable style on 4 July 2007. Since then, the second generation of the model that has symbolised the history of Italian cars has quickly conquered everyone's hearts. On July 4, alongside the launch of the Fiat 500C, the model will mark its second birthday with a series of events, running until July 7, which will involve the major European cities and five customised Fiat locations up and down Italy.
In Italy, the celebrations get under way tomorrow through a unique initiative in partnership with Rai. The Rai Uno, Rai Due and Rai Tre channels will simultaneously and frequently broadcast a special collection of short films, old clips and sketches dedicated to the Fiat 500. The television event will end during prime time on Rai Uno with a special edition of "Porta a Porta", entitled "50 years of a winning Italy". The show will cover half a century of Italian style, of which the Fiat 500 is certainly among the most loved and established symbols in the world.

Hosted by Bruno Vespa and Milly Carlucci, and broadcasting live from Rome, L'Aquila and Turin, this one-off programme will have one unique feature: the guests will not come on stage through the show's famous door, but will instead arrive at the studio in a Fiat 500. Among the many prestigious guests representing Italian creativity will be Luca Cordero di Montezemolo and John Elkann, chairman and vice-chairman respectively of the Fiat Group, while the CEO of Fiat Automobiles, Lorenzo Sistino, will discuss via a live link to the Lingotto rooftop test track in Turin the journey from the glorious history of the Fiat 500 to the arrival of the new 500C.

Also tomorrow, in Naples, the Voga Club will unveil the Fiat Open Lounge, which will host the brand new 500C throughout the long Neapolitan summer. The Lounge will open just in time to toast the second birthday of the new Fiat 500 at the stroke of midnight. In Rome's Sofia, a new nightclub located near the Foro Italico sports complex, the Fiat 500 will be celebrated in the new Fiat Open Lounge on the night of July 3. In addition, from Saturday 4 July, the 500C will be a permanent guest at the club and sponsor all the events scheduled at the striking location throughout the summer.

On July 4 at Milan's modern and trendy Fiat Open Lounge, there will be an exclusive party in the presence of the 500C allowing revellers to celebrate by dancing to renowned DJs from the Italian club scene. Also, on the evening of July 4 the Fiat Playa at Punta Marana, in Sardinia, will host the Oscar del Calcio football awards in the presence of some of the sport's leading lights. During the reception for this event, the guests will celebrate the second birthday of the new Fiat 500 (as well as the new 500C) by cutting a special cake. Finally, on July 5 at the Fiat Chalet in Madonna di Campiglio, one of the most stylish and well-kept ski resorts in north-east Italy, there will be an exclusive party for 500 guests. Obviously, the 500C will be among their number.

The party for the 500 will also take place in Paris, where from July 2-7 a 17-metre-long, 6-metre-tall model of the car can be seen at La Défense, one of the most enchanting and modern parts of the French capital. Inside this huge 500, whose interior has been built to scale, you can admire a dramatic starry sky created by clever special effects; on the outside, a huge lawn will welcome the new 500Cs that will themselves become part of the show with events such as the "Smile & Win" competition, with the prize of a fabulous weekend in a 500C for the best smile captured on board the new car. The events in Paris will be the first of three stages that will also take the huge” 500one” to London at the end of August and Berlin at the end of September.

Finally, "flash mobs" will be organised in some of Europe's biggest cities: in each location, around 30 actors will blend into the crowd and start to sing "Happy Birthday 500!" when a Fiat 500 (or a 500C in Italy) appears.

Source: Fiat

Fiat 500: 2009 design car of the year

The Fiat 500 has been elected 2009 Design Car of the Year by 59 journalists from around the world, beating 51 short listed cars from the world’s top car makers.

The Fiat 500, along with the Citroën C5 and the Jaguar XF, were selected as the finalists for the last round of judging at the New York International Motor Show, with Fiat’s chic and sophisticated small car taking the top design prize.

Four international design experts, namely Silvia Baruffali, Editorial Director of Auto & Design magazine, Robert Cumberford, design critic and journalist for Automobile and Auto & Design magazines, Akira Fujimoto, Editor-in-Chief of Car Styling magazine and Tom Matano, Executive Director of the School of Industrial Design at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, voted the Fiat 500 absolute winner of this year’s award.

“We are proud to receive this prestigious international award, as further endorsement of Fiat’s commitment to creating attractive, innovative cars, which express the best of Italian manufacturing capability,” commented Roberto Giolito, Fiat’s Head of Design. “Italian design has often been a step ahead of future trends in the automotive world and our latest models, spearheaded by the Fiat 500, are an expression of ‘practical beauty’, which is what the world expects of Italian cars. We will continue to work untiringly on innovative design, and endeavour to combine the best of the future with the historical, cultural and industrial identity of the Fiat brand.”

The Fiat 500 is available in the UK with a choice of three frugal, ultra-low emissions Euro 5 engines, including 69 bhp 1.2-litre and 100 bhp 1.4-litre petrol units, and the 75 bhp 1.3-litre MultiJet turbodiesel.

Power is delivered through manual or Dualogic (automatic) transmissions, while Fiat’s fuel saving Start&Stop system is also available.

Source: Fiat