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Geneva :Fiat Fiorino MPV Motor Show

There will soon be two Fiat Fiorino in the world. The first one, still on sale on the Brazilian market (at R$ 35,480, the equivalent to € 13,903), derives from the Fiat Uno (yes, that one from the 1980’s, also still on sale in Brazil, and selling a lot). It is the white one on the gallery at the right. The second one is this green vehicle, a modern people mover that will be previewed at the Geneva Motor Show.

This is not the first public appearance of the 3.96 m long MPV. It has been first seen by the public in the Bologna Motor Show, last November, and Fiat them has stated the car was 3.86 m long… Or the vehicle has grown 10 cm in a short period of time, or the MPV version is really 10 cm larger (in Bologna, the only version presented was the van), or the first press release about the car was wrong. We will find it out and tell you later. Fiorino is for sale in Italy since December 2007 and its base price it € 9,100 in Italy. Cheaper than its same-name Brazilian relative…

At the Geneva Motor Show, people who have not seen the Fiorino so far will have the chance to meet the little green creature, which happens to be smaller than its Uno predecessor (with the same name, but 4,18 m long), and know that it will have two engine options, a 1.3-litre 16V Multijet diesel, delivering 75 cv, and the 1.4-litre Fire petrol engine, which generates 75 cv. The Brazilian Fiorino uses a 1.3-litre Fire engine that generates 71 cv with ethanol and 70 cv with petrol, what may make people believe it is more fuel efficient than the European version. Brazilian people would rather not have that advantage and get the fresh Fiorino instead, for sure.

Fiorino is the Fiat model for the Citroën Nemo and the Peugeot Bipper. Produced in partnership with PSA Peugeot Citroën, the vehicle comes in three versions: base, SX and Adventure. This last one has a 2 cm heightened suspension to deal with bad terrain conditions, especially useful in emerging markets and only aesthetically appealing for Europe. In Brazil, it would more likely be a replacement for the ageing Doblò than for the other Fiorino.







Press Release
Fiorino, a “special” vehicle for Fiat Professional

In a global preview, Fiat Professional presents the new Fiorino which is born of a simple yet revolutionary concept: surpassing the concept of MPV to land on the idea of a “free space” vehicle. Thanks to it's compactness and agility which guarantee a distinctive freedom of movement, as well as a new generation of interiors that assure generous dimensions and flexibility of use. Let's take a look in detail at all the merits of this model which wants to play a protagonist's role in this sector.

Distinctive exterior style and newly conceived interiors

Essential and rational, the Fiat Fiorino's exterior is distinctive also due to the specific finishing on the sides and rear which confer a sophisticated mark. In the same manner, the robust and gritty front doesn't alter the general impression of an “alternative car with personality”. The solid and “well rooted” aspect of the car is counter-balanced by the fluid and clear lines which play to it's dynamism.

Corresponding to these aesthetic qualities are compact external dimensions – 3,96 metres long, 1,72 metres high and 1,71 metres wide – which linked to a turning circle of only 10,15 metres, allow the new Fiat Fiorino to tackle easily either the narrow streets of a city-centre or the slaloms imposed by urban traffic.

The rear black mud-guard (also available in the colour of the chassis) is very robust and wrapped so to protect in an excellent manner the most delicate areas – spotlights, bonnet and radiator – especially at lower speeds. The same “security” is given both by the rubbing strips which allow, in perfect tranquility, manoeuvres in tight spots or corners; and by the rear-view mirrors (black or the chassis colour) which guarantee an excellent visibility reducing the “blind spot”. To heighten visibility yet further, the new car proposes broad glass surfaces as shown by the rear side doors and the large wind-shield (the front uprights are also reduced). Even the side windows create an original “sleek” form, which when combined with the important forms at mudguard level render the body even more dynamic.

The rear cargo-door is very characteristic as the skillful finish on the logo setting and the fluid glass style, confer an original and rare “treasure chest” style opening which distinguishes itself completely from typical van doors. (the asymmetrical rear doors are available as optional).

Completing the exterior style we have the elegant group of rear and front optics – distinguished by the chrome and transparency, as well as a high position well by any potential bumps. The front and rear doors (the latter always sliding) with a broad glass surface are fitted with convenient handles. Lastly, the client can chose between 10 different colours and two types of upholstery.

Special attention has been given to the aerodynamics, a very important factor if we consider the effects on performance, consumption and acoustic comfort. With this objective, the Fiat Fiorino shape has been analyzed via computer simulations and then tested extensively in wind tunnels. From this attention to detail, the rear spoiler, among other forms which characterize the style, was designed whilst conserving the functionality and aesthetics. The final result is an excellent co-efficient of aerodynamic resistance equal to 0,31 and an excellent Cx product for the frontal area. (0,828 m2)

Up to now we've been discussing the exterior form. But it's inside that the new Fiorino really comes into it's own. Thanks to an original concept – called “free space” – which combines different seat configurations (at least 6 the most instant) with rationality and regularity in the interior form. In this manner, we obtain an excellent usable space for space and flexibility: for example with the seats in normal positioning, the boot has a capacity of 330 litres (up to the luggage rack) and of 650 litres if measured up to the roof. Instead, if the rear and front seat are removed, the total volume is 2.800 litres with a boot capable of holding objects almost 2,5 metres long (a real record, if we take into account the vehicle is only 3,9 metres long).

So much space and flexibility, but Fiat Fiorino is a comfortable car with all the mod-cons as the modular and symmetrical “T” shaped dashboard demonstrates. The driver has within easy reach all the controls of a rich instrument panel. On board comfort though also means lots of space available: above the central console you can have spacious compartments or alternatively a handy clipboard with clips for taking notes. There's also lots of space at the base of the gearshift, and on the dashboard itself thanks to a spacious compartment with large dimensions. Even the door panels have been designed to offer lots of space as well as a comfortable arm rest. The central tunnel has been made into a practical central console.

Also contributing to the on board satisfaction are the rear seats which are very comfortable and fitted with all the regular functions. As alternative to the standard passenger seat, also available is a special seat that when folded in one easy move, can “disappear” positioning itself on the boot level (in the in-between position it can act as a comfortable table). Available in the 1/3 and 2/3 configurations, the rear seats can be folded like “a book” or removed (either partly or completely), so offering surprising load capacities and flexibility of use. Lastly, the boot compartment is spacious and very regular whilst the rigid divider has the advantage of almost “vanishing” if placed in the space between the seat and the wheelhouse.

Advanced engines and reliable transmission

Comfortable gears means also being able to rely on a brilliant progressive propulsion mated to solid and reliable gearshifts. For this, Fiat Fiorino proposes two Euro 4 engines - the brilliant 1.3 Multijet 75 CV and the reliable 1.4 73 CV petrol engine - which are distinguished by the driving pleasure, excellent performances and reduced running costs, as well as reliability and respect for the environment.

Not to forget that the new Fiorino, also has the smallest and most advanced second generation “Common Rail” direct injection diesel engine, the 1.3 16v Multijet. Produced by FPT - Fiat Powertrain Technologies in the Polish plant of Bielsko Biala. Combined with a manual 5-speed or an automatic 6-speed gear box, the 1.3 Multijet can supply up to 75 CV (55 kW at 4000 rpm) of maximum power and torque of 19,4 kg m (190 Nm a 1750 giri/min), guaranteeing excellent performances and the best fuel consumption in it's sector. For example, the top speed is 155 km an hour, while the combined cycle records 4,6 l/100 km (4,5 l/100 km with self-shifting gears), which translates into a 1.000 km travelled on a full tank of 45 litres.

A Fiat Fiorino fitted with this propulsion is also respectful of the environment – some versions have CO2 emissions lower than 120 g/km – and if fitted with a particulate filter (optional) the emission levels of particulate reach just 0.005 g/km (in accordance with the Euro 5 limits).

The performance of the 1.4 v 73 CV are also excellent, and can be a great base for CNG and LPG transformations. Developed with particular fuel consumption and performance, the propulsion supplies a power of 73 CV (54 kW) at 5200 rpm with a maximum torque of 12 kg m (118 Nm) at 2600 rpm. So, combined with manual 5-speed gearshift the engine runs beautifully (the maximum speed is 155 km/h) but at the same time parsimoniously: in the combined cycle it consumes just 7,0 l/100 km.

As confirmation of it's “ecological” calling, the Fiat Fiorino will also offer in due course an electric version with 0 emissions, made in commercial collaboration with Microvett, Italian specialists of electrical transformations. The guaranteed autonomy is of a 100 km, charge time is around 3 hours with a 9 Kw plug (6-8 hours with a 3 Kw plug). The acceleration and top speeds are beyond criticism: 0-50 km/h in 7 seconds and 80 km/h. Lastly, last October at the international showrooms of Milan and Amsterdam, a global preview of two prototypes based on the Fiorino Cargo were shown.

A precise response to every request

Fiat Fiorino offers a wide and varied range, within which everyone can find the ideal answer to their lifestyle needs and car use.

Available as a “5 door” model, the car comes in two versions: the first is more essential and informal, whilst the second is richer and more conventional. The offer is rounded off by a third special version – called “Adventure” - which allows the Fiat Professional a protagonist's role in the “free time” context. Thanks to a suspension raised by 2 cm, an engine guard built into the front bumpers and more extensive bodywork protection. A distinctive look, which can be expressed also as "functional objectivation” for use in mountainous, rural areas where the asphalt can be rough or unsurfaced.

Whatever your choice, the client can also rely on interesting equipment. In fact, depending on the markets and versions, important contents will be available: on the security front, ABS complete with EBD, 3-point seatbelts with pre-tensioner and load limiter, hydraulic power steering and airbags for driver, passengers and the side. Also on offer are the climate control system with anti-pollen filter and electronic rear wipers.

Furthermore, having not predisposed planned packages, the client is free to “personalise” the Fiorino choosing freely among the various optionals: from leather steering wheel and gearshift to double-wing doors, Blue&Me system, “dead-lock”, down to the elegant design of 16” alloy wheels.
Fiat Fiorino can also be supplied with category N1 certification (4 people + 278 kg), which can be useful for tax concessions, depending on the country.
Source: Fiat


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Fiat 500 Abarth LEAKED

It is pretty easy to know when official pictures of a car are going to pop up. First, Carscoop has shown sketches Fiat has released to 500 fans. Later on, the images have leaked (as if Fiat did not want to have them widespread throughout the whole internet...) and Carscoop has also been the first one to show them. Good work, guys! Thanks to them we can also show you the first official images of the pocket rocket Fiat has build over the 500’s base. And what a car it promises to be!

The new 500 version has a very mean appearance, with huge wheel arches to house equally big wheels and low tires, wider air intakes, a rear air diffuser, double exhaust pipes, red caps for the external rear mirrors and dozens of Abarth badges all over the car. There is still some controversy on what will be the output of the engine, most probably the 1,4-litre four cylinder turbo of the Grande Punto Abarth (check the ghost sketch in which an intercooler shows off at the lower left side of the car, ahead of the wheel), but maybe in a more “behaved” version, with about 150 cv, instead of the 180 cv that it uses to push the bigger brother.

Spy photos also stated that there were going to be two Abarth versions of the 500, a simple one and the SS, which stands for Super Sport. This last one was likely to receive the 180 cv engine, but, according to these official pictures, it seems that there will be only one 500 Abarth. If this is confirmed, it would be no surprise if Fiat’s better surprise for the Geneva Motor Show (if you can call it a surprise any longer) refuses to make a shy appearance and presents even more horsepowers than we expect. It is just a matter of waiting, and official technical specs should not take longer than a couple days.

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Brazil, Australia Post Record Car Sales

Brazilian and Australian markets were on a roll in 2007, both hitting record numbers of automotive sales compared to previous years. The Brazilian market saw three million vehicles built and 2.5 million sold for the first time in its history, up 29.3 percent from the previous period. Expected sales for 2008 are in the region of 2.89 million from a production number of 3.23 million.

Down Under, Australia brought in one million vehicles in a calendar year for the first time in history. The exact number of vehicles sold was 1,049, 982, which totally blew the previous record of 988,269 set in 2005. A great performance considering Australia is a country of only 21 million inhabitants.

Holden held the best-selling vehicle crown for the 12th year in a row with the ever-popular Commodore. It recorded 57,307 units for 2007. Second best was the Toyota Corolla with 47,792, with its Hilux sibling third at 42,009.

Overall Toyota held the market lead with 22.5 percent share, followed by Holden at 14 percent and Ford rounding up the podium with 10.3 percent market share in Australia.

Fiat Bravo Revealed

Perfect balance of Beauty and Substance

On January 29, the new Fiat Bravo will be presented to the international media in Rome, going on the market all over Europe in the following weeks.

The model is built in the Piedimonte S. Germano plant (Frosinone), and aims to become a benchmark in the most important segment of the European market. To achieve this goal, the Fiat Bravo has been designed and developed as the ideal synthesis of Beauty and Substance.

Beauty as the most up-to-date expression of Italian style

Developed by the Fiat Style Centre, the exterior design of the model is unmistakably ‘Italian’, another step forward in the development of the brand’s new stylistic identity.

The new Bravo arouses emotions at first glance, and it welcomes driver and passengers aboard in a passenger compartment where they will appreciate the quality of the materials and the care dedicated to even the smallest detail.

The Fiat Bravo cleverly combines a compact five-door body with an extraordinary amount of interior roominess: it is 434 centimetres long, 179 cm wide, and 149 cm high, with a wheelbase of 2.6 metres, and a loading capacity of 400 litres that tops its class.

Substance in the form of an innovative, reliable, quality car

The Fiat Bravo aims to be a car of ‘substance’, thanks to a lavish array of technological features and quality standards worthy of a higher class where safety, comfort and driving enjoyment are concerned.

The Fiat Bravo is an agile car that is entertaining to drive in every situation, thanks in part to the wide choice of engines, which include the popular turbodiesel 1.9 Multijets (120 and 150 bhp), the 90 bhp 1.4, and a new family of turbocharged T-JET petrol engines (120 and 150 bhp 1.4 Turbo) that now make their debut, combining low consumption and outstanding performance.

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Fiat Bravo: In Depth

When beauty encounters substance

The new Fiat Bravo is a perfect balance of Beauty and Substance, another milestone in the process to update the brand's product range. This extraordinary period of change is symbolised by the new logo that makes its debut on the front of this new model, with which Fiat will tackle the challenges of the future, without turning its back on its past century of history. This essential sign, full of references to tradition, was created to express 'change in continuity', and to represent from a modern viewpoint a human and technological heritage that few of the world's carmakers can boast. Historical identity and state-of-the-art engineering skills, pride in its past and a renewed determination to innovate: this is the context in which the new Fiat Bravo was developed, a beautiful well-built Italian hatchback, which is agile, entertaining to drive, and competitive, thanks to the excellent balance between content and price. The new Fiat Bravo is 'concrete beauty', a car that reiterates the aesthetic canons of Italian styling tradition. It was designed to give customers the substance that comes from outstanding safety and reliability, coupled with the enjoyable, sporty driving style that the whole world expects from an Italian car.

The new model was presented in the spectacular setting of the Stadium of Marble in Rome, the Eternal City, in one of the most important examples of Neoclassical architecture. This beautiful stadium, which is inside the Foro Italico, was built in the 1930s by Renato Ricci (1896-1956), who decided to decorate the stands with an array of statues in Greek style produced by young sculptors who were unknown at the time. The end result is an extraordinary stadium where each figure, sculpted in white marble, embodies the power of an athletic movement in a form of refined beauty. One of the characteristics of Neoclassical art was to reproduce reality by taking Beauty as the ideal of perfection and balance, not just copying nature but trying to grasp its intrinsic essence.

The decision was a pondered one, because the goal of this artistic movement, which developed in Europe between the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, was to recover in a contemporary key the aesthetics, forms, noble materials, building techniques and artisan skills of Graeco-Roman tradition, the cradle of every subsequent artistic manifestation of Western culture: from literature to the theatre, music and architecture. The neoclassical artist did not improvise, but summed up tradition in every work, with exemplary control over his emotions, perfect mastery of his materials and a broad knowledge of history.

The choice of this site underlines an ideal parallel with the Bravo project. When they developed the project, the engineers, designers, technicians and marketing staff also set out to create a 'new classic': in the design, by references to the great Italian styling tradition; by respecting the 'fundamentals', such as the quality of the materials and the assembly, safety, and exploitability of space, and comfort, which have always decreed a car's success; and finally, in the technological components and cutting edge engineering processes, including recourse to virtual development techniques that have made it possible to cut lead times and to check even the tiniest details related to quality and performance thousands of times.

Rigour and Love: the best way of creating a car

The launch is charged with other symbolism. The New Fiat Bravo project challenged accepted paradigms where the design and development of a new model are concerned, in terms of time and methodologies. This extraordinary result was achieved thanks to the rigorous integration of the best processes, and the application of the most advanced technologies, but above all the essential contribution of Fiat's men and women, and the commitment, creativeness and love that they put into their work. To convey this immense undertaking, for the debut of the new Bravo, Fiat insisted on the extraordinary participation of the performers of 'Le Cirque du Soleil': a perfect organisation, but above all 'the best artists in the world', as the international press has described them. It is certainly one of the most extraordinary live performances on the planet.

'Le Cirque du Soleil' employs about 3000 people, and performers include numerous Olympic champions and former champions, who currently give life to 5 resident companies (all in the United States) and 6 touring companies that perform simultaneously all over the world, and are regularly sold out. The various shows share maniacal attention to the tiniest detail, because everything is done by hand and nothing is left to chance. It was the first time that 'Le Cirque du Soleil' has put on a performance in Italy designed specifically for a corporate event, in front of an audience of more than 6,000 journalists, dealers, suppliers and representatives of large client companies from 72 countries, plus 3000 children from Rome who attended the first night and enjoyed a magical dream come true.

The parallel with the Circus world is appropriate, because the circus is hard work, talent, and creativeness, preparation and dedication, professional skill and passion, coordination, collaboration and teamwork, dexterity and lightness, magic without tricks, a dream but not an illusion. Just like the project to develop a new car: months of hard work, involving hundreds of people, and a huge investment. A perfect mechanism, for a spectacle that leaves no space for pretence or for second chances. At the first turn of the key, everything must function perfectly, year in and year out, repeat after repeat.

'Authentic Italian Beauty'

Designed by the Fiat Style Centre, the model sets out to attract the public with its uncluttered, smooth lines, which on one hand confirm Fiat's determination to create a new 'family feeling', beginning with the Grande Punto, while on the other hand they reinvent the stylistic elements of the great Italian car-making tradition, without exaggeration or stylistic excesses: authentic beauty in other words, that is reassuring and easy to understand. The raked, forward windscreen, the drop-shaped headlights, the sporty grille that frames the new logo, and even the colour chosen for the launch campaign, known as Maranello Red, which is a clear tribute to the best-known symbol of Italian automotive excellence: Ferrari.

The new Fiat Bravo is born from this cultural and stylistic heritage, a five-door saloon with a sleek, aggressive line, which is refined and compact at the same time. It is 434 centimetres long, 179 cm wide, and 149 cm high, with a wheelbase of 260 cm, and a loading capacity of 400 litres that tops its class.

The beautiful 'dress' made by Fiat contains all the substance of a car built to surprise in the category that rules the European market, to convince a clientele that considers the cars of this class as a real investment, because they are the family's main car. The Bravo aims to make the difference in terms of quality, comfort, practicality and the versatility of the interior. Anyone who gets into the car will immediately be aware of the quality leap that everyone at Fiat was determined to achieve. The refinement of the materials and the colour combinations, the solidity, attention to detail and painstaking assembly, all represent a new standard for Fiat and a benchmark for the market.

Innovation, reliability and quality

Substance also means performance, safety and technology.

The launch of the new Fiat Bravo is also an opportunity to present the new family of turbocharged T-JET petrol engines (120 and 150 bhp 1.4 Turbo), which combine fuel economy, low emissions and exceptional performance, and now join the popular range of Multijet common rail turbodiesels (1.9 litres delivering 120 and 150 bhp) and the 90 bhp 1.4 16v petrol engine.

Comfort is enhanced by the pinpoint steering and excellent roadholding, and the choice of two tried and tested suspension systems which have been suitably modified and updated: an independent MacPherson system at the front, and a semi-independent torsion axle with interconnected wheels at the rear.

The Fiat Bravo was designed to score maximum points in passive and active safety tests, thanks to several airbags (as many as 7), three-point seat-belts with pre-tensioners and load limiters, and five head-restraints. Another aspect of safety regards the 'Pedestrian impact', which was taken into account during the design of the chassis, designed to maximise the absorption of this type of impact. The new model also features the most sophisticated electronic systems to monitor the vehicle's dynamic behaviour, such as ABS complete with EBD, the sophisticated ESP system with a Hill Holder, and ASR anti-slip regulation.

The Fiat Bravo embodies new technologies, not only where engineering is concerned, but also in the use of electronics at the service of comfort and well-being on board. The best example of this is the new generation of the 'Blue&Me' system, known as 'Blue&Me Nav'. This technology, which is a Fiat Group exclusive, developed with Microsoft, combines the functions of the first generation with a highly efficient pictogram navigation system, and access to a series of telematic services, that convey the true spirit of Fiat: simple, useful and at the right price.

The 'dual-zone' automatic climate system, a choice of two radios with specific Hi-Fi systems, the large panoramic opening sunroof, Cruise Control, a rain sensor, parking sensors and foglights with a self-adaptive cornering function, complete the array of equipment to customise the car, and to make life on board a pleasure for every occupant.

And finally, to underline the generosity of this project, the Fiat Bravo range will be broad and comprehensive right from its launch, with a choice of 5 engines, 12 elegant liveries and 4 outfit levels (Active, Dynamic, Emotion and Sport), all designed to offer the customer outstanding value for money.

Made in Italy, Sold around the world

The new Fiat Bravo aims to become the benchmark for what is the most important segment of the European market, which accounted for over 3,400,000 cars sold in 2006, or little more than one fifth of the total market (a value that has been practically constant since 2000).

It is clearly a very interesting segment but one that is also highly competitive, with about 30 different models, from full-liners and premium European, Asian and American manufacturers. We should also underline that the largest grouping in the medium sized saloon category is made up of 2-box saloons or hatchbacks, which account for over 71% of sales. About 25% of total sales for this category are destined to the corporate market, where qualities such as residual value, operating costs, reliability and price are important considerations. But these are areas in which the Fiat Bravo will be one of the most competitive models on the market. With these expectations, the long-established plant in Piedimonte S. Germano (Frosinone) and its 3500 employees are preparing themselves enthusiastically to turn out an average of 120,000 cars a year, which will be marketed in 55 countries around the world, starting in 2007.

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Fiat Bravo: In Depth

The good looks of a coup, the roominess of a saloon

Developed by the Fiat Style Centre, the design of the Bravo is a perfect blend of aggressiveness and power, as you would expect of a 5-door compact, set off by an extraordinary amount of roominess inside. A sporty, flowing line that guarantees robustness and agility in spite of its aesthetic refinement.

To start with, the new model is generously sized 434 centimetres long, 179 cm wide, 149 cm high and with a wheelbase of 260 cm “ even if the Bravo smooth, almost aggressive lines give it a sporty, sparkling and extremely dynamic look, designed to underline its “muscles simply and straightforwardly. The Fiat Bravo strong personality is particularly evident at the front; the front end is important, like that of a small GT, into which the elongated headlights are set with original tension and strong Italian styling (they are the work of Magneti Marelli - Automotive Lighting).

The externals a succession of classical references, an excellent opportunity to re-read the brand traditional styling elements in a modern key. Take a quick look. First, the original rear light clusters which recall those of the previous Bravo, which were also the work of Magneti Marelli - Automotive Lighting. The front reiterates the distinctive features of recent Fiat models, particularly the Grande Punto: from the raked, forward windscreen to the drop-shaped headlights, inspired by the well-known Italian GT tradition, down to the graphics of the lower air intake and the grille. The tapering of the front and rear underline the impression of great compactness conveyed by the Fiat Bravo. But this in no way diminishes the elegance of the lines that run smoothly from front to back, into the integral bumpers and the light clusters with their converging wedge shape. Suffice it to say that in the rear, the waistline is high and slopes sharply, to emphasise the sense of sportiness.

The styling of the Bravo reconciles stylistic elements that were once irreconcilable. For example, a front end that is aggressive but modelled to respect pedestrian safety requirements. Both the structure and the modelling are the fruit of detailed analysis, developed in line with the latest legislation, which envisages rounder shapes, a wider bonnet and a tapered bumper structure, which is easily perceptible in the plan view, to reduce the area involved in a collision to a minimum.

And if the Fiat Bravo conveys a new concept of sportiness on the outside, the inside environment is one of superb quality and painstaking attention to detail, giving a sensation of great solidity and compactness. The design, materials and fabrics used are all enhanced by the carefully chosen colour combinations, which underline the elegance or sportiness of the different versions. The Active outfit offers 2 interior environments, the Dynamic and Emotion versions offer a choice of 3 environments with 3 different shades, and the Sport outfit proposes 2 environments in 2 different colours. Bravo customers are also offered leather upholstery: on the Dynamic and Elegance versions, this comes in black with grey or blue stitching, or in marmoset with contrasting stitching. The Sport outfit offers black leather upholstery with red or blue overstitching.

The front and rear seats of the Bravo deserve a special mention. They were designed to guarantee the best possible comfort to all passenger percentiles, and developed in close collaboration with the best Italian ergonomics and sports medicine specialists. First of all, to enhance comfort and to absorb vibration in particular, the front seats incorporate an improved lumbar support system that sustains the back better. The front seats are also padded with foam that adapts to the shape of the body and have an 'antisubmarining' structure that prevents the body from sliding forward, under the seat-belt, in the event of a violent head-on impact. The front seats also offer various adjustments: height, longitudinal (with a stroke of an amazing 240 mm), squab rake (by a knob that provides continuous step adjustment), and lumbar. The height of the head-restraints can be adjusted and, on request, they can be fitted with an anti-whiplash system, which brings the restraint closer to the occupant neck in the event of a collision. And finally, the front seats offer the option of electric movement and adjustment, with intuitive, ergonomic controls.

The rear seat squab splits 40/60, and the seats incorporate an antisubmarining structure and padding with differentiated support in different parts of the seat cushion (this is a parameter that measures the compression of the padding under the weight of the body). The rear seats are also fitted with Isofix attachments for child seats, and three head-restraints.

Great care has gone into the design of the instrument panel (developed by Magneti Marelli), which is enclosed in a dashboard that is turned entirely towards the driver, with soft lines that blend aesthetically with the lines of the facia. The large, immediately visible digits of the instrument graphics make the information easy to read and readily available. At night the illumination is orange, a shade that allows the pupil to focus more rapidly when alternating between the dark of the road outside and the luminosity of the dashboard. The onboard instrumentation is available in two versions, depending on the outfit, and includes a number of important functions. For example, the multi-function display gives access to several menus, and sub-menus. These speak the driver language (there is a choice of Italian, English, German, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Dutch, Polish and Turkish), and offer a wide range of functions, including the time, date, programmable acoustic signal, radio visualisation, check control and more besides. There is also a trip computer, of course, which provides a data set regarding previous journeys and the current journey.

Class-beating ergonomics and roominess

The Fiat Bravo is friendly and practical, with an unbeatable amount of living space and passenger room, that is hinted at by the exterior dimensions. The new model promises comfortable journeys, and the enjoyment of tangible, all-enveloping well-being on board. The engineers have achieved this goal by adopting the latest ergonomic criteria from the earliest stages of the development of the Fiat Bravo to define the parameters that measure a car capacity to respond to the demand for well-being and comfort on board. As a result, the Bravo achieves excellent values for the essential ergonomic functions: space and interior volume, roominess, access, visibility, loading capacity and user-friendliness.

These characteristics have always been winning qualities, and today they are even more important, because we spend more time in our cars, we are becoming more accustomed to cars from higher segments, which are therefore roomier, and the average height of the population is increasing. This is another reason why the Bravo achieves excellent results in terms of transverse roominess at shoulder height, in the front and rear, with values that are outstanding for segment C, in all fields: from roominess to access, visibility and ease of use. This means being able to get in and out of the car easily and comfortably, and finding yourself in a comfortable, protective environment once you are seated.

The interior space in the Fiat Bravo is the result of a good balance between the volumes of the passenger compartment, even though, from the outside, the car is clearly compact and dynamic. The parameters that define the posture, the position of the driving seat and of the passenger seats in the many possible configurations, the overall roominess and the interior volume have all been optimised. The end result puts the Bravo firmly at the top of its class in this context. For example, the combination of a driver seat that adjusts for height and a steering wheel that adjusts for height and reach, produces excellent values of roominess as well as a perfect driving position for drivers of all heights (from 1.50 to about 2 metres). Even if the driver himself is tall, there is still room for an equally tall passenger to sit comfortably behind him; it is the only car in its segment that can accommodate 184 cm tall passengers comfortably on the rear seat when those in the front seat are in the 90 percentile, in other words 183 cm tall. And this does not detract from the luggage capacity which is 400 litres in the normal configurations, and 1175 litres with the rear seats folded down.

Driving is made particularly enjoyable by the position of the pedals, the steering wheel alignment, the position of the armrest and footrest, the excellent manoeuvring of the gearshift and the perfect visibility of the instrumentation and the main controls. This sensation of enjoyment is heightened by the excellent profiling of the wrapround seats that support the body even in more dynamic driving situations. And the adoption of the latest virtual ergonomic structuring techniques on the Fiat Bravo ensures that all the onboard instrumentation and primary controls are extremely user-friendly; all the controls are within easy reach, perfectly visible and easy to use. The interior is one of the most practical in its category, with a useful storage unit under the passenger seat, pockets in the doors, a centre console with space for bottles, documents, maps and coins, storage compartments on the facia for keys, eyeglasses and remote controls, and a large glove compartment in front of the passenger.

A new logo for the Fiat brand

A new logo, which underlines the new strategy that has been implemented by the brand in recent months, now debuts on the front of the new Bravo, and will gradually be adopted on all Fiat models. In this dynamic context, there has been a constant succession of new products (from the Croma to the Grande Punto, the Panda, the Fiat Sedici and now the Bravo), and a tangible sign was needed to symbolise the turnaround that is driving Fiat towards new challenges.

Created jointly by RobilantAssociati (an agency specialising in Brand Advisors & Strategic Design) and the Fiat Style Centre, the new symbol is derived from the famous shield that decorated the front of Fiat cars from 1931 to 1968, with the vertically elongated letters of the word 'FIAT' standing out against a ruby red background, encased in a chromed round frame. It has a three-dimensional effect which conveys an idea of technology, Italian design, dynamism and a strong personality, while it also harks back to the round logo (white wording against a red background, surrounded by laurel leaves) that identified powerful, high performance Fiat models for many years.

The essential, strong new logo therefore conveys 'change in continuity', a sign of the past re-read in a modern key which is particularly representative of Fiat today, a brand with its sights on the challenges of the future but also proud of its historical identity. The two main elements of the new logo (the shield shape and the red colour) immediately bring to mind the Fiat 524 of 1931, which was the first to sport a rectangular logo that blended into the new grille, designed with stylistic but also aerodynamic pretensions, in the shape of a shield with vertical elements.

The new Fiat logo sums up the mission of an Italian company that for over one hundred years has been building cars with beautiful styling, that are accessible and capable of guaranteeing a better quality of everyday life.

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