Among other reference models of the present, the new Palio 2008 also shares a leading location. This is the latest launch in the Argentine market, which reflects the constant evolution of a range of successful products in the region and also incorporates the brand's new “family feeling” on the front.
The Fiat Panda Cross, an iconic version of a successful European model, is added to that first line of attack. A very attractive little car with very characteristic qualities in the brand. Its merit lies in a project that has created a very small car of reasonable interior comfort. It is ideal for urban traffic and adapts well to longer journeys.
Complete the picture with the Fiat Concept Car Adventure, an interesting design exercise.
The launch of the new Fiat Bravo was the best opportunity to present, along with the already proven range of turbodiesel Common Rail Multijet (1.9 120 and 150 hp) and 1.4 16 V 90 hp fuel, a new generation of supercharged gasoline propellants called T-JET (1.4 Turbo 120 and 150 hp) that combine emissions and reduced consumption with excellent performance.
The product exhibition reserved an important space for the brand's ecological vehicles, with solutions that aim to respect the environment. There are the Siena 1.4 Tetrafuel; the Palio Electrico and the Palio with Fire 1.4 Flex engine
At the Salón de Buenos Aires, Fiat exhibits the Palio Fire Flex 1.4. Its engine allows the use of gasoline (mixture of 80% naphtha and 20% alcohol) and alcohol in any proportion of both fuels and without altering the performance of the vehicle.
This bifuel technology allows to achieve greater economy with low levels of pollutant emission, maintaining the performance of vehicles compared to their single-fuel versions. Flex engine technology includes numerous details and built-in solutions, including a new cold start system and a new valve train.
In addition, there is also the Siena Tetrafuel, which has the merit of being the first vehicle in the world to run on four fuels: hydrated alcohol, naphtha with 20% alcohol (Brazilian gasoline), naphtha, and CNG (compressed natural gas). The great technological innovation of this model lies in the fact that a single electronic power plant manages the use of them in an integral way, alternating them automatically.
In terms of safety, the new Siena Tetrafuel includes passive safety mechanisms that prevent major damage in the event of an accident, tested in crash-tests and fire tests. The Tetrafuel system is factory installed, so the Siena has the same guarantee as conventional vehicles.
Also on display is the Palio Electrica, the first result of a partnership between Fiat Automóveis de Brasil, Itaipú Hidroeléctrica and KWO among other technology companies and research institutes in Brazil. The Electric Palio is the subject of studies for the development of an absolutely ecological car: zero pollution and zero noise.
© Adrián Blanco 2007 - No full or partial reproduction of text and/or images without explicit written consent of the author. —