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Posted by Alex Bale
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Well, not exactly. But kinda. You see, it was announced today that "Ferrari will take a more active role in engine development for Alfa, similar to what Ferrari already did for Maserati." Those the words of Fiat-Alfa-Chrysler (and therefore, Ferrari-Maserati too) boss Sergio Marchionne. What Ferrari did, specifically, for Maserati was it started building Maser's engines. The V8 in the GranTurismo and Quattroporte and the V8 in the 458 and California are actually quite closely related and are cast and assembled in the same Ferrari factory for both brands.Now, this (sadly) doesn't mean that Alfa is going to start stuffing V8s into the Mito and Giulietta (oh, the thought) but what it does mean is that Marchionne is keen to start putting more clear air between humdrum Fiats and sexy Alfas, and he thinks that the key to that is in the engine. Start getting Ferrari to tinker with Fiat's MultiAir, TwinAir and MultiJet diesel units and, voila (or the Italian equivalent), you have a new family of specifically Alfa engines good enough to take on the best that BMW and Audi can produce. Presumably, such engines will also migrate westward, into Dodge and Chrysler models to be sold under the SRT brand.
To be fair, there's nothing much wrong with Fiat's 1.4 Turbo petrol, especially once it's been tweaked for service in Abarth models and likewise, the 1750 TBI 1.8 turbo engine from the Giulietta Cloverleaf gives little or nothing away to any German engine. So quite what Ferrari can do, and how far the tinkering will go, remains to be seen.
Posted by Alex Bale
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Price as tested: €15,495
+ Styling, improved quality, excellent engine, value, comfort, space– Still too much cheap cabin plastic, not much else= Unfairly ignored compact hatch, deserves more attention
I bet you've forgotten about the Fiat Punto. It wouldn't be hard to be fair. Since its 2000 heyday when it was one of the best selling cars in Ireland's all-time bumper year for car sales, the Punto has steadily slid down the car sales cliff, in spite of a gorgeous 2005 re-issue with Maserati-like styling by Giugiaro. In a class populated by the likes of the Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Polo, Peugeot 208, Kia Rio and so many talented others, it's just too easy for the Punto's light to stay well and truly beneath a handy bushel.
And I'll also bet you have some pretty lazy pre-conceptions about Fiat cars in general. If you're of a certain age, rust and electrical maladies will still be top of your list when it comes to Fiat, in spite of two decades where Italian build quality has done nothing but improve.
Of course, Fiat itself has seemed to occasionally ignore the Punto. While the glamorous 500 and the practical Panda have since come along to take centre stage, the current Punto is merely a facelifted version of the car that was launched in 2005.
So, I wasn't expecting all that much when I grabbed the keys to the test car. Yet another facelift of the Punto has come along, reversing some of the rather poor styling decisions made when it became the Punto Evo in 2009, but I too had fallen prey to assuming I knew the Punto's place in the universe.
I'm therefore pleased to report that I was wrong. The updates to the latest generation have gone a long way to strengthening the Punto's hand and it's actually a much sharper competitor to the likes of the Fiesta and Polo than you would have thought. Certainly, it looks arguably better than either, and the cabin now benefits from much higher quality surfaces than before, albeit you don't have to look too hard to find hard, scratchy plastics.
There's good space in there too, and the seats are comfy while out back, the boot is big and well shaped.
The actual production version of the updated 1.3-litre MultiJet Diesel engine will have 85bhp in the Puntos you'll find in dealerships, but our test car actually had the old 75bhp version fitted. No matter, even with the rise of the clever little two-cylinder TwinAir petrol, the diesel is the Punto to have, even if it is a pricey option. Quite apart from exceptionally good economy and emissions figures (90g/km of Co2 and potentially as good as 80mpg if you're in-cred-ibly delicate with the throttle) there is the matter that its 200Nm of torque means it is a relaxed and capable long-haul car, something you could never have said of the old 1.2-litre petrol. Mind you, an extra cog in the slightly slack-shifting five-speed gearbox would help in this regard.
Also a touch slack is the steering, which feels entirely artificial and fake, which is a shame as through the clouds of over-assistance you can feel a really quite talented chassis at work. It's not quite as sharp or rewarding as a Fiesta, but it's more fun by far than most others in the class to throw around, and in spite of ever-increasing girth the Punto still feels properly small and enjoyably agile. It also rides better than it did in 2005 when I first drove it. It still jiggles a little over small, sharp surfaces, but bigger bumps are smoothed over with a deft Italianate roll of the shoulders.
Add to that a reasonably affordable list price of €15,495 which includes pretty decent equipment as standard, and the Punto's package is starting to come together really rather well. And then there's the intangible loveliness that comes with merely driving an Italian car. A little touch of flair, a merest hint of style all makes the experience that bit more enjoyable. It's not something that will appeal to all, perhaps indeed only to a select few, but it's the difference between shopping on Grafton Street or in the Grand Piazza in Milan. You just, or at least I just, feel as if you're cutting a bit more of a rakish figure climbing out of your Punto at the kerb side.
No, the Punto's not perfect, and yes, thanks to that broad public perception you will pay a harsh price come resale time, but I left it back feeling quite surprisingly sad to see it go. Character is a rare thing in an increasingly homogenised car market, and the Punto has that in buckets. To find that it also has a remarkable amount of substance to back that up was simply a welcome surprise.
Fiat Punto 1.3 JTD 85bhpPrice as tested: €15,495
Price range: €13,495 to €15,495
Capacity: 1,248cc
Power: 85bhp
Torque: 200Nm
Top speed: 170kmh
0-100kmh: 12.7sec
Economy: 3.5l-100km (80mpg)
CO2 emissions: 90g/km
Road Tax Band: A2. €180
Euro NCAP rating: 5-star adult, 4-star child, 3-star pedestrian
Posted by Alex Bale
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Fiat seems to be committing itself to a future of spinning all of its models off the 500 brand name in future. A recent report released by Fiat stated that it sees no future in trying to sell conventional b and c segment hatchback in Europe, which seems to spell the death knell for the Punto and Bravo. But the 500-based 500 L, which launches in Ireland in the spring, is already spinning off derivatives to allow Fiat to attack multiple market niches with one basic vehicle as a base-point. The first such version is the rugged-looing 500 L Trekking, which was launched at the Los Angeles motor show last week. It's basically a standard 500 L with bigger wheels, faux-4x4 bumpers and side panels and an upgraded two-tone interior. In the new year, we'll also see seven-seat 500 XL and proper 4x4 500 X versions as Fiat goes after the Mini MPV and compact SUV markets. Will buyers be any more attracted to such cars than they would have been to a standard Punto? We'll see...
Helping set the FIAT 500L Trekking apart from its siblings are aggressively-styled front and rear bumpers, wheel-arch and rocker-panel mouldings and larger 17-inch alloy wheels. Inside, a unique two-tone Nero/Marrone (black/brown) interior echoes the earthy feel of the exterior styling cues and, as with the standard FIAT 500L, there’s a choice of a 5.0 or 6.5-inch touch-screen Uconnect infotainment system, the latter offering satellite navigation and a media hub in addition to the former’s Bluetooth connectivity and music stream capabilities.
According to Tim Kuniskis, FIAT Brand Manager for North America, “With the rugged personality of the Trekking we will attract a wider cross-section of customers while keeping intact all the great benefits of the Fiat 500L.”
Meanwhile, the 2012 LA Motor Show was also the venue for the North American debut of the new FIAT 500L, which differs only slightly from the European model in terms of its final execution, mainly due to local legislation. The North American model is powered by a 160hp 1.4-litre turbo-charged petrol engine, mated either to a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.
The new FIAT 500L and FIAT 500L Trekking are produced at FIAT Group Automobiles’ manufacturing plant in Kragujevac, Serbia, and will arrive in North American dealerships in mid-2013. The FIAT 500L is expected to go on sale in Ireland in the spring of 2013 and the European version of the FIAT 500L Trekking is likely to follow in the autumn. Prices and final specifications for Ireland will be announced closer to the both vehicles’ respective Irish launches.
Posted by Alex Bale
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Maserati's new Quattroporte isn't just a (gorgeous) new luxury saloon, to take on the likes of the Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7 Series; it's also the kicking off of a massive renewal for the Maserati brand with three all-new models and a plan for 50,000 sales a year.
That's a massive increase on current Maserati sales, but Fiat bosses have big plans for its premium performance brand, and to leave clear air between it and in-house rival Ferrari, the three new models (including this new Quattroporte) are going to be as far from mid-engined supercars as is possible.
The Quattroporte, seen here, will make its official debut at the Detroit motor show in January, and will continue with Ferrari-based V8 power; most likely an updated version of the 4.7-litre engine currently found in Maserati's GranTurismo coupe.
The new Quattroporte is longer and more spacious than before, but with more light weight aluminium in its structure in an attempt to keep its bulk under control.
“Maserati stands today at the edge of an unparalleled strategic and industrial growth that will see our presence in the world rise to 50,000 units a year by 2015" Harald Wester, Maserati's CEO told us. This growth is a challenge for which Maserati has carefully prepared itself and that we all welcome with anticipation.
“It is a growth based on those values of style, elegance, quality and performance for which Maserati has always been recognised and praised in almost 100 years of history. This exciting progression will make the new Maserati a true global player with two new production sites in two different continents and a heart solidly planted in Modena, Italy, where our roots are.
“It is a growth that will be based on three new models entering two new segments of the automobile market – and it starts with the all-new 2013 Maserati Quattroporte.”
The two other models? Well, this is where the mouth really starts to water. First up, probably late next year, will be a new Ghibli; but unlike the sixties original, this Ghibli will be a four-door saloon, smaller than the Quattroporte, that will take on the likes of the BMW 5 Series and Audi A6. There may even be a high-po diesel version using a twin-turbo derivative of the VM Motori V6 diesel found in the Ghibli's distant cousin, the Chrysler 300C.
After that will be the Levante, Maserati's first foray into the SUV world and a rival to the Porsche Panamera. Expect a swoopy body atop a much-modified Jeep Grand Cherokee platform with, again, likely diesel as well as petrol, powerplants.
