Fiat Punto Creative with extra equipment out in Brazil

The Creative version gets a bouquet of equipment to keep it fresh

A new variant of the Fiat Punto is launched in Brazil, in fact two new variants — the Punto Creative I and the Punto Creative II.

According to the Brazilian blogger, a new Punto with 1.6 ltr 16 valve flex engine is being tested in Brazil but the Creative I and II are the variants of the existing 1.4 ltr SAFIRE version.

MP3 CD radio, electric rear panel, knife type key, alloy wheels, rear spoiler and creative stickers are the goodies added to the Creative I.

Fiat Should Add Italian-Made Electric Cars to Plan, Union Says

Italy’s biggest carmaker, should add electric models and hybrids in exchange for continued government incentives, the company’s largest trade union said.

While Fiat is already introducing Multi Air gasoline engines that cut consumption and emissions by at least 10 percent, it could go further, Giorgio Airaudo, a leader of the Fiom CGIL metalworkers’ union, said yesterday in an interview.

“It makes no sense for us to confirm production of old products,” Airaudo said by phone from Turin, where Fiat is based. “The government needs to link incentives to innovation.”

Unions are concerned Fiat may shift production of new models to North America following its alliance with Chrysler Group LLC. Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne has urged Italy to retain payments for scrapping older cars and buying more efficient ones to buoy sales amid the economic slump.

Airaudo, whose union is the country’s biggest, with 370,000 members, said that while Industry Minister Claudio Scajola is right to say Fiat’s plant in Termini Imerese, Sicily, should stay open, the site could be put to better use.

The carmaker said in June it plans to continue production of the Lancia Ypsilon at the factory through 2011 and then use it for “other, non-automotive, production.” The plant is Fiat’s smallest in Italy and employs 1,400 people.

“Over time a lot of investment has been made in that factory and I’m told the quality of production is good,” Scajola said yesterday in Dubai.

Workers from Termini Imerese occupied the town’s city hall on Nov. 18. Scajola visted them the next day and said he’ll take up their concerns when he meets with Marchionne on Dec. 1. to review Fiat’s production plan.

Five Plants

Fiat, Italy’s largest manufacturer and biggest private employer, runs five auto plants in the country, with the workforce totaling 31,000. Marchionne plans to cut production in line with shrinking demand. Fiat says it loses 1,000 euros ($1,493) on every vehicle produced at Termini Imerese.

The company should bring electric-car technology to Italy through its link with Chrysler, Airaudo said.

“There’s no reason to limit the development of electric cars to the U.S.,” he said. “We should be developing new technology that we can sell in Europe.

Fiat already uses electric technology for its delivery vans, a segment where it sees the most demand. Lou Rhodes, who heads Chrysler’s electric vehicle development, has been charged with overseeing the same segment at Fiat, a Fiat spokesman said.

Fiat 500 is top ten selling car in the UK

The Fiat 500 should be highly successful car when it launches in the USA. Sales numbers in the UK for the car have been quite favorable as the car was a top ten selling car in the month of October.

This was in accordance with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders who reported that the Fiat 500 sold 2,989 units last month. This was an improvement of 993 in sales for the Fiat 500 compared to last year.

“This is an incredible result for the Fiat 500 which we are, of course, delighted with,” says Andrew Humberstone, managing director, Fiat Group Automobiles UK Ltd. “Interest in this car has been sky high ever since we launched it here less than two years ago.

“The popularity of this superb vehicle speaks for itself and, with the launch this summer of the fantastic 500C, and the option of Start&Stop bringing further environmental benefits to the range, we’re sure we will see the Fiat 500 making even greater inroads into the UK small car market.”

In relation to the USA, Chrysler plans to introduce the 500 as their first car amongst many others which will grace US roads. Chrysler made this announcement recently and the car should hit sometime late 2010.

The Fiat 500 will be a great competitor to the MINI Cooper and some could argue that it is more stylish than the BMW made MINI.

Fiat cars amongst the greenest in Australia

Italian motoring giants Fiat has become the first car maker to have its entire range represented in the top five greenest cars available in Australia.

The popular Fiat 500 offers Australia's best fuel economy in one version and the second highest green rating in another version, followed by the Fiat Punto in third spot and the Fiat Ritmo rounding out the top five 'Top Performers' in the Australian Government's Green Vehicle Guide with its newly launched Fiat Ritmo Dynamic 1.4.

Fiat's performance in the Australian Green Vehicle Guide mirrors the marque's performance in Europe - it has been the number one performer in having the lowest range average for carbon dioxide emissions across its range based on total sales for the second year running.

Andrei Zaitzev, General Manager for Fiat in Australia said: "Fiat's belief is that to make a real impact on Carbon Dioxide emissions, every model in the range has to be pulling its weight and making a real contribution,"

"It is simply not good enough to have one model in the range that has good emissions and fuel economy covering for other poorly performing models. This is why at Fiat we have choice of the benchmark JTD-Multijet diesels and the remarkable, compact Fire and T-Jet petrol engines in all our cars, so which ever Fiat a customer chooses, whether its petrol or diesel, they will be driving a car that makes the best possible contribution to cutting carbon dioxide emissions."

It is safe to say that Fiat has set the new benchmark for green vehicles in Europe and Australia.

Fiat "500C By Diesel"

The Cinema Against AIDS Gala in favour of AmFAR (the American Foundation for AIDS Research), the association in charge of fund-raising for the fight against AIDS, is to be held on 21st May 2009, during the 62nd edition of the Cannes Film Festival. The charity auction, now in its seventeenth edition, will be taking place at Hotel du Cap in Antibes this year.

Bill Clinton will be the most eagerly awaited guest of this edition and will be hosting the auction alongside the event’s godmother Sharon Stone and film producer Harvey Weinstein.

A large number of significant items will be up for grabs during the most eagerly awaited Gala of the film festival: these include an exclusive Fiat “500C by DIESEL”, resulting from the joint effort of Fiat and the lifestyle brand by Renzo Rosso. This cabrio model, a one-off car that is not available for purchase, combines two apparently distant worlds: fashion and motoring. As a matter of fact, they share some important concepts, such as talent, creativity, appeal and innovation, the winning ingredients of Italian style, which is famous all over the world.

[Source: Fiat]

FIAT ABARTH 500

Following the huge success of Abarth’s re-launch last year, the Fiat Group’s performance division has now created the ultimate sporting expression of the 500. As befits a car with its roots firmly ensconced in motorsport, all versions of the new small Abarth feature a zesty 1.4-litre turbocharged engine, which has been designed to be responsive throughout its entire rev range as well as being economical and gentle on the environment.

The heart of the Abarth 500 is its 1.4-litre 16-valve turbo engine. This engine develops a peppy 135bhp at 5500rpm, with peak torque of 206Nm (152lb ft) in Sport mode at 3000rpm. In Normal mode the engine’s 180Nm (132lb ft) at 2500rpm still gives it a pleasing urgency. The results are a top speed of 128mph while the 0-62mph dash is covered in 7.9 seconds.

[Source: Fiat]

Fiat Panda Cross

This Panda might be cross – but its owners shouldn’t be! Fiat has given its popular supermini a rugged makeover to create the Panda Cross. The tough-looking urban runabout – based on the existing all-wheel-drive car – has an all-new bodykit with revised headlights and contrasting side panels.

[Source: Fiat]