|
| covering the latest news and products from the world of motoring |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
REVISED FIAT IDEA IN THE UK
It features detailed styling changes, new interior trim and upholstery, comprehensive standard equipment specification upgrades, and significant performance enhancements achieved through an expanded engine and transmission range. An attractive contender in the mini-MPV market, the versatile, practical Idea reflects Fiat Auto’s unrivalled expertise in the field of small cars. Its design provides an elevated driving position, impressive interior space, seating flexibility and class-leading storage facilities, despite exterior dimensions only marginally bigger than those of the average supermini. Five versions of the 2006 Idea, priced from £10,295 – £13,195 on-the-road, are available, embracing three trim levels – Active, Dynamic and Eleganza – and a choice of three engines: a further refined version of the spirited FIRE 1.4 litre 16 valve 95 bhp petrol unit, and both 70 bhp and 90 bhp versions of Fiat Auto’s widely acclaimed 1.3 litre 16 valve MultiJet diesel engine – the smallest and most advanced second generation common rail direct injection turbodiesel in the world. Dynamic and Eleganza 1.4 litre petrol versions of the latest Idea are now mated to a new 6-speed transmission, whilst both 70 bhp and 90 bhp versions of the 1.3 litre MultiJet powerplant as well as the Active 1.4 litre petrol version incorporate a 5-speed manual gearbox. Dualogic transmission, a sophisticated, clutchless, 5-speed sequential manual shift with a selectable, fully automatic mode is available as an option throughout the range. The 2006 Fiat Idea’s improved equipment specification has been carefully considered to simplify and enhance life on board, with a stereo radio/CD player, remote central locking, driver and front passenger airbags, electric front windows, three rear headrests, Dualdrive power steering, Follow Me Home headlamps, ABS anti-lock braking and body coloured bumpers now fitted as standard across the range. Numerous options more usually reserved for vehicles in a higher segment include parking sensors, curtain airbags (fitted as standard with Dynamic and Eleganza trim levels), ESP (including ASR, MSR and Hill Holder), a CD sound system that can play MP3 music files and a SkyDome glass sunroof occupying nearly 70% of the new Idea’s roof area (also fitted as standard to Eleganza models). At the heart of the new Fiat Idea’s outstanding interior flexibility is a unique rear seat – set 5 mm higher than the front seats at 70 mm off the ground – combining a 40:20:40 split/folding and 60 degree reclining backrest with a 60:40 split/folding, and sliding, seat base. In conjunction with front and centre rear seats which fold forwards to form flat table tops, the system offers no less than 32 different seating configurations allied to a luggage capacity of between 320 to 1420 litres. Moreover, extensive cabin storage features no less than 27 different storage points. Fiat Auto has equipped the 2006 Idea with class-leading levels of both passive and active safety. Allied to a chassis designed to provide exceptional torsional stiffness yet absorb impact with maximum efficiency, the Idea may be fitted with up to four airbags, whilst height adjustable front seat belts with pretensioners and load limiters, three-point rear seat belts, anti-submarining front and rear seats, and Fiat’s FPS Fire Prevention System are all fitted as standard. The 2006 Fiat Idea also offers the full range of braking, traction control and stability systems available today: ABS anti-lock brakes complete with electronic brakeforce distribution, ASR to limit wheelspin during acceleration, MSR to modulate engine torque whilst changing down, and a sophisticated ESP to control stability through bends. Vehicles fitted with ESP also benefit from hydraulic brake assistance and a unique Hill Holder function to facilitate smooth hill starts. Incorporating true Multi Purpose Vehicle space efficiency and flexibility practicality, the 2006 Fiat Idea offers enhanced performance, improved specification levels and exceptional comfort, combined with unrivalled safety and outstanding value for money. New exterior and interior Subtle yet distinctive revisions to all areas of the Idea’s compact, monobox design instantly identify it. At the front, indicator lamps are now incorporated within headlamp clusters which are, themselves, flush fitting within the nose section. A new grille is finished in chrome, rather than black, and the front bumper inserts are body coloured. Either side, door handles and mouldings are body coloured on Dynamic and Eleganza versions, whilst the body coloured rubbing strips are highlighted by elegant chrome accents. Door pillars are finished in black to reinforce the Idea’s generous 3.6 square metres of glazing and emphasise the clean homogeny of the design. At the rear, tall, upright tail-lights flanking a practical, top hinged tailgate now feature distinctive chrome inserts. On board, a new, lower contrast, two-tone dashboard is complemented by a high-gloss instrument binnacle and chrome highlighting to the gear lever, air vent handles and storage compartment handles. Improved upholstery is available in a range of new fabrics and colours; Red or Grey Iris fabric in Active versions, Inox Black/Bronze or Inox Black/Azure fabric in Dynamic models, and Inox Black/Azure fabric and leather or Inox Black/Steel fabric and leather in the Eleganza. The 2006 Fiat Idea is available in a choice of 10 paint finishes, including four new colours; New Orleans Blue, Minimal grey, Digital Grey and Chorus Blue. Revised model range In a 2006 model range rationalised and restructured to provide enhanced equipment specifications and competitive pricing, five versions of the new Fiat Idea are available as follows: 1.4 16v Active 95 bhp
Improved standard equipment The revised and upgraded standard specifications now include the following: Active * ABS with EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution) * Electric front windows with driver’s ‘One Touch’ facility * Remote central locking * Driver and passenger front airbags * Dualdrive electric power steering * Height and reach adjustable steering wheel * Height adjustable driver’s seat * Heated rear window with intelligent wash/wipe * ‘Follow Me Home’ headlights * Body coloured bumpers * Fiat Code II engine immobiliser * Locking fuel cap * 3 rear head restraints * Trip computer Dynamic: In addition to the Active specification, Dynamic adds: * Air conditioning with pollen filter * Full length curtain airbags * Heated, electrically adjustable door mirrors * Rear parking sensor * Sliding, multi-configurable rear seat * Foglights * Driver and passenger seat lumbar adjustment * Body coloured wing mirrors, door handles and rubbing strips Eleganza: * Automatic dual-zone, dual-flow climate control with pollen filter * Outside temperature sensor * Electric rear windows * SkyDome sunroof * 15'' alloy wheels * Leather and fabric upholstery * Steering wheel mounted audio controls * Leather trimmed steering wheel and gear lever * Overhead oddments compartments with child surveillance mirror Extended powertrain range 1.3 16v 70bhp MultiJet * 1248 cc out of town: 62.8 mpg combined: 55.4 mpg 1.3 16v 90bhp MultiJet * Power: 90 bhp @ 4000 rpm combined: 57.7 mpg Weighing just 130 kg, the 1.3 litre 16v MultiJet – a 1248 cc, 4-cylinder in-line unit with a bore of 69.6 mm and a stroke of 82 mm – is the smallest and most advanced second generation Common Rail direct injection turbodiesel in the world. The new engine offers two innovative features; extremely compact dimensions (460 mm long, 500 mm wide and 650 mm high) that enable it to be installed in B-segment and A-segment city cars, and the sophisticated MultiJet technology of second generation JTDs. The latter being the fruition of groundbreaking development work at the Fiat Research Centre, itself responsible for the introduction of the world''s first UniJet Common Rail engine in 1997. Mated to 5-speed manual gearboxes, both 70bhp and 90bhp variants feature twin overhead camshafts, a chain driven timing system, hydraulic tappets, a cast iron crankcase with an aluminium base, steel crankshaft and an aluminium cylinder head. The cylinder head is equipped with highly efficient directional intake ports to ensure an optimum fuel mix despite the small bore. The 1.3 MultiJet engine is boosted by a turbocharger with wastegate and intercooler, and possesses an electronically controlled Exhaust Gas Recirculation system and exhaust gas cooling. The 90 bhp unit boasts a variable geometry turbocharger, boosting maximum power output by 20 bhp at 4000 rpm, and peak torque by 14 lb.ft from 133 to 147 lb.ft at just 1750 rpm. Not only do these attributes combine to make the 90 bhp MultiJet the smallest and most powerful diesel in its class, it also makes the new Fiat Idea a particularly environmentally friendly car, with important company car tax implications. At present in the UK, all non-Euro 4 diesel cars are subject to a 3% company car tax loading. The new Fiat Idea’s 1.3 16v MultiJet units will be exempt from this, thus further enhancing its appeal amongst company car drivers/user choosers. 1.4 16v FIRE Engine (6-speed transmission) * 1368 cc out of town: 51.4 (52.3) mpg combined: 42.8 (42.8) mpg Further refinements to the proven 95bhp, 1.4 16v FIRE unit include a revised barycentric engine mounting system of increased rigidity to minimise the transfer of vibrations, and an optimised piston skirt profile with a new, molybendum bisulphate coating to minimise piston/liner clearances and thus reduce noise. In Active specification, the 1.4 16v Idea is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox, whilst in Dynamic and Eleganza trim levels, the revised 95 bhp powerplant is fitted, as standard, with a smooth, precise, 6-speed manual transmission. Optimising engine efficiency, the new gearbox not only improves high-speed cruising fuel economy, but also boosts acceleration by some 8% from 40 to 60 mph in fourth gear, and by 10% from 50 to 70 mph in fifth gear. Available as an option throughout the 2006 Fiat Idea range, Dualogic transmission is a sophisticated, clutchless, 5-speed sequential manual shift with a selectable, fully automatic mode. This innovative transmission system features a servo automated clutch and gear lever, whilst retaining all the attributes of a dry clutch and manual gearbox; low weight, strength, reliability and fuel economy. Three operating modes are selectable; semi-automatic, automatic and automatic eco. In the absence of a clutch pedal, fast, accurate gear changing in semi-automatic mode simply requires the movement of the lever forward to change up and back to change down. In fully automatic mode, Dualogic offers two options; Normal and Economy. The Normal option offers outstanding driving comfort through the smoothest gear changes under all conditions. Pressing the Economy button on the gear control panel offers reduced fuel consumption whilst maintaining first class driving comfort.
|
|
| Driver247.com is an Internet publication brought to you by The 247 Network - Visit our other sites at www.the247network.com. |
| The entire content included in this website, including but not limited to text, design, graphics, interfaces, or code and the selection and arrangements thereof is copyrighted as a collective work under the UK and other copyright laws and is the property of The 247 Network. |