NF500 / fuel consumption

Consultancy and research company JATO have declared that among the top ten selling vehicle manufacturers in Europe, Fiat Automobiles recorded the lowest average CO2 emissions value for automobiles sold during 2007, setting an impressive benchmark of 137.3 g/km

The full rundown puts Fiat ahead of Peugeot at 141.9 g/km with sister company Citroen coming in at 142.2 g/km. Another French manufacturer, Renault come in fourth place with 146.4 g/km average, followed by Ford at 149.1 g/km. The chasing pack is made up my Vauxhall/Opel, Volkswagen, BMW, and in last palce Mercedes with average CO2 emissions of 188.4 g/km.

The results of this important analysis reward Fiat’s ongoing commitment to finding innovative solutions to reduce levels of polluting emissions and CO2

explained Lorenzo Sistino, managing director of Fiat Automobiles

Fiat’s aim is always to stay closer to people’s real needs and its commitment does not end here. Irrespective of what is decided by the powers-that-be in Europe, our aim is still to achieve the lowest average adjusted level of CO2 emissions for Fiat cars by 2012. Fiat intends to achieve this result by introducing an action plan on engines and transmissions, in addition to the use of the Eco Drive, an innovative application developed with Microsoft that is able – via the USB Port of the versatile Blue&Me system - to analyse motorists’ driving styles, helping them to optimise behaviour in terms of fuel consumption and hence emissions.

While Fiat are very publicly touting their eco-credentials of late, with innovations in the pipeline concerning hybrid drive systems and other combined fuel saving technologies, as recently shown in the Fiat 500 Aria concept, one huge aid in achieving these figures is Fiat’s product portfolio, which leans heavily towards smaller, and therefore almost by default, more frugal and lower emitting cars than many rivals.

Fiat are also working hard to be ready for future regulation ahead of time, for example the Fiat 500 and the Fiat Bravo have already seen the introduction of Euro 5 Ready power units (petrol and diesel) to the range. And by the end of 2009, the majority of engines in the entire Fiat range will be Euro 5 ready. Fiat is also the first manufacturer to develop the Multijet technology that drives all new-generation diesel cars and is a world leader in the field of methane-driven OEM cars (more than 50,000 were sold last year in Italy).

While investing in alternative fuel technology, Fiat is also embarking on a mission to downsize its diesel and petrol engine versions, as demonstrated by the new 1.4 T-Jet and 1.6 Multijet families. The adoption of a new-generation turbocharger, combined with a smaller capacity engine, enables Fiat to achieve performance levels on a par with, or even in excess of higher-capacity power units, but with lower fuel consumption and emissions.

Exactly 50 years on, a group of Fiat 500s will once again return to historic Liege in Belgium – leading a 10-day celebration of one of the greatest endurance rallies ever.

The Fiat 500s, dating from the 1950s, are part of a stunning entry list confirmed by organisers of this July’s Liege-Brescia-Liege rally which, in 1958 was unique. Then, the challenge comprised 3300km of gruelling roads, including treacherous mountain passes through the Alps, Dolomites and Yugoslavia, driven flat out – and all in cars of less than 500cc.

This year, when the rally is reborn as part of the 50-year celebrations, Fiat will be providing support in the form of a transporter full of new Fiat 500s, the vehicle that shows small cars can be fun to drive while offering fuel consumption of just 4.7 litres per 100 kilometres (50 mpg). Any classic microcar breaking down during the rally and not able to be repaired swiftly en route, will be swapped for a new 500 so that the crew can continue to enjoy the event.

Rally organisers and technicians will also use a fleet of Fiats, which will offer receptions for competitors at overnight stops along the route, including Liege, Karlsruhe, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Ljubljana, Bolzano and Brescia.

Liege-Brescia-Liege 2008, organised by ClassicRallyPress Ltd pays tribute to this pioneering attempt to prove the practicality, durability and usability of tiny cars that were often dismissed as ‘city cars’.

In 1958, 36 cars entered the event but only 13 finished, and they included all seven of the 500s that started the rally. The 500s eventually placed 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 9th and 13th.

A 1958 report showed that the total engine capacity of all 13 cars that finished the event was less than that of one typical American car of the time – yet the 13 cars had transported 26 adults 2000 miles over tough terrain, non-stop for three nights and two days.

This may be considered the first environmentally-conscious car rally, and the 2008 event sets out to prove once again that you can enjoy an unforgettable drive across many of Europe’s most beautiful mountain passes even in a small-engined car that is frugal on fuel.

The Liege-Brescia-Liege Rally 2008:

Starting from Liege on 11 July, the celebration rally covers the same 3300km/2000 mile route as the 1958 event, including Europe’s toughest mountain passes, combining evocative names such as the Stelvio and Gavia with less well-known but equally challenging roads like the Vrsic in Slovenia. Overnight halts are: 11 July Karlsruhe, 12Munich, 13 Cortina d’Ampezzo, 14 Ljubljana, 15 Bolzano, 16 Brescia, 17 Bolzano, 18Munich, 19 Karlsruhe and 20 Liege.

Cars that would have been eligible for the 1958 event will compete for awards in classes of 250cc, 350cc, 425 and 500cc – an additional ‘Spirit’ category welcomes cars up to 700cc and of a type built up to 1968, again divided into capacity classes. The rally is organised by ClassicRallyPress Ltd with the support of the Royal Motor Union of Liege, which coordinated the 1958 event.

According to Evo, Fiat have confirmed that the Stop&Start technology previewed as part of the Fiat 500 Aria concept car will make it into production. No suggestion of when this will happen is provided in the article, except to say that the 1.2 petrol model will receive the upgrade first, followed the 1.3 diesel.

Apparently the 1.2 becomes four percent more economical with the technology, whereas the diesel gains around two and a half percent.

Continatal Tyres issued the following press release earlier in the week, and while it is not surprisingly promotional in its language, we thought it would be of interest to 500 owners and would-be owners alike.

The Fiat 500 is making its comeback on Continental tyres. The Italian vehicle manufacturer has given the Original Equipment approval for all tyres sizes - 14″, 15″ and 16″ - for the new model.

The largest proportion of tyres to be supplied by Continental will be in the size 165/65R14 T.

Roberto Zazzara, who is responsible for the Original Equipment tyres which Continental delivers to Fiat, explains:

We supply Fiat with the ContiEcoContact 3, a tyre that offers low rolling resistance and thus reduced fuel consumption, and we are Fiat’s sole supplier for this size.

In terms of 15″ and 16″ tyres, Continental is equally well-represented with its ContiPremiumContact 2, which also offers very low rolling resistance.

Thanks to its wide product range, Continental is able to meet the vehicle manufacturer’s many different requirements. In this context, the ContiEcoContact 3 is more for small and compact cars, whilst the ContiPremiumContact 2 is a good choice for medium range to luxury cars. Both models have been designed to ensure short braking distances on wet and dry roads, good lateral guidance and comfortable driving characteristics, combined with low rolling resistance.

This isn’t new news, but worth revisiting and certainly worthy of a mention on NF500 for those unaware of the future plans for powering the new Fiat 500.

The original Fiat 500 “Topolino”, as many will be aware, was powered by a rear mounted twin-cylinder engine. The new 500, while swapping the engine to the front in a similar fashion to Volkswagen’s new Beetle, will return to two-cylinder power in the not too distant future. Although the new Multiair engines from FPT (Fiat Powertrain) will have nothing very retro about them in terms of their design or technology.

Twin cylinder engines have been considered a thing of the past by many due to being difficult to refine in terms of balancing economy, reasonable levels of performance, and most significantly refinement, but following years of development work Fiat believe they can offer a winning package.

The 0.9 litre version of the new Multiair engine is due to replace the 1.2 litre petrol engines in the Fiat car range, while the 1.4 litre petrol engines will also adopt Multiair technology to improve their performance in all areas.

Replacing the 1.2 litre engines with the new 0.9 litre twin cylinder model will improve fuel economy by over 20%, while Multiair technology could improve the 1.4 litre petrol engines by offering 10% improved torque figures, 10% better fuel consumption and a 50% reduction in emissions for both naturally aspirated and turbo variants.

All this will of course go towards helping Fiat achieve their claim that by 2012, the Fiat Group will have the lowest weighted average emissions of any other manufacture.

Full details of Fiats engine plans can be found in the official PDF from Fiat Powertrain in our downloads section on NF500.