Alfa Romeo is one of the most stylish and fast Italian luxury cars. Fiat Alfa Romeo 159 was launched in the year 2005 although Alfa Romeo has been a part of Fiat group since 1986.The car was introduced to have aeronautical design integrated to luxury cars.

Fiat Alfa Romeo was showcased in Delhi at the 9th Auto Expo on Jan 2008. Alfa Romeo was launched in India with 2.5-litre V6 diesel engine that generated a power of 188 bhp and another 1.9-litre multi-jet petrol engine gives a power of 150 bhp. Alfa 159 will have the engines that has the 2.2L JTS and it delivers a power of 185bhp.The two diesel versions deliver power of 150bhp from 1.9L and 200bhp from 2.4L.

Looks of Fiat Alfa Romeo

Fiat Alfa Romeo is considered to be one of the best looking cars. It has a V-shaped grille and bonnet and head light clusters are cylindrical. The waistline is broad upto the C pillar and interior of the car is amazing. High quality material has been used for the seats and instruments are angled towards the driver. The steering wheel is comfortably placed and it allows the driver to have an easy drive in crowded roads.

Fiat Alfa Romeo is a compact executive car with 4-doors and from grille to tail pipe the car measures 4.6 meters. Alfa 159 combines sport ness, technology and elegance in a its design.

Technology and Engine

Fiat Alfa Romeo uses Fiat Powertrain Technologies in the 1.9 JTD engine and it is integrated to Twin Stage Turbo technology that raises power to 140 kW and maximum torque goes to 400 NM from just 1.9 liters of petrol.

The 1.9 LTD engines uses FTP four cylinder diesel engine and it gives a power like a six cylinder vehicle. Fiat Alfa Romeo has low fuel consumption and it delivers a high power and torque.

The new engine of Fiat Alfa Romeo has been integrated to two versions of the motor and as compared to the previous 1.9 liter JTD engines, torque has been improved by almost 50% .The high performance of the car is attributed to the advanced turbo charging technology that works on the Two stage Turbo charging principle and the thermo- structural resistance of the motors has also been increased that allows increased cylinder pressure to 180 abr. The exhaust temperature can go to 800C.

The Two stage turbo charging enables the motor to combine small turbocharger’s response at low speed and it eliminates the Turbo lag and the second stage turbo charging is for deep breathing and it prevents breathlessness in engines.

Security and Comfort

Fiat Alfa Romeo has the TST technology that allows improved gas circulation and reduces fuel consumption. NOX emission is low. The engine has been passed for the Euro 5 emission standards. The compression ratio is lowered from 17.5 to 16.5.An improved EGR cooler has been attached. It has been awarded five-star safety rating by the Euro NCAP.

Features of Fiat Alfa Romeo

• Engine allows front-wheel drive
• JTS – Jet Thrust Stoichiometric the term used for Direct Injection Engine
• 5 – Speed manual Transmission
• Wheelbase: 2700 / 2703 mm (106.3/106.4 in.)
• Length: 4660/4661 mm (183.4/183.5 in.)
• Width: 1828/1830 mm (71.9/72.0 in.)
• Height : 417-1422 mm (55.7-55.9 in.)
• Curb weight: 1,430–1,680 kg
• Fuel capacity: 69 L – 70 L
• Torque = 400 NM from just 1.9 litres of petrol
• Power = 188 bhp

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• High fuel efficiency
• Integrated with latest technologies
• Comfortable to drive
• Stylish and elegant Italian design

Cons

• The luxury car Fiat Alfa Romeo is not very comfortable like a Mercedes
• The looks are not like a dynamic sportscar
• The technologies integrated to the vehicle are not improved over Audi
• Its price is high for average Indian buyer.

Cost:

The car has been launched to compete with BMW -3, Mercedes C –class and the Audi –A4 and the car is priced at minimum Rs 25 Lakhs in an Ex-showroom in Delhi.

Fiat Linea is a small family car manufactured by Italian automakers and it is a famous car in Eastern Europe, Middle East and Latin America. In January 2009 the car was launched in India although it was scheduled to be launched in the country in November 2008 but the launch delayed because of the Mumbai Terror Attacks.

Engine and Power

Fiat Lines has been launched with three engines1 .4L FIRE, 1.4L 16 V T- Jet and 1.3L 16v Multijet. The maximum power delivered by the vehicle is 78 PS @ 6000 rpm and highest torque is 115 Nm @ 3000 rpm. The car goes from 0 to 100 km / h in just 14.6 seconds and the maximum speed is 220 km / hour.

Looks and Design

The company launched it as a replacement for Marea. Fiat Linea sedan has been launched in color types Tecno Grey, Jazz Blue, Flamenco Red, Fox-Trot Azure, Minimal Grey, Lullaby Blue, Rockabilly Black, Ambient White, Breakdance Green and Indie Ivory. The car is designed by Fiat Style Centre and it is based on Fiat Grande Punto platform. The car has a size to accommodate a family (5 -seats) and it can be compared to saloon cars such as Opel Astra or Renault Mégane. Fiat Linea has a wheelbase of 2,603 mm that is longer than other Fiat models .Its length is 4,560 mm.

Fiat Linea is a perfect stylish car that has a powerful engine and is comfortable to drive on city roads. Some latest technologies like the Blue & Me hands-free system, Mobile system with voice, speech recognition, read SMS aloud and audio controls are integrated to the car and you can even listen to music from a Pen drive in Mp3 or WMA formats that you can connect to the USB port.

Drive and comfort

Fiat Linea is easy to drive and handle. Advanced suspension system has been integrated to Fiat Linea that has an improved shock absorber and it absorbs jerks of the uneven roads. It is comfortable to drive a Fiat Linea because of the steering wheel and the safety features.

The advanced safety features include ABS system (Antilock Braking System) and the EBD system (Electronic Brake force Distribution), roof air bags, driver’s air bags, seat belts and FPS (Fire Protection System) system.

Some of the attractive features are projector like headlights, clear bodylines, muscular grille, clear lens fog lamps and a clear tail lamp. Five passengers can be comfortably seated in the car and interiors of the car are impressive like the exteriors. The interior room is comfortably designed and high class material has been used to design the interiors. The instrument cluster is a well organized segment with a clear dashboard and headrests are present on the rear seats to make it comfortable.

Features of Fiat Linea

• Engine: 1.4L Petrol/1.3, 1.4L Diesel, 4 –cylinders, 5 –speed manual transmission
• Displacement 1368 cc
• Maximum Power: 77 PS @ 6000 rpm
• Maximum Torque: 115 Nm @ 3000 rpm
• Wheelbase: 2603 mm
• Ground Clearance: 160 mm
• Fuel Capacity: 45 litres
• Length: 4560 mm, Width: 1730 mm, Height: 1494 mm
• Min. Turning Radius = 5.4m
• Kerb Weight: 1185 kg
• Suspension: Front McPherson independent suspension: Rear Half torsion beam trailing arm axle with rotator
• Brakes: Front Ventilated Disc, Rear Drum Brake
• Steering Type: Rack and Pinion, power assisted
• Tyre: 185/65 R 15

Pros and Cons of Fiat Linea

Pros:

• Fuel Efficiency is high.
• Linea has great looks, music system, digital display and attractive interiors.
• Steering control is good.
• Suspension is improved technologically that makes the vehicle move easily on rugged roads.
• Low speed drive is comfortable
• Fuel efficiency is high

Cons:

Rear seats are not very comfortable (for above 6 ft.)
Cost is high as compared to other models in market.

Cost of Fiat Linea

The car Fiat Linea has been launched in India in the price range of Rs.7 to Rs 8 Lakhs.

Fiat in India today announced the launch of the new Fiat Palio Stile in two petrol engine options: Palio Stile 1.1 (in three versions- SL, SLE, SLX) and Palio Stile 1.6 (Sport). New Fiat Palio is a stunning car that has nothing conventional and commonplace about it. It strikes you for its aggressive look and a technology that is unprecedented in this vehicle class. Surprise and innovation: it has been refurbished in every respect, from its young, modern looking design to new comfort and safety contents.

This car is more fuel efficient and less powerful than the earlier versions of the Palio. The new Palio 1100 comes with an 1108cc engine with 54 bhp power. This is 25 percent less than the previous version which carried over 72bhp. The estimated torque in the Palio 1100 is 9kgm and the Kerb weight of this car is close to 900 kgs. The trunk is pretty spacious at 280 liters. The cost of this car will be close to 4 lakh ex-showroom Delhi. The motor of this car is from FIAT and the popular FIRE (Fully Integrated Robotized Engine) version which is on the Palio NV too.

It is with the new look & updated and reduced capacity power plant as well, one that displaces 1100cc. Done to allow the Italian car to meet the new excise norms for small cars, which define it as being under four meters in length and powered by petrol engines smaller than 1.2 liters. Fiat is hoping this car will be a shot in the arm for flagging Palio sales. The nose of the car is virtually all- new. Your focus now rests on a pair of double-barreled headlamps.

Set deep in a very modern-looking nacelle, they deliver a grown-up modern look to the car. They also wrap around and spill on the fender and bumper. A wider black ‘anti-matter’ grille sits squarely between the lights, with Fiat’s logo looming large in the centre. However, the blue- backed badge may be replaced by the new/old logo in red. The red logo was used successfully by Fiat for years, and Fiat’s return to this bold logo is sure to add charm. The font and style of the lettering is similar to that on the nose of Schumacher’s Ferrari.

The new bumper has a unique slot in the centre for better cooling and the three-part chin of the car is all-new as well. Black has been cleverly used in the lower part of the nose to lighten the design. The shape of the doors remains similar; it’s too expensive to change these, but a different mirror and new door handles mean there is a slight change. The rear of the car is not terribly attractive, but the slab- like vertical tailgate does look new. Also new are the taller tail-lights.

The lower capacity motor will have 25 percent less power than the current car’s 72bhp, but the pulling power of the engine from low speeds is expected to be better than on the existing version. This will be a big improvement as the current car lacks pulling power at lower engine speeds. The better low speed torque is also likely to have a positive impact on fuel economy ” overall, a step up. The motor itself will be from Fiat’s excellent FIRE (Fully Integrated Robotized Engine) family, the same as that of the current NV. So you can expect it to be smooth and free-revving.

Fiat hasn’t upgraded the car’s interiors as they are not available in right-hand drive configuration. Hard- wearing plastics, comfortable seats and a solid build are things to look forward to. Fiat and Tata want to place the car where it is accessible to the widest audience and the current interiors are up to the task. With the new Palio, Fiat and Tata will look at taking this much-loved car mainstream. The expected drop in price, the expected increase in fuel economy as well as the fresh new look of the car are sure to attract customers. And they could bite too.

Engine and Mechanics

The engine bay is typical. A piece of machinery for Tony to fix again… The front “pod” where the radiator(s) and headlights are fixed is of a sissy piece of metal sheet. The metal sheets seem to be fashioned in an as easy as possible manner so it would slash time off the production man hours… Nope; I would not trust it… Performance is not worth dwelling on. Just moves the car, the brakes are good. They stop the already not-too-heavy vehicle easily. However they give the feel that they may fade too eary causing real heartbeats and adrenaline downhill… Panic braking proved to be safe with the ABS kicking in in a timely manner.

Watch out for the rear biased braking power though… ABS does not defy physics laws ya know… So do not brake all that hard in curves expecting the car to stop dead in its tracks. Careful piloting is a must. The gears engage easily, plopping into place. However the whirring of the gearbox is annoying. The shocks have a short travel and the spiral springs are stiff. So this car is highway queen. Countryside roads can become kidney pulverizes if the load and speed blend is sufficient.

It has always annoyed me to see that car manufacturers always claim that the McPherson strut system is best. This strut system is the simplest; thus cheapest to build. And it is of no significant comfort or handling improvement whatsoever. If that was the case, Mercedes, Porsche etc. would use it… They just pump us with what they wish us to believe.

Design, Interiors, Engineering

The Palio has not had a visual face-lift since its launch, but it still looks sturdily handsome and feels superbly built and secure. The doors shut with a sound hunk, and the car’s build imparts a safe feel. The car has specifically been engineered for developing markets, and over-engineered at that, so it is extremely tough and more thoroughly engineered than most small cars. Designed as Fiat’s ‘world car’, the Palio is also sold in markets like Brazil, Turkey and China, all of which require toughness and simplicity of design. Even the Macpherson strut/lower wishbone suspension in front and the torsion beam at the back are extremely tough, and built to last.

The Palio still looks pleasant and very grown-up; a clean, strong-looking and squat design livened up by the jewel-like headlamps and flame-shaped rear lamps. However, just to keep the pot boiling, Fiat has face-lifted the Palio in Brazil, and will bring that model here in 2005. The Polio’s interiors are spacious and comfortable, with passenger room comparable to a mid-size car.

The seats, which are shared with the Siena, are extremely comfortable and feel like they belong in a bigger car. The ergonomics are excellent with all the controls well-placed and falling easily to hand. There is decent legroom, head-room and width, but the design is the same as on the Siena, introduced in 1998, and looks dated now.

The chunky steering is great to hold, the dead pedal to rest your left foot is a boon on long drives and the high-set music system that sits nicely in line with your vision makes you wonder why other manufacturers haven’t adopted the same approach. A problem area is visibility, hampered by the thick A-pillar, high waistline and unhelpfully small mirrors; plus, we wish the Palio had seat height adjustment. Fit and finish aren’t terrific, and the plastics feel down market.

Safety and special features

Fiat claims its Palio stile is equipped with auto intelligence system which includes Double Crank Prevention System – A unique engine guard system which prevents re-cranking of the engine when already on, Reverse Gear Lock – A sensible reverse gear lock prevents any accidental engagement of reverse gear and ensures that you always travel the right way and an engine Immobilizer – a high security system which ensures the engine start only when your coded key is inserted and acts as a theft prevention device (a must device for Indian vehicles especially when the recovery ratio of the lost vehicle is very poor) along with Fire Prevention System (FPS) and child safety lock. All the safety systems are standard on all variants of Palio stile. Rear wiper is standard in 1.1SLX and 1.6 sports and sadly there is no defogger in Palio stile too.

Price and Service

Fiat wishes to rebuild its image with its partner Tata. Fiat Palio stile is the first new vehicle produced after Tata-Fiat JV hence both the partners will be keen to ensure customers a valuable service and value for money. Palio stile’s prices are competitive and are ranged from Rs 3.49 lakh to Rs 3.90 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) while the Palio Stile 1.6 is priced at Rs 4.31 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

The entire range is available through the country-wide Tata-Fiat network of 63 dealerships covering 42 cities. The plan is to increase this dealership number to 100 in the next few months in preparation for the new models that are on the anvil. Fiat hopes its Tata alliance and aggressive pricing (cheaper by Rs 40,000 than the base models of the recently launched ‘Getz Prime’) will help to sell decent numbers of Palio stile and in revival of Fiat’s brand. Yes, the partnership seems to be working.

Technical Specification