The Fiat 500 Is Back
05 July 2007
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| The new Fiat 500. |
Fiat presented its much-anticipated new Fiat 500 at an evening launch party on 4 July in Turin, Italy, 50 years after the introduction of the first Fiat 500. The iconic Cinquecento (500) has been out of production for 32 years.
Developed by the Fiat Style Centre and manufactured at the Fiat plant in Poland, the new 500 is a 3-door model that offers a choice of three engines: a 75 bhp 1.3 16v Multijet turbodiesel with DPF and two gasoline units (a 69 bhp 1.2 8v and a 100 bhp 1.4 16v). All the engines—which are manufactured by Fiat Powertrain Technologies—are Euro 4-compliant and are designed to meet the coming Euro 5 standards.
The 69 bhp Fire 1.2-liter 8v delivers 51 kW (69 bhp) at 5,500 rpm, and peak torque of 102 Nm (75 lb-ft) at 3,000 rpm, with a top speed of 160 km/h (99 mph). Fuel consumption is 5.1 l/100km (46 mpg US) in the combined cycle, with CO2 emissions of 119 g/km.
The Fire engine for the 500 uses an electronic throttle valve control system. A new high turbulence combustion chamber combined with a continuous variable cam phaser allows a substantial part of the exhaust gases (about 25%) to be recirculated in the combustion chamber, significantly reducing fuel consumption and exhaust emissions when driving with a partial load. The timing components have been made lighter and the valve springs are of the low load type, to reduce friction.
The 1.2 8v fits a catalytic converter in the engine bay, welded to the exhaust manifold flange. In this position the device reaches high temperatures very rapidly thus abating emissions even while the engine is warming up.
Fitted with a Borg-Warner fixed geometry turbo (of the waste-gate type) with an intercooler, the 75 bhp 1.3-liter Multijet 16v delivers a maximum of 75 bhp (55 kW at 4,000 rpm) and torque of 145 Nm (107 lb-ft) at 1,500 rpm. Fuel consumption is 4.2 l/100km (56 mpg US) in the combined cycle, with CO2 of 111 g/km.
The emissions control system uses an EGR valve triggered electronically and managed directly by the engine control system, a heat exchanger to cool recirculating exhaust gas (EGR) and a close-coupled catalytic converter. The particulate trap (DPF) is standard equipment.
The 1.4-liter 16v Fire engine delivers a maximum of 73.5 kW (100 bhp) at 6,000 rpm and peak torque of 131 Nm (97 lb-ft) at 4,250 rpm. The new car has a top speed of 182 km/h (113 mph), and fuel consumption in the combined cycle of 6.3 l/100km (37 mpg US).
The 500 offers three transmissions: a 5-speed manual for the 1.2 and 1.3; a 6-speed manual for the 1.4; and automated manual Dualogic for the 1.2 and 1.4 models after the launch.
The French have some vastly different tastes in cars than I do...I think this is one of the most homely vehicles I have seen in awhile. Lucky for them it won't be sold in the US anyway.
Now the Mazda Demio (below) is much more attractive and gets nearly the same gas mileage as this diesel.
Posted by: Patrick | 05 July 2007 at 08:37 AM
Fiat is Italian.
Posted by: Derek | 05 July 2007 at 10:13 AM
Wondererful It meets Euro 4 specs. BFD! it even meets the forthcoming Eu5 specs which equates ot exactly not a Damn Thing. EU5 due for promulagation in 2014 effectivley ins not specification at all. Its not until EU 6 that we get any appreciable control of diesel emmisson. Eu 6 sliding until 2020?, will then still not equal T2B5 already a standard in the USA. T2B5 is the minimal diesel cleanup that is barely acceptable as it equals a very dirty but controlled emissions gasoline engine like thoise produced inthe USA in 1976. It won't be until T2B3 is adopted or it s EU equivalnet EU 7 or EU 8 neither of which is even hypothesized for 2030 or 2040, to get a diesel equivalent to todays' modern gasoline engine's emmisions control.
Lots of TALK... Talk... Posture... Talk... No Action. Why do you think the pollution cesspool of the world is the old East Bloc. Or more correctly, the CURRENT East Bloc. Seven out of the ten worst polluted cities in the world, are in that haven of Socialist Green thinking, China.
Now that China is the World's worst polluter, have you noticed the "Green" apologists saying China shouldn't count somehow.
Posted by: Stan Peterson | 05 July 2007 at 10:33 AM
umm...that's right, Italian. Sometimes it is difficult to remember which company belongs to which country when you don't have those cars in the US.
Posted by: Patrick | 05 July 2007 at 10:56 AM
Patrick:
You can do better than that....
Posted by: | 05 July 2007 at 01:35 PM
Stan P.
You've got very good points.
Pollution is a worldwide problem requiring worldwide solutions. No country should be excused.
From a total and per capita pollution point a view, USA is No. 1 amongst the industrial nations. China's per capita (even with very polluted large cities) is far below that of USA.
Posted by: | 05 July 2007 at 01:44 PM
I know 500. The new 500 has 200/400 cubic CM INXS, they have tried to follow the Cooper on power and Smart on size, while present EU mobility need asked to come up with a ULEV, with 140kmh top speed.
The car is nice, but far too heavy and powerful.
Marchionne has missed the "sfida" this time but, maybe a NG version will be available.
Further thoughts were available here (in italian) http://www.locchiodiromolo.it/blog/?p=407
Ciao cinquino I love U
Posted by: JC | 05 July 2007 at 02:37 PM
The USA is not first for per-capita carbon emissions. It is fifth, behind Luxembourg.
Posted by: Reality Czech | 05 July 2007 at 02:59 PM
@ Stan -
please dial back the ranting and raving a little and support your assertions with some research.
Euro 5 will come into effect in 2009 and will effectively mandate DPFs on all diesel cars plus modest reductions in NOx. This isn't a big hurdle because consumer demand in a number of countries (e.g. Germany) has already forced manufacturers to offer DPFs ahead of schedule.
Euro 6 will come into effect in 2014. It will substantially lower the NOx limit, effectively forcing manufacturers to deploy exhaust gas aftertreatment and/or flameless combustion on all diesel models.
Keep in mind that no European city has smog problems on the scale that Los Angeles did before CARB cracked down on NOx. Where the situation is bad - e.g. Athens, Greece - governments make diesel unattractive via high taxes and access restrictions.
In general, Europe simply doesn't have the luxury of killing of diesels for the sake of possibly avoiding a few thousand smog-related early deaths each year. Diesel is the cheapest available fuel conservation strategy in the transportation sector. Excluding Russia, Europe's only domestic oil reserves are under the North Sea and both Norway and the UK expect production to decline dramatically over the next decade.
This, rather than official high-falutin' about the climate, is why European carmakers will also have to meet a very aggresive fleet average fuel economy target of 130 gCO2/km + 10 gCO2/km "equivalent" via tire pressure monitors, and the like by MY 2012.
Note that BMW and others are already successfully introducing packages of measures that are also improving the fuel economy of gasoline-powered cars. For large vehicles, full hybrid drivetrains will be offered before long, in spite of their high cost. CNG variants are already available from Opel and others. Plus, liquid fuel components derived from biomass and natural gas account for a small but rapidly growing share of the market.
Freedom is such a wonderful thing, someone is dying for yours right now in Iraq. I'd rather no-one had to die for mine, thank you very much.
+++
Btw: here's a comparison of T2B5/LEV II and the limits valid in 1976:
T2B5/LEV II
NOx 0.07 g/mi
NMOG 0.09 g/mi
CO 4.2 g/mi
HCHO 0.018 g/mi
PM 0.01 g/mi
1976 Federal
NOx 3.1 g/mi
HC (incl. HCHO) 1.5 g/mi
CO 15 g/mi
1976 California
NOx 2 g/mi
HC (incl. HCHO) 0.9 g/mi
CO 9 g/mi
That ought to put your claim that T2B5 diesels will be no cleaner than gasoline cars made in 1976 into perspective.
Posted by: Rafael Seidl | 05 July 2007 at 05:20 PM
“Austrian sniper rifles that were exported to Iran have been discovered in the hands of Iraqi terrorists, The Daily Telegraph has learned:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/02/13/wiran13.xml
More than 100 of the .50 calibre weapons, capable of penetrating HUMVEE armor, have been discovered by American troops during raids.
The guns were part of a shipment of 800 rifles that the Austrian company, Steyr-Mannlicher, exported legally to Iran last year.
The sale was condemned in Washington and London because officials were worried that the weapons would be used by insurgents against British and American troops.
Within 45 days of the first HS50 Steyr Mannlicher rifles arriving in Iran, an American officer in an armoured vehicle was shot dead by an Iraqi insurgent using the weapon”
Whatever you do to secure supply of oil for poor and peaceful Europeans lacking domestic oil reserves.
Posted by: Andrey | 06 July 2007 at 12:27 PM
@Andrey -
those rifles were sold to Iran based on the claim that they would be used in interdicting drug traffickers.
http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htproc/articles/20060112.aspx
On the other hand, the US Army has failed to track the serial numbers of 1 out of every 25 of the light arms it has brought into Iraq since the invasion. Most were handed out to police and army recruits who later deserted.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2006-10-29-missing-weapons_x.htm
Indeed, the US is now actively arming its former enemies, in the hope that they will not prove to be turncoats.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bryan-young/us-arming-iraqi-insurge_b_52145.html
How about we keep things in perspective and focus on green cars?
Posted by: Rafael Seidl | 07 July 2007 at 05:43 AM
Rafael:
12.7 (0.5”) caliber rifles are actually anti-materielle rifles, notable for capability to penetrate standard armor of HUMVEE. For anti-personnel purposes 7.62 mm is way more useful.
Agree to stick to green cars, but hope you will do the same.
Posted by: Andrey | 07 July 2007 at 10:32 PM
Almost half of the world lives in China and they don't even come close to having half of the pollution.
Also, the pollution they do make is from making super cheap products for America. Meanwhile they run around in electric scooters, keep their A/c on low at 105+ F weather, eat mainly local vegtables and hold-off on massive population growth by limiting children per family.
Posted by: Giorgio | 09 July 2007 at 11:03 AM
"Also, the pollution they do make is from making super cheap products for America." For America AND Europe (you're no saints either my dear). Also, while China builds these products for Westerners, they do pocket the profits and economic benefits (jobs for the "proletarians"). No one's forcing them to make these products, they make them because they benefit from it.
Also, while China might consume per capita less energy, that's no excuse to ride around in crappy two stroke engines or rely on carbon for the majority of their electrical needs. China is very inefficient in its energy use, even though the standard of living there requires little energy.
Finally, while the European countries might have smaller cars, it's also true that countries like Italy rely almost exclusively on imported or fossil fuels for their electricity. Furthermore houses are badly insulated.
Yes, I agree that American cars are too big. Get over it. It's time to stop pointing fingers and for ALL of the world to start cleaning their act up. There are no excuses for inefficiency.
P.S. Complimenti Fiat, e' bellissima
Posted by: Jeebes | 07 January 2008 at 09:43 AM
This car is adorable. If I needed a car I would absolutely go for this one. Currently I live in Vienna and have no need for the hassle of car ownership. BTW I am a citizen of the USA and I am all for small fuel efficient cars. In fact I would prefer cars be banned in high-density cities with public transportation. How is that for not being a stereotypical American?
Posted by: Cameron Palmer | 17 June 2008 at 05:20 AM