New product news from Fiat Auto is coming at us at a frenetic pace these days. Fiat people no doubt see the bustle as proof that they do have a future. Most attention is predictably being given to two small cars that have been the backbone of past success, Punto and Panda.
The Punto has been significantly revised while the Panda, which has its international launch next month, should, of course, have been called Gingo. Renault objected, saying it was too close to its own Twingo. Now Fiat seem happy to fall back on Panda, a badge which has comforting familiarity, having been around for 23 years with sales of 4.3 million.
The revised Punto goes on sale here later this month while Panda is expected to have a late year debut, in readiness for the 2004 market.
What then of the new-look Punto? It's looks more attractive with jewel-effect headlamps and tidier rear-end styling. Inside, the ambience is lighter and brighter.
The real interest is unseen, being under the bonnet. Punto comes with three new engines, a 95bhp 1.4 litre 16-valve petrol and in diesel, a 100bhp 1.9 and a 70bhp 1.3.
It's the smallest 1.3 that's the most interesting and innovative. We sampled it in both Punto and Panda at a test track near Fiat's home base of Turin. Diesel engines don't come any smaller than this: compact and lightweight. Fiat claim it's a masterpiece of miniaturisation.
The proper designation is Multijet and its thoroughly modern credentials are underlined by the fact that it's second-generation common-rail injection, advanced enough to meet Euro 4 emission rules.
Most diesels squirt two shots of fuel into the cylinder, a "pilot" injection and then the main dose. Multijet works differently, dividing the main injection into a number of smaller shots - this is said to boost performance while reducing emissions and combustion noise.
Half-an-hour of track driving isn't real world stuff but it did show up the new peppy performance of both Punto and Panda. Multijet made it as smooth and quiet as an equivalent petrol engine. Nor was there any clatter when idling. While through-the-gear acceleration was impressive, at higher speeds above 4,000 rpm power droped off markedly.
Most impressive feature must be fuel consumption. Autocar, the British motoring magazine, has reported 70mpg on a motorway run and almost 50mpg on a journey that included performance testing.
Sadly most of us buying smaller cars in Ireland don't opt for diesels. Will Multijet change this? Much will depend on Irish pricing and just how reasonable will be the premium for having this new diesel engine. The good news is that Fiat is already working on a 90bhp version with the same 1,248cc unit.
New Panda is a far cry from its boxy predecessor. There's a short and stubby and more curvaceous profile. Like the bigger Punto, it majors on being capacious - the high roofline leaves enough headroom for tall passengers. The car is being built at Fiat's plant in Tichny, Poland, and sales begin mid-September, starting in Poland and Italy.
Fiat Auto takes in Alfa Romeo and there's a fresh face for the 156. Biggest change is a more prominent V-shaped Alfa grille, but there are also new headlights, restyled bumpers, subtle changes to cabin trim and materials.
There are new looks also for the drophead Spider and GTV coupé. They get new engines, revised suspensions, improved interiors, more standard equipment and the enhanced styling has the larger grille.
Engines are Alfa's fabulous 3.2 litre, 240bhp V6, as used ibn GTA versions of the 156 and 147 and the 165bhp JTS petrol-injected 2.0 litre. The former gives 0 to 62mph acceleration in 6.5 seconds, making the GTV the fastest-ever production Alfa Romeo with a top speed of 158mph.