Test drive Fiat 500X against Renault Captur: urban fashion
The first comparison of the 500X with one of the strongest opponents - Renault Captur The Italian brand Fiat has finally released a model that has every reason to be considered a significant novelty. What's more, the 500X claims to take its rightful place in the particularly popular Old Continent class of compact urban crossovers. The other equally important piece of news that the 500X brings with it is the fact that with it, Fiat has actually taken the first successful step in bringing iconic design traits from the small 500 to an all-new model and gradually (liked by BMW and their British brand MINI) to build a whole family of diverse vehicles with a common design philosophy. And while the exterior of the 500X has a typical Italian look, behind the metallic…
Test drive Fiat Bravo: first test drive
With soft and elegant lines paired with sophisticated engineering, the Fiat Bravo aims to make the public forget the Stilo's not-so-successful sales model. First impressions. After a long period of poor financial performance, Fiat has started to get back on its feet with the launch of the hugely quantitatively successful Grande Punto, which means a 21 percent increase in global sales, a 1,1 percent increase in the company's market share in Europe - it is completely logical that the Italians will only strengthen its positions with new attractive models. This process seems to be done in record time because the new Bravo became a production car in just 18 months thanks to having the Stilo platform ready, which was radically redesigned, but not replaced by a new one, and also ...
Test drive Fiat 500: Italian for connoisseurs
Fans of the Fiat 500 will forgive their pet any shortcomings. However, in the 50 km test, the Cinquecento wanted to prove to its critics that it was not only beautiful, but also reliable. Rimini, a few months ago. The hotel emphasizes the national importance of separate waste collection, even carabinieri with shiny hairdos stop at walking zebras, and the owners of dubious pubs strictly observe the ban on smoking. Even south of the Alps, one can no longer indulge in one's favorite vices - just as one cannot keep faith in the unreliable reputation of Italian cars. A Heavy Burden Fiat's previous involvement in long-term testing of automotive motors and sports has been marked by a sense of fickleness. In the late 000s, Punto I covered 90-50 kilometers with seven unscheduled stops, ending 17…
Test drive unknown Fiat
60 years of Centro Stile Fiat is a good opportunity to look at a unique history Individual development is a brief repetition of history - the truth of this statement of Ernst Haeckel has long been recognized in the theory of evolution. However, we can fully apply this to automotive development. BMW marketing will not fail to mention that aircraft engines are in the company's genes and even the brand image reflects this, while Mercedes is proud to make trucks and buses. But what about a group under the name Fiat - although currently formally divided into an automotive division, including Chrysler as well as a line of light trucks and an industrial group that includes Iveco trucks, Case and New Holland agricultural equipment, as well as ...
Test drive eco-friendly and efficient brake pads
Federal-Mogul Motorparts has announced the expansion of its Ferodo Eco-Friction range of low or no copper brake pads. Ferodo's Eco-Friction technology is patented to Original Install (OE) standards and is the preferred technology by a number of vehicle manufacturers. Along with protecting the environment, it aims to improve braking distances, which is important for safe driving. Eco-Friction pillow tests show that not only are they as good as traditional copper components, they are often significantly better. For example, the Volkswagen Golf VI has a stopping distance with Ferodo Eco-Friction brake pads that is 10% shorter at 100 km/h and 17% shorter at 115 km/h. Other production models such as the Peugeot Boxer and Fiat Ducato reduce the stopping distance …
Test drive Fiat 500 Topolino, Fiat 500, Fiat Panda: Little Italian
Three models that provided mobility for several generations at home They were practical and, most importantly, cheap. With the 500 Topolino and the Nuovo 500, FIAT has put the whole of Italy on wheels. Panda later took on a similar task. These two are very aware of their influence - Topolino and 500. Because they know that with their charm they definitely like women, who often look at them a little longer than usual on other cars. This, of course, is noticed by Panda, whose angular face seems to be throwing jealous glances today. As if he wants to shout: "I also deserve love." He is also a bestseller and has long been referred to as a design icon. And in general, it is almost identical to other children - ...
GAC GS8 test drive
We figure out that an SUV from the Celestial Empire with charisma and cross-country ability, and also explain how it is still correct to call it. the worst weather. April rains and snowfalls have turned the path through the field into a muddy swamp, so signs are attached to the trees with the words "Off-road tow truck" and a phone number. On the sandy hills that have remained in the places of brown coal production, people are drawn not only by completely cosmic views, but also by the opportunity to try themselves on strong off-road. Having overcome the mess of the field, you can get stuck already on the mountains themselves, which consist of very slippery soil, mottled ...
Test drive alternatives: PART 2 - Cars
If you have the opportunity to fly over Western Siberia at night, through the window you will see a grotesque picture reminiscent of the Kuwaiti desert after the withdrawal of Saddam's troops during the first Iraq war. The landscape is littered with huge burning “torches”, which is clear evidence that many Russian oil producers still consider natural gas a by-product and an unnecessary product in the process of finding oil fields ... Experts believe that this waste will be stopped in the near future. For many years, natural gas was considered a surplus product and burned or simply vented to the atmosphere. It is estimated that so far, Saudi Arabia alone has dumped or burned more than 450 million cubic meters of natural gas in oil production ... At the same time, the process is reversed ...
Test drive Fiat 500 Abarth: pure poison
The Fiat power supply is a legend among connoisseurs of Italian motorsport, so their hearts were hardened by a sad emptiness in the years of his absence. Now the "scorpion" is back, bringing light back into the souls of its sworn fans. In this case, we decided to "chase" one of the hottest modifications of the 500 model. For many years, Abarth, a racing brand of the recent past, did not go into deep hibernation. Recently, however, the “poisonous scorpion” has returned to the scene with renewed vigor and a renewed desire to consume its sting. The show of a few old-timers from the factory collection of Abarth at the opening of a new auto repair shop in Turin-Mirafiori clearly seemed insufficient to the Italians, who decided to send a specially selected dealer network and two modern sports models. At the same time, the 160 hp Grande Punto Abarth…
Test drive Fiat 500 0.9 TWIN-AIR: Two, if you like!
If you believe Fiat's promises, the new TWIN-AIR engine is nothing more than two cylinders. First installed in a not-so-cheap little car with a retro 500 design, the direct-injection turbo engine tries to break the shackles of the standard four-cylinder engine. In the race to build the most efficient internal combustion engine today, engineers are playing a kind of mechanical Mikado—they take a big engine and start stripping its cylinders while it keeps running. At the moment, Fiat designers have come a long way, because their unit, called TWIN-AIR, somehow manages to pass with only two cylinders in a row. A little fun So nothing else is missing? On the contrary, it does not have, for example, a camshaft for intake valves, the functions of which it takes on ...
Test drive the 10 most anticipated electric vehicles in the coming year
Electric vehicles have made great strides in recent years, but so far remain exotic. In the next 12 months, it will depend on them whether they will become a real competitor to conventional cars. Many premieres are expected, but the fate of electric vehicles in Europe will largely depend on the next 10. 1 BMW i4 When: 2021 The model you see is a concept version, but the production version will not differ significantly from it. Its exact figures are not yet known. The prototype has 523 horsepower, accelerates to 100 km / h in 4 seconds. and accelerates to a maximum of 200 km / h. The battery is only 80 kWh, but since this is a new generation, it should last for 600 km. 2 Dacia Spring Electric When: 2021 Renault Group assures…
Test drive Fiat Bravo II
This should be clarified with names; Between the previous and current Bravo was (was) Stilo, which did not bring much success to Fiat. So a return to the Bravo name, which is not common for Fiat as it usually brought a new name in this class with a new car. Remember: Rhythm, Tipo, Bravo / Brava, Stilo. They make no secret of the fact that they also want to forget Steel by name, reminding them again of Bravo, who still has a large following. It's also no secret that a big part of success comes down to form. It was created in Fiat and resembles the Grande Punta, which is Giugiaro's design. Likeness is part of the “family feeling,” as they officially say in…
Test drive Fiat Fullback
The Italian pickup is a product of co-creation, this time with Mitsubishi. Choosing the basis for a new car, the Italians chose the Japanese L200 model with a proven frame structure. I drive to work in Turin in the morning in a brand new city Fiorino heel. In the body, despite the compact size of the machine, it easily fits a Euro pallet, to which several spare wheels are fastened. The working day promises to be busy. In the narrow streets of Fiat's homeland, I enjoy excellent visibility, precise steering, precise short-stroke "mechanics" lever and an absolutely amazingly tuned clutch pedal. On the highway, I come to the conclusion that 95 “horses” of a diesel engine are enough not to feel like an outsider in dynamic Italian traffic. Yes, it is not surprising that the mail ...
Test drive comparison of four profitable compact hatchback models
They look at each other Fiat Tipo hatchback, Ford Focus, Kia Cee`d and Skoda Quick return With the Tipo, the Fiat brand has once again been represented in the compact class. In previous years, it recalls both the name and even more - its price, which in Germany starts at 14 euros for the hatchback variant. The Tipo runs in this test with a turbocharged petrol engine and the latest equipment, but is much cheaper than its well-known rivals the Ford Focus, Kia Cee'd and Skoda Rapid Spaceback. We have yet to find out if that will make him a winner. Finally, we have the opportunity to start with a quote from Ms. Ja Gabor, who once said: “Darling, if you are jealous of a better woman, this is ...
Test drive keyless entry: almost all cars are easy to steal
ADAC car club test with unexpectedly alarming results The German car club ADAC and its Austrian partner ÖAMTC inspected 270 cars with keyless entry systems and found that almost all of the models tested could be easily opened and stolen. “Recently, 273 Keyless-Go vehicles were tested and only four failed to open. Most manufacturers are clearly unwilling or unable to fix this security breach,” criticizes ÖAMTC specialist Stefan Kerbel. “Currently, Keyless-Go vehicles are much easier to steal than other vehicles. A total of four jaguar models, resp. In our tests, the Land Rover failed to unlock. So everything could be different - here other manufacturers need to quickly catch up ...
20 years of Common Rail for Diesel IIs: Alfa Romeo was the first
Continued: The difficult path of designers to implement new technology. They are the backbone of everything Fiat and Bosch Shortly after Fiat introduced the direct-injection Croma in 1986, a similar system was introduced by Rover, which created it with British specialists from Perkins. It will be used later for Honda models. It wasn't until 1988 that the VW Group had its first direct injection diesel engine, which also used a Bosch distribution pump. Yes, it is VW that plays the role of mass injector for direct injection in diesel vehicles. However, VW is so enamored with its TDI engines that it misses the revolution of the late 20th century. So, back to the beginning of the story to meet again with the engineers from Fiat and Bosch. This time…