Fiat Linea 1.6 Diesel
Maxabout Review
Fiat's Answer To Hyundai Verna
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Linea 1.4 T-Jet & Linea 1.6 Diesel Is Coming
After the huge success of Linea & Punto Fiat India is planning to launch 2 more powerful variants of Linea in coming months. One will be powered by 1.6 litre 118 Bhp/306 Nm Multijet Diesel engine and other one will be powered by 1.4 litre 120 Bhp/206 Nm Petrol engine to compete with its more powerful rivals like the 118 Bhp Honda City & 110 Bhp Hyundai Verna.
Fiat Linea 1.4 T-Jet - 120 Bhp/206 Nm
Fiat Linea 1.6 Diesel - 118 Bhp/306 Nm
The Fiat Linea will get the much needed boost it deserves with the 1.6 Multijet diesel engine & 1.4 T-Jet engine, both the models are expected to be displayed at the upcoming Auto Expo 2010 in New Delhi. The new engine will boost the power to 120 Bhp, which will remove the slow tag from the car. The Linea will also get new colour - Blue - which are already seen on the Grande Punto.
Linea T-Jet will be the only model in its segment that will have turbo-charged petrol engine once it is launched. Linea T-jet will also get some additional features like rain sensing wipers, reverse parking sensors, automatic headlamps, and Hill Holder function which means that it will stop the car from rolling backwards when you are on an incline and take your foot off the accelerator.
Design & Style
Designed by the Fiat Style Centre, the new car's originality is summed up by elegant, distinctive styling, with captivatingly smooth, simple, uncluttered lines that give the car a dynamic, harmonious look. The Fiat Linea 1.6 is also unmistakably Italian, which confirms the brand’s intention to create a new Fiat family feeling, inaugurated with the Grande Punto and continued with the Fiat Bravo, while the forward, sloping windscreen, the drop-shaped headlights and the large front end sporting the new Fiat logo.
In line with the dictates of the new standards, the grille marks the dividing line between the bonnet and the front bumpers, and the latter taper off gradually until they meet the wheelarches. A ridge starts from the foglights, which link up to the sides, and incorporates them, linking up again at the centre with the lower air intake. And finally, a rib between the headlight and the foglight makes the bumper look lighter and creates the same graphical motif. The sleek, faired headlights which extend towards the sides of the car suggest dynamism and a strong Italian imprint.
Proposed with a single body type, the car conveys an impression of solidity, robustness and roominess, which is confirmed by the generous dimensions.On the side the styling is cut through by a ‘slash’ which starts from the middle of the wheelarch and dissolves into the rear, emphasising the car’s dynamic look. The emphatic, robust, muscular wheelarches give the Fiat Linea 1.6 a feeling of strength and solidity. And the same reassuring impression is conveyed by the rear end, with its elegant uncluttered line.
Interiors
The lines that run inside the passenger compartment are harmonious and well balanced with the external lines, which combine with the generous glazing to create a friendly, light-filled environment that guarantees excellent interior roominess, and more comfort than you might expect from a conventional 3-box saloon in terms of ergonomics and space for the driver and passengers. Driving is made particularly enjoyable by the position of the pedals, the steering wheel alignment, the position of the armrest and footrest, the excellent manoeuvring of the gearshift and the perfect visibility of the instrumentation and the main controls.
The instrument panel designed by Magneti Marelli has a clear family feeling with the latest Fiat models, with large, clearly visible characters, while the graphics of the instrumentation make the information easily and immediately legible. At night, the orange illumination allows the pupil to focus more rapidly when alternating between the dark of the road outside and the luminosity of the dashboard. The rear seat is homologated for three passengers, and comes with a fixed or 40/60 split squab depending on the version. The rear seats are also fitted with Isofix attachments for child seats, and head-restraints are standard equipment on the side seats.
Fiat & Microsoft's 'Blue&Me' System
The top model of Linea 1.6 will also be equipped with the innovative ‘Blue&Me’ system, based on the Windows Mobile technology, developed by Fiat Group Automobiles and Microsoft, which changes the communication, information and entertainment standards in the car, improving comfort and the quality of life on board. he device is easy to use and Bluetooth technology allows you to make and receive telephone calls and listen to music simply and safely as you drive, communicating with the outside world from the car via your personal devices such as cell phones and PDAs.
After pairing your Bluetooth mobile phone with the system, which you only need to do once, and by downloading your phone’s phonebook, you can make and receive phone calls simply by speaking: all the commands can be given without taking your hands off the wheel or your eyes off the road. The Blue&Me device is built into the car and the control keys are on the steering wheel, so that you can search for a number in the phonebook by scrolling through the display on the instrument panel, or ‘mute’ the communication for a more confidential conversation.
With Blue&Me you can also listen to all your favourite music in the car, in MP3/WMA/WAV digital format. All you have to do is connect your Media Player to the USB port in a handy position in the centre of the dashboard: a USB pen-drive, an MP3-player or a smart phone, or even an I-pod. When you connect the device to the USB port, the words ‘Media Player’ immediately appear on the radio display, indicating the music source you are listening to.
Safety
In addition to its excellent braking system, the Fiat Linea 1.6 is also equipped with one of the most advanced ABS anti-lock braking systems on the market, complete with EBD electronic brake force distribution. The latter distributes the braking force over the four wheels to prevent them from locking, guaranteeing complete control of the car in all conditions.
The sturdiest components in the engine bay are positioned at a suitable distance from the bonnet, to allow the ‘skin’ of the bonnet to absorb the energy deriving from impact with a pedestrian’s head better. Then the new chassis, which was designed to absorb any impact very effectively. And finally, the contribution made to occupant protection by the bodywork, the bonnet, doors and facia crossbeam.