08.07.2004 The Fiat Punto has arrived in South Africa for the first time with an exciting line-up of five petrol AND diesel versions, the best-selling small Fiat NOW continuING its success story on MAINLAND AFRICA

Five models

The Fiat Punto will cover a number of bases immediately from launch. Five models are being introduced in three- and five-door configurations from a baseline model to a hot hatch.

The first is the Punto 1.2 16V in Active and Dynamic guise followed by the technological marvel of the range, the Punto 1.3 JTD Multijet, also in Active and Dynamic trim levels. The performance star of the range is the three-door Punto HGT powered by a 1.8-litre engine.

Exterior

The Fiat Punto arrives in South Africa fresh from its European upgrade. Fiat designers went all out to achieve a blend of appealing, original looks that are still in line with the true needs of customers. The Punto is a good-looking car that withstands the vagaries of fashion to offer tangible product substance and a wealth of equipment. It is a car that stands out from the crowd thanks to its ability to stay one step ahead of the consumer’s desires.

A common design theme is shared between three- and five-door models differing according to the specification: more refined for elegant specifications, more aggressive for sportier versions.

Sports model boasts a dynamic front end with three air intakes with honeycomb grilles on the bumpers. More elegant versions are distinguished by a front end that softens the feel of the Punto and considerably increases its sophistication.

Both three- and five-door models are dominated by a distinct crease line down the side of the Punto originating from the front wing and dissipating at the rear. On the three-door model this line rises toward the tail of the car to lighten and reduce the ratio between glass and metal in favour of metal. On the five-door model, this line doesn’t rise towards the tail and makes the flanks look more linear.

Fiat Centro Stile designed high C-pillar mounted taillights for improved visibility and cutting edge style. More elegant versions of the three- and five-door Punto feature reflectors in the rear bumper, while the HGT’s rear bumper has air vents with honeycomb grilles to complement the front of the Fiat Punto.

Interior

The interior matches the needs of customers who demand a comfortable environment, user-friendliness, controls that are easy and intuitive to use and plenty of space.

All the features and parts that can improve quality of life on board the Fiat Punto are arranged on the facia. Many of these have only previously been seen on higher level cars: an instrument cluster with multifunction display, manual climate control and air conditioning, and a height adjustable steering wheel and driver’s seat are just some of the features that are standard across the range.

The Punto’s interior ensures the same travelling comfort and practicality of use on all versions. The dashboard has no sharp edges to its modular design and is finished in monotone grey.

Engines – All with 16V

1.3 JTD Multijet

Talking point of the Punto range is the 1.3 JTD Multijet featuring Fiat’s state-of-the-art 1.3-litre 16-valve Multijet engine. This engine is the smallest and most advanced second generation Common Rail direct injection diesel engine and features multipoint injections, 16 valves, an intercooler and a particularly efficient combustion chamber shape. Fiat Auto engineers added a plastic inlet manifold with directional ducts and reduced engine mass and dimensions without detracting in any way from the unit’s technical sophistication and quality.

The result is a 1 248cc in-line four-cylinder power unit with a bore of just 69,6mm and long 82mm stroke. Four valves per cylinder are driven by twin overhead camshafts and when clad with all its accessories weighs just 130kg.

Fiat is not new to the turbodiesel game. Indeed, the Fiat Croma TDI was launched in 1986 as the first direct injection diesel vehicle in the world. At that time it represented a true engineering breakthrough that was later adopted by other manufacturers.

Direct injection diesel engines offered better performance and lower fuel consumption but failed to resolve the problem of excessive engine noise at low revs and while speeding up or slowing down. So work began on a more advanced direct injection system and a few years later this led to the development of the Common Rail principle, another pioneering step from Fiat Auto.

The idea first came from the Zurich University research laboratories where scientists were working on an injection system that had never before been applied to a vehicle, the Common Rail system. The idea is simple, yet elegant: if you continue to push diesel into a tank, the pressure inside will rise and the tank itself will become a hydraulic accumulator (or rail), a reserve of pressurised fuel ready for use.

Three years later, in 1990, the Unijet system developed by Magneti Marelli, Fiat Research Centre and Elasis and the Common Rail principle entered the pre-production stage. In 1994, when this stage was complete, Fiat Auto completed development and put Common Rail direct injection diesel technology into production with the help of the Robert Bosch Company, pioneering the passenger car diesel trend that has become more and more the norm across the industry.

But Unijet was not sufficient to satisfy Fiat Auto and Multijet technology was soon introduced. Despite their name, Unijet engines make two injections of diesel into the combustion chamber, a small initial injection and a bigger main injection. Multijet follows the same principle but can make up to five injections.

The pilot injection raises temperature and pressure inside the cylinder to improve combustion at the time of the main stroke. Because the main injection can now be divided into many smaller injections, the amount of diesel burnt insider the cylinder remains constant, but the combustion is fuller and more gradual. This allows further progress towards the aim of quieter combustion, reduced emissions and increased performance.

Multijet Common Rail engines differ from the Unijet principle in two essential parts: the injectors and the electronic control unit, or ECU. A smarter ECU was required to reduce the time between injections and the volume of the injection in order to fit more injections into the same amount of time in the combustion cycle. But the ECU also needs to vary its strategy according to three parameters, namely engine revs, the amount of torque required at any given time and coolant temperature.

While the Multijet engine is running, the ECU constantly adjusts the injection arrangement in terms of number and the volume of diesel injected. When coolant temperature is lower than 60 degrees and torque requirements are low, two small and one large injections are performed very close together. As torque increases, the number of injections drops to two: a small one and a large one. Under conditions of high rpm and high torque demand, only one injection is performed. With coolant temperature over 60 degrees, things change again and to minimise emissions the injection arrangement becomes one small, one big and another smaller injection.

While it sounds confusing, the customer benefits in real terms. Noise levels are reduced, refinement is improved in terms of providing greater comfort and outstanding torque progression and enhanced flexibility and response that resemble a petrol engine due to the Multijet’s wide rev range. Because combustion is continually monitored and controlled, fuel efficiency also increases substantially while lowering particulate emissions.

The bottom line is that it is the most sophisticated turbo diesel in its class. The 1,3-litre Multijet engine delivers 51kW at 4 000 r/min and 180Nm at just 1 750 r/min. It allows the Punto 1.3 JTD Multijet a top speed of 164km/h and a 0-100km/h time of 13,4 seconds. Fuel consumption figures are amongst the best in the segment with a combined cycle of 4,5 litres/100km.

1.2 16V

Where most of the Punto’s competitors at this level are using eight-valve engines, the 1.2-litre Fiat engine features 16 valves and double overhead cams. The engine features electronic multipoint sequential phased integrated electronic fuel injection and is designed to offer drivability and fuel economy.

The 1 242cc power unit features a drive-by-wire throttle driven by the ECU to regulate torque delivery in accordance with the driver’s varying requirements. The engine produces 59kW at 5 000 r/min and 114Nm at 4 000 r/min.

Performance is nippy for this type of car, the 0-100km/h sprint dispatched in 11,4 seconds. The Punto 1.2 16V has a top speed of 172km/h. Fuel consumption figures are also amongst the best in the segment: 7,6 litres/100km for an urban cycle, 4,8 litres/100km for the out of town cycle and a combined cycle of 5,8 litres/100km.

1.8 16V HGT

While fuel economy has been maintained within reasonable levels, the 1,8-litre 16 valve engine goes all out in the area it really excels: performance. This high-tech petrol engine features twin overhead cams with variable valve timing and a variable length inlet manifold to combine high-end performance with low-range flexibility.

As a result, 90% of the torque peak is available between 1 800 and 6 500 r/min. That peak is 164Nm available at 4 300 r/min and combined with 96kW at 6 300 r/min, the Punto HGT accelerates to 100km/h in 8,6 seconds and on to a top speed of 205km/h.

Fuel consumption figures are as low as 6,4 litres/100km for the out of town cycle, the Punto HGT requiring 8,3 litres/100km on a combined cycle.

Transmission

All three-engine derivatives on the Fiat Punto use five-speed manual transmissions. The unit fitted to the 1.2 16V is a 13,5kgm gearbox, while that fitted to the 1.3 JTD Multijet and 1.8 HGT is a 21kgm transmission. The gear sets and final drive ratios differ significantly between the three models.

Dualdrive electric power steering

As on the Fiat Stilo, the Punto features Dualdrive electric power steering with two operating modes and uses power generated by an electric motor instead of power from a hydraulic pump driven directly off the engine.

Conventional hydraulic systems force a compromise of assistance between steering lightness that is best for parking and much more feel at high speeds to ensure better control. The electric control of power assistance, however, allows a constantly variable level of assistance proportional to the Punto’s speed.

But the Fiat Punto offers its driver a particularly innovative choice of two settings, unique in the market. One is ideal for mixed out-of-town routes and ensures maximum empathy between driver and car. The second lightens the steering to minimise effort and is therefore ideal for driving around town and parking.

To turn on the latter, all you have to do is select the CITY switch on the centre console. But you need not fear if you set off down the motorway with the device in this position. To ensure customers maximum safety in all cases, both programs offer the same degree of power assistance over 70km/h and therefore ensure a steering wheel response suited to higher speeds.

Safety

The Fiat Punto is one of the safest cars in its class. All five models are fitted with dual front airbags. An ECU evaluates the severity of the crash by sensors that are calibrated by means of a series of crashes carried out under laboratory conditions. The passenger airbag may also be deactivated manually so that a child can be carried in a backward-facing child seat. The pretensioner remains active in this case.

The Punto 1.8 HGT has additional curtain airbags, and all models feature height adjustable front head restraints and height adjustable front seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters. The side rear seats have three-point safety belts and a central lap belt. Dynamic trim level models and the HGT have ISOFIX attachments for a child seat.

A third brake light, fire prevention system (FPS) and electric headlight adjustment are also standard.

ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) is fitted to Dynamic models and the HGT, while the performance three-door hot hatch also features Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) as standard.

Ventilated discs at the front are standard across the range; the 1.2 16V and 1.3 JTD Multijet using drum brakes at the rear. The 1.8 HGT has solid discs at the rear.

All models have a FIAT CODE rolling code immobiliser. 

Features

Active

A long list of standard features characterise the well-appointed Punto range. Active models feature remote central locking, smart front and rear windscreen wipers, fold in door mirrors, a full size spare wheel, and 14-inch steel wheels with 165/70 R14 tyres.

Interior features include front electric windows with manual opening rear windows for five-door models, an LCD onboard computer, front cup holders, a remote boot release, follow-me-home headlights, manual air conditioning, a height adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar control and fold down rear seat, a timed heated rear window and a luggage compartment light. Electric power steering with CITY function is standard as is a Blaupunkt radio/tape with six speakers.

Dynamic

Dynamic models add heated electric door mirrors; front fog lights, ABS and 14-inch alloy wheels with 185/60 R14 tyres to the Active trim level. Also added are colour coded door mirrors and handles and a 60/40-split rear seat. The audio system is a Blaupunkt radio with CD front loader and six speakers as well as radio controls on the steering wheel.

1.8 HGT

Over and above the Dynamic appointments specification, the top of the range Punto 1.8 HGT features 15-inch alloy wheels with 185/55 R15 tyres. Inside it features an outside temperature display, interior dimming lights and rear ceiling lights. The Blaupunkt radio with CD has a subwoofer with an MP3 player and six speakers. Cruise control and a leather steering wheel and gear knob complete the package.