Fiat Auto New Zealand have just made the 125kW 2.4-litre 20v 'Abarth' engine available in a 5-door format as they revamp the Stilo range to focus on a giving it performance edge.

The new Fiat Stilo line-up is now dominated by performance versions of the three and five door hatchback that Fiat NZ believe will make Italian performance cars more accessible than ever before.

The 1.6 litre version of the Stilo is replaced by a new 1.8 litre five door Stilo, while the 1.8 litre five door now boasts the 125 kW 2.4 litre 20 valve engine previously reserved for the Abarth version and additional equipment and features. The three door Stilo Abarth, meanwhile, is now offered in a five speed manual version, as well as with the Formula One-derived Selespeed sequential manual gearbox.

"We are playing to our strengths," explains Chris Burger, General Manager of Fiat New Zealand. "Italy plus cars equals performance. That's what most people know and that's what we are going focus on with the new Stilo range.

"We have upped the performance edge of both five door versions of the Stilo, which means not just more performance, but also an easier entry price for the silken performance punch of the five cylinder engine, while the manual version of the Abarth not only provides a new price point, but also a car that will appeal to traditional performance drivers."

The arrival of the new Fiat Stilo range also sees some changes made across the range. Five door versions of the Stilo now have a new tail treatment, with new rear light lenses that are all in red jewel-like plastic, a redesigned tailgate that features a repositioned Fiat badge and a new rear bumper that is no longer grooved and provides a cleaner look. New body coloured side mouldings are also fitted as standard now to all five door versions.

Inside the five door there is a new two tone dashboard, which amplifies the light airy tone of the five door that is set by the taller body and larger glass area which is made possible by the advanced construction techniques used in the Stilo. The three door Stilo retains the all-black dashboard, which sits perfectly with its low slung, hard-edged sports character. The dashboard is now highlighted with a new Kiron satinised metallic finish.

All versions of the Stilo now have automatic benefits from refinements to the suspension and drivetrain that make the Stilo smoother and quieter.

The Stilo range now opens with the 1.8 litre Stilo five door which offers a lusty 98 kW and 162 Nm of torque to produce strong performance with a 0-100 kmh time of 10.3 seconds and a top speed of 202 kmh. But these bald figures don't do justice to a car that is fleet of foot and fun to drive as it is spacious and family orientated. With its next generation interior of folding and sliding seats, tall body and spacious interior, it is a uniquely capable car.
 

The Fiat Stilo 2.4 takes everything in the 1.8 litre and adds a 2.4 litre 125 kW five cylinder engine matched to the sequential manual Selespeed gearbox that has its development roots firmly placed in the Ferrari Formula One programme. This supremely practical five door hatchback offers a top speed of 215 kmh and the ability to dispatch the dash to 100 kmh in just 8.5 seconds.
 
The new five door 2.4 litre also gains in the equipment stakes with the telematics package, including GSM mobile phone and SatNac capability, sports seats, leather steering wheel with fingertip control buttons, rear spoiler, cruise control and leather upholstery, making this new version both highly capable and very well equipped.

Toping the Fiat Stilo range is the Abarth, now only available with the three door body and for the first time with the option of manual gearbox. The three door is much more than five door with two less doors. Thanks to the unique architecture of the Stilo, the three door is a very different car, with a low slung, narrow windowed, sharpened style that breathes performance from every angle. Consider this, the seating position is so different in the Abarth that the entire instrument package has to be angled differently from the five door.

As befits this unique car, there is a high level of standard equipment, including Cruise Control, rain, parking and dusk sensors, leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear lever gaiter, steering wheel controls (11 keys), body-coloured protective side strips and handles, height-adjustable front driver's seat and 17-inch alloys.

Over the standard Abarth package, the Selespeed version gains a full leather interior, dual zone climate control AirCon and the Telematics package that includes GSM mobile phone and SatNav capable system with full dashboard integration.

It is also fully equipped, including alloy wheels, ABS + EBD with ASR/MSR and Emergency Brake Assist, six airbags (the front bags are Multistage with an OCS sensor), a sophisticated alarm system with tilt and interior volumetric protection. a Fiat CODE II antitheft system, head-restraints and three-point seat-belts on all seats, ISOFIX attachments for child seats and a pretensioner and load limiter for the front seats. The standard equipment list also includes a DualDrive electric power steering system, fog lamps built into the headlamps, a CD based high power audio system, and a trip computer, a steering wheel with height and axial adjustment and driver's seat height and lumbar adjustment.

Plus a cooled and heated facia compartment, central locking with superlock functions, front windows with an obstruction sensor and electric door mirrors. The latter are painted the same shade as the body and are heated. Also included are air conditioning, lighted courtesy mirror, the My Car personalization system, cup holders built into the rear armrest that, like the front armrest, comes with a convenient storage compartment.