The new Fiat Punto has come out as the overall winner of the prize Imprensa Automotiva 2007 in Brazil, an award that is regarded as one of the most important automotive trophies in the country.

The new Fiat Punto has come out as the overall winner of the prize Imprensa Automotiva 2007 in Brazil, an award that is regarded as one of the most important automotive trophies in the country; it is handed out by a jury of specialised journalists.

The Fiat Punto in fact won two titles: Imprensa Automotiva 2007, National Car of the Year, and 'Abiauto', Car of the Year, to see the new B-segment car coming out as the biggest winner of the prize, which is organised by Abiauto (Brazilian Association of Automotive Press). The jury this year consisted of 63 specialised automotive journalists drawn from newspapers, magazines, radio stations and television, right across the whole Brazil.

Amongst the finalists in the category of 'Best National Vehicle' were the Fiat Punto, Chevrolet Vectra, Citroën C4 Pallas, Honda Civic and Volkswagen Golf. The Fiat Punto ran out the winner though with a huge 77 percent of all the votes cast. That prize, and its margin, confirms the Fiat Punto as a great success in the market.

The Punto was launched in Brazil in August and it is built at the Betim factory. With four engine and specification versions available (1.4 ELX 1.4 HLX 1.8 and Sporting), the Punto was elected not only for its beautiful design, the Fiat model is in fact the only vehicle on sale on the Brazilian market to offer the innovative Blue&Me infotelematic system which serves to increase and to alter the form of interaction between the driver and the car. Last month the new Brazilian-built Punto won another important award, this time it was the FIPA-organised Inter-American Car of the Year.

by Claudio Perlini