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Already on sale in countries across the world as
far apart as Brazil, China, Turkey and Germany,
the Linea sedan, fitted with the 1.4 FIRE engine
and imported from India, this week arrives in
the Fiat showrooms in South Africa.
This three-box
Segment C sedan gives a new interpretation of practicality,
styling and driver enjoyment, all for an extremely
competitive price to contents ratio. Or, as Oscar Rivoli,
Managing Director of Fiat Group Automobiles South Africa,
puts it: “Bang for buck on the style, space and gadget
scale, you don’t get any better than the Linea.”
Manufactured in
Turkey, India and Brazil, the newcomer is already a
strategic car for the Fiat brand in these markets, but it’s
worth noting that the Linea is also marketed in some key
Eurozone countries like Spain, Germany and Finland. Its
debut in South Africa will mark the return of a
family-oriented notchback in the Fiat line-up with a strong
bias towards value for money. Initially launching with just
one model variant, there are plans to expand the range in
the future by offering additional engine options.
It’s often said
that you can judge a person by the company they keep. Well,
if this maxim holds true for cars, then the all-new Fiat
Linea is exceptional. In procuring the 2009 Indian Car of
the Year title (Autocar India) and the Autobest 2008 award
(representing 15 European countries), the Fiat Linea
successfully fended off contenders like the Hyundai i20, Kia
Cee’d, Mazda 2, Skoda Fabia and Toyota Corolla. No easy
feat, but then the Linea is one top-notch package. The Fiat
Linea 1.4i Emotion, the sole model available at the launch,
is priced on the South African market at R175 000 (incl.
VAT).
More Style
Unmistakably
Italian, the new Linea is also unmistakably Fiat. Family
characteristics like the tear-drop shaped headlights,
forward sloping windscreen and protruding front end
(featuring standard front foglights) which debuted with the
Grande Punto and continued with the Bravo, have been
incorporated into the Linea’s design DNA. What’s more, the
sharply raked windscreen and the pronounced bonnet are
accentuated and homogeneous: because there is no distinct
break between them, they appear to be the continuation of
the same line, a characteristic that highlights the dynamism
of the Linea. 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 muscular wheelarches lend the Fiat Linea an air of
strength and solidity, reinforced by the standard 15-inch
alloy wheels. That same reassuring impression is conveyed by
the rear end, with its elegant uncluttered line. Finishing
touches include chrome accents on the front grille, around
the fog lights, on the bumpers, door handles and side
mouldings.
More Space
Proposed with a
single body type, the Linea conveys an impression of
solidity, robustness and roominess, which is confirmed by
the generous dimensions: it is 4560 mm long, 1730 mm wide
(excluding mirrors) and 1487 mm tall, with a wheelbase of
2603 mm, measurements that put it at the top of its
category.
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. The concept of comfort also means enjoying
good external visibility, enhanced by the generous size of
the wing mirrors.
The Fiat Linea
has designed comfortable seating for people of all shapes
and sizes. For example, at the front, the combination of a
driver’s seat that can be raised and a steering wheel that
adjusts for height and reach, produces excellent values of
roominess as well as an ideal driving position
(accommodating drivers from 1.5- to about 2 metres tall).
Even if the driver himself is tall, there is still room for
an equally tall passenger to sit comfortably behind him. And
this does not detract from the luggage capacity which is 500
litres in the normal configuration (one of the largest in
its category). And if the space is still not sufficient, the
rear seat will fold down to create an enormous loading area
measuring 1175 litres up to the ceiling.
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
thanks to the 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 front and
rear seats of the Fiat Linea merit special mention. They
were designed to guarantee the best level of comfort for
every passenger percentile, by close collaboration with the
top ergonomic and sport medicine specialists. To start with,
to enhance comfort, and above all the absorption of
vibration, the front seats feature a new lumbar support
system which sustains the back better. The front seats are
padded with foam that adapts to the shape of the body, and
incorporate an anti-submarining structure which prevents the
body from sliding forward, under the seat-belt, in a violent
frontal impact. The rear seat also incorporates an
anti-submarining structure and padding with differentiated
support depending on the part of the seat occupied (it is a
parameter that measures the compression of the padding under
the weight of the body). The rear seats are fitted with
Isofix attachments for child seats, while head-restraints
for all three passengers are standard.
More Pace
Engine
The Linea is
powered by a new engine which has a capacity of 1368 cc, and
4 cylinders in line, with a bore of 72 mm and stroke of 84
mm. There are four valves per cylinder, activated directly
by two overhead camshafts. The engine was developed paying
particular attention to performance and to fuel economy, two
areas in which the Fiat Linea leads its class. Praise goes
to the volumetric efficiency which has been optimised all
through the operating range, the result of precise
fluid-dynamic development of the entire intake system and
the timing. The engine delivers 66 kW at 6000 rpm, and peak
torque of 115 Nm at 4500 rpm. With this engine, the Fiat
Linea has a top speed of 165 km/h, and accelerates from 0 to
100 km/h in 16.62 seconds. Consumption is among the best in
this class: 10 l/100 km in the urban cycle, 6.6 l/100 km out
of town and 7.8 l/100 km in the combined cycle.
A sparkling
engine that is sparing on fuel – this has been achieved by
the adoption of an electronic throttle valve control system
known as ‘drive by wire’, and a new high turbulence
combustion chamber, combined with continuous variable valve
timing governed by the control unit. This innovative system
allows a consistent part of the exhaust gases (about 25%) to
be ‘recirculated’ in the combustion chamber, significantly
reducing fuel consumption and exhaust emissions when driving
with a partial load. The engine also proposes a number of
features designed to reduce consumption. For example, the
timing components have been made lighter and the valve
springs are of the low load type, to reduce friction.
Also unique to
the new 66kW 1.4 engine are the increased compression ratio
(10.8:1) and the high torque values at low speeds,
characteristics that make it possible to limit fuel
consumption. This target was made possible by the
calibration of the latest generation engine control unit,
which keeps fuel consumption very low, compatible with the
demand for drivability, performance and emissions. We should
underline that the 1.4 Fire engine is in line with Euro 4
legislation, with a catalytic converter positioned in the
engine bay (and welded to the exhaust manifold flange using
a new technology) which reaches very high temperatures
faster, thus reducing emissions even while the engine is
warming up. To minimise the environmental impact, the engine
also incorporates a ‘returnless’ fuel supply system, which
eliminates fuel recirculation within the tank, thus reducing
vapour formation. The CO2 emissions are pegged at 168 grams
per km. Steady performance, lean on fuel and clean: to these
winning features the 1.4 Fire engine also adds excellent
acoustic comfort, underlined by the adoption of a flexible
flywheel which minimises the vibration transferred from the
engine to the bodyshell.
Suspension
One of the goals
set by the designers who developed the Fiat Linea was to
create a suspension system that would offer performance
comparable with that of a higher class of car, adopting
devices that guaranteed easy, pinpoint steering, excellent
roadholding and the best comfort possible for passengers.
The choice went to two systems that had already been used on
other Fiat models, suitably modified and updated.
At the front,
the Fiat Linea adopts an independent MacPherson layout, in
which the shock absorbers and springs act as both damping
and elastic elements and as structural and kinematic
elements (the front and rear dampers are supplied by Magneti
Marelli). The main components of this layout are the
twin-shell wishbones made of pressed sheet metal (using the
patented ‘butterfly’ system), which means a significant
weight reduction, and the adoption of bushes with more
rubber to improve comfort (absorbing more roughness) while
guaranteeing excellent roadholding and stability on corners.
The new model also introduces a number of extremely
interesting elements, such as an aluminium front suspension
crossbeam with high structural rigidity.
The rear
suspension is a semi-independent system with interconnected
wheels and a torsion axle, built around a new anti-roll bar
with small con rods anchored to the dampers, for a greater
stabilising effect and prompter dynamic response when
cornering. The particular shape of the torsion axle made it
possible to obtain a stabilising anti-roll effect even
without an anti-roll bar. That is not all. The vertical
position of the dampers, which are anchored inside the
wheelarch, also filters out road roughness, enhancing
acoustic comfort inside the car. The rear axle is made up of
lateral links pressed in two half shells, welded to a
lateral torsion profile with a cylindrical heading to the
actual links. And finally, the large rear axle attachment
bushes guarantee suspension flexibility even under greater
longitudinal loads, while the particular shape of the
damping elements ensures prompt dynamic response on bends.
More Fiat
With its array
of exclusive equipment, the Fiat Linea is a miniature
flagship, featuring a cockpit that is enjoyable in any
situation or climate. The new model offers a level of
standard equipment usually only seen in cars costing twice
as much. A few examples of these creature comforts include a
fully automatic climate control system, electrochromatic
rear view mirror (electronically dims when required), rear
sun blinds (manual), leather steering wheel and gear knob,
front seat back pockets, front and rear armrests (both
featuring oddment compartments and cupholders in the rear),
sunglass holder, electric mirrors with demist function,
external temperature sensor, Fiat’s unique Blue&Me®*
telematics system as well as audio and Bluetooth satellite
controls on the steering wheel.
Of course, it
goes without saying, that all the normal accoutrements (and
then some) are present and accounted for: power steering,
power windows all round with kiddie lock, remote central
locking with autolock, adjustable headlamps, stereo system
with CD and MP3 player, trip computer and a
height-adjustable driver’s seat. The Linea is no shrinking
violet when it comes to safety kit either – ABS with EBD,
dual front airbags (featuring the ‘Air-Bag Smart 2’ system),
rolling-code immobiliser, Isofix attachments for the rear
seats, seat belt reminder and follow-me-home lights all form
part of the standard safety arsenal. Thanks to all these
features that the Linea carries as standard, the only cost
options are metallic paint (R1 500 incl.) and leather seats
(R9 000 incl.).
Enhancing the
ownership prospect, the new Fiat Linea has 20 000 km service
intervals and enjoys full after-sales support in South
Africa thanks to a comprehensive parts inventory (housed and
distributed in an all-new, state-of-the-art facility) and
the back-up of trained technicians at Fiat dealerships
countrywide. Fiat Auto South Africa offers a three-year 100
000 km Warranty (three years on paintwork and five years on
rust anti-perforation) as well as a standard three-year 60
000 km service plan.
As with other
models in the Fiat stable, the new model is covered by the
AA Fleetcare roadside assistance for 12 months. The service
is active 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
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