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With the arrival of the new Giulietta,
Fiat's latest architecture, dubbed C-Evo and
to be officially designated as "Compact",
will receive its first application, a
platform that has been designed to satisfy
the most demanding customers in terms of
road-holding, agility and safety. |
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The McPherson front suspension has been
revised to offer maximum rigidity under side
loads, reducing the weight thanks to the use
of aluminium (saving 4 kg with respect to
cast-iron solutions). |
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Evolved out of the platform that currently
underpins the Fiat Bravo and Lancia Delta,
this slide demonstrates that there is
virtually no carry over of components in the
monocoque section. |
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The rear suspension is brand new: the layout
is a sophisticated, cutting-edge Multilink
that does not compromise the useful volume
of the luggage compartment and, thanks to
the aluminium wishbones, allows for a weight
reduction of over 10 kg with respect to
conventional Multilink systems. |
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With the
arrival of the new Giulietta, Fiat's latest
architecture, dubbed C-Evo and to be officially
designated as new "Compact", will receive its first
application, a platform that has been designed to
satisfy the most demanding customers in terms of
road-holding, agility and safety.
Evolved out of
the platform that currently underpins the Fiat Bravo and
Lancia Delta, although with very little carry over of
components, C-Evo ensures both exceptional dynamic
performance and high comfort levels, thanks to the refined
technical solutions employed for the suspension; a
new-generation steering system; a light and rigid structure
created from materials such as aluminium and high-strength
steels, with avant-garde manufacturing techniques.
Furthermore, driving satisfaction and comfort can be adapted
to the meet every customer's specific needs thanks to the
Alfa DNA selector, a device that customises the vehicle's
behaviour to suit different road conditions and driving
styles.
So, the new Alfa
Romeo is a completely new car which, drawing on the spirit
of its famous predecessor, is without a doubt a sports car
capable of expressing both great agility over the most
demanding routes and providing comfort on everyday roads.
Plus, thanks to a specific suspension calibration offered by
the Sport Pack, the sportiness of the new Giulietta can be
further enhanced.
The new
"Compact" architecture continues Fiat Group Automobiles'
architecture rationalisation strategy - preceded by the
"Mini" architecture for segment A and the "Small" for
segments B and L0 - and is a true "point of departure" from
previous architectures due to the new content introduced,
the materials used and the levels of performance achieved.
Also, from the earliest design stages, the aim was to create
a new architecture that would allow future Fiat Group
Automobiles segment C vehicles, starting with the new Alfa
Romeo Giulietta, to be ranked “best in class” in terms of
handling, steering feel, performance to weight ratio, ride
comfort, NVH (Noise Vibration Harshness), safety (active and
passive) and climatic comfort.
First of all,
the underbody represents a generational leap in terms of the
materials used. The entire structure is now significantly
stronger and provides better performance without any
increase in weight with respect to the previous generation.
All this is thanks to the ever wider use of high and
ultra-high strength materials, which now make up more than
90% of the total mass of the system: some structural parts,
designed to provide high strength and the ability to absorb
impact with minimal deformation, have been made from
hot-pressed tempered steel.
Moreover,
lightweight materials have been used for several structural
elements bolted to the body structure. For instance, the
front beam connecting the front struts and the third load
path are made from extruded aluminium. The rear bumper beam
and the third load path energy absorption elements are made
from Xenoy (a thermoplastic with excellent energy absorption
properties in relation to weight). The third load path
energy absorption elements absorb the energy of low-speed
impacts with obstacles and support the bumper in impacts
with pedestrians. Employing these solutions has provided a
weight reduction of 8.5 kg at the front and 4 kg at the rear
with respect to conventional steel structures, without
compromising safety performance.
Another new
feature of the underbody is its modularity, which makes it
ideal for use on a family of vehicles with different
wheelbases. This modularity is provided by several central
floor panels and the side members and does not affect any
part of the front and rear structures. This reduces outlay
to a minimum and means that the system can be applied to
other vehicle systems without modification.
Many of the
systems and components that make up the "Compact"
architecture have been thoroughly revised with respect to
the previous generation, improving performance and reducing
weight (-35% for both the framework of the rear seats as
well as the magnesium alloy cross car beam).
Giulietta offers
exceptional handling performance and comfort levels thanks
above all to the new suspension system employed. The
McPherson front suspension in particular was revised to
offer maximum rigidity under side loads, reducing the weight
thanks to the use of aluminium (saving 4 kg with respect to
cast-iron solutions). The rear suspension is, on the other
hand, brand new: the layout is a sophisticated, cutting-edge
Multilink that does not compromise the useful volume of the
luggage compartment and, thanks to the aluminium wishbones,
allows for a weight reduction of over 10 kg with respect to
conventional Multilink systems.
In addition, the
new electric power steering system ensures an excellent
steering feel and is integrated with the vehicle's active
safety systems. The climate control system was also
specifically designed to provide the best climatic
conditions in the passenger compartment, while significantly
reducing over-consumption of fuel (30% less than a
conventional system). Similarly, thanks to specific
technical features, exceptional noise and vibrational
quality values have been achieved.
In terms of
passive safety, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta was produced to
obtain the maximum Euro NCAP rating, as demonstrated by over
fifteen thousand hours of mathematical modelling, 80 crash
tests, 150 tests on a HyGe slide and more than 100 tests on
components and sub-systems. In detail, the new third load
path increases the energy absorption potential of the
vehicle front end and reduces both inertial forces and
passenger compartment intrusion, thereby ensuring optimum
passenger protection at higher impact severity. Safety is
guaranteed by 6 airbags (as standard on the entire range);
three-point seatbelts with double pretensioners and load
limiters; the collapsible pedal unit and steering column;
the second-generation anti-whiplash system and the Isofix
mountings.
Lastly, in terms
of active safety, the new architecture of the Alfa Giulietta
was designed to integrate the vehicle's different systems
and exploit them to the full, thus emphasising the three
set-up functions (Dynamic, Normal and All Weather) available
through the Alfa DNA selector. This device, fitted as
standard on the entire range, is designed to modify the
operating parameters of the engine, gearbox, steering system
and Q2 electronic differential, in addition to the behaviour
logic of the Vehicle Dynamic Control system (VDC). Giulietta
will also be introducing Pre-Fill - a new function -
activated when the DNA is set to Dynamic, which uses the VDC
system to provide the driver with the quickest braking
response possible. These sophisticated features which
improve the dynamic control of the vehicle are supported
further by the Dynamic Steering Torque (DST), a function
which provides the driver with a feed-back torque at the
steering wheel that helps him to perform critical manoeuvres
correctly, before the VDC intervenes to prevent loss of
control.
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