Just as the Fiat Strada celebrates its eleventh
consecutive year as Brazil's best selling pick up truck
the long-running "Project World Car" derivative is
unveiled in a new series that brings the robust vehicle
a distinctly sporting feel, offering a new choice to the
consumer and helping to make the Strada's range even
more comprehensive. The Strada Sporting 1.8 16v "Cabine
Estendida" (Extended Cab) will be priced in Fiat's
Brazilian showrooms at R$ 46,270.00.
Seeking a
distinctively sporting appearance the new Strada
Sporting 1.8 16V features a comprehensive external
makeover with a redesign of the headlight internals now
with revised optical units and darkened rear plates. A
new bodykit seeks to give the Strada a more aggressive
and sports-orientated stance: it includes new profiled
side body skirts with mouldings that fan out towards
either end and are colour-coded as well as new front and
rear wheel arch mouldings and a front lower add-on lip
spoiler section that are all also finished in the body
colour. The Strada Sporting also receives exclusive
16-inch light alloy wheels fitted with 185/55R16 tyres.
The base body colour is complemented by several
component finishes. The front foglamp recess sections,
the lower parts of the door mirrors, the roof bars,
front radiator grille, the centre section of the lower
front lip spoiler and the alloy wheels' hub section and
spoke recesses are all finished in a "dark shadow"
effect while the upper sections of the door mirrors, the
wheel spokes' outer edges, the foglight housings and the
front grille surround all feature an aluminium finish.
Meanwhile the upper rear bumper section features a large
aluminium protection plate with the "Sporting" logo
embossed. The external changes are completed by dedicated
"Sporting" decaling on the lower 3/4 panel in front of
the rear wheels.
Inside, the designers at Fiat Automóveis has given the
cabin a number of sporty touches to complement the
exterior makeover. These include a leather steering
wheel with red stitching, new seat fabrics with a
perforated-effect, which are also stitched in red, and
new handbrake and gearlever covers that also continue
the perforated theme and feature the same
stitching colour. The front seat safety restraining
belts are also red. The instrument panel is given new
detailing to offer a more sporty appeal while there are
dedicated floor mats with the "Sporting" logo stitched
in, new pedal covers to give a better grip and a visual
upgrade and also new kick plates embossed with large
"Sporting" logos.
The Strada Sporting will be offered with
one engine option, the 1.8-litre 16v version of the new
E.torQ unit (which was developed by Fiat Powertrain
Technologies from the defunct "Tritec" Chrysler/BMW joint
venture's 1.6-litre unit and it is built at the
JV's former
Campo Largo, Brazil facility). The
specification of this FlexFuel engine is 130 HP
(when using pure gasoline) and 132 HP (when using pure ethanol) and 18.4 lb/ft of torque (gasoline) and 18.9
lb/ft (ethanol), both at 4,500 rpm. While there are no increases in power and
torque for the engine fitted to the Strada Sporting (these
specifications are the same as seen in the 1.8 16v E.torQ's
other applications across the Fiat Automóveis range, such as
the Linea) the Italian carmaker has however fitted a new
differential ratio (3.867)
and recalibrated in the springs and dampers.
The new Strada derivative arrives on the
Brazilian market well equipped with as standard items
including air-conditioning, power steering, trip computer,
powered front windows with one-touch function and
anti-squash, electric central locking, height adjustable
steering wheel, follow-me-home, sliding rear window, load
bay protective seal, cup holder and spare wheel (16 inch
alloy) with anti-theft device. Optional equipment includes rain
and dusk sensors, electrochromatic rearview mirror, electrically adjustable
external door mirrors,
sunroof, load bay cover, device to fix the spare wheel inside extended cab and
the radio
integrated into the Connect CD/MP3/WMA panel with RDS, handsfree, Bluetooth
and USB/iPod docking. The Strada Sporting also comes optionally with Fiat
Brazil's HSD (High Safety Drive) kit which comprises of dual
airbags and
brakes with ABS at a competitive price.
