Fiat Group approved Borealis and Borouge’s high-performance polypropylene for the bumper on its new Lancia Ypsilon model for several reasons. One was the balance between stiffness and impact performance to match the new European crash performance requirements. Furthermore, the paintability and zero-gap concept achieved through the material’s Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion (CLTE) ensures continuity with the body of the car for enhanced visual appeal.

For the dashboard, a combination of good scratch resistance with low gloss and outstanding impact behaviour offered by Borealis and Borouge products also made it the material of choice for this application.

Close cooperation for more than 15 years

The two companies have remained in close collaboration since 1995. Borealis has assisted Fiat Group’s enhancement of performance and aesthetics of its interior and exterior vehicle parts on models recognised for their safety and cutting-edge designs such as the Alfa Romeo Giulietta and Fiat 500. A dedicated Borealis team of specialists based at Fiat’s headquarters in Turin, Italy supplemented with long-term support for the car manufacturer’s activities in Brazil focuses on developing grades to meet Fiat’s quality requirements and technical specifications.

“We are very proud of our historical partnership with Fiat and look forward to extending it further with technical and developmental collaboration supporting the Group’s presence in countries such as Russia and China in the future,” comments Gianni Castronuovo, Borealis Business Unit Mobility Senior Application Development Engineer Fiat.

In addition to their aesthetic and performance advantages, Borealis and Borouge’s lightweight polyolefin innovations offer vehicle weight savings when used to replace traditional parts materials, contributing to a reduction in fuel consumption. To date, Borealis has developed similar materials in cooperation with Fiat for several platforms commercialised under Fiat's brands including Ducato, Alfa Romeo and Lancia.

“Our long-term close association with Fiat Group enables Borealis to bring performance and aesthetic-focused PP solutions to Fiat that support the high quality perception they are looking to achieve, and respond to the broader industry challenge for weight reduction. Our collaboration demonstrates the benefits of our on-going innovation and investment in local support capabilities to add value to the global automotive industry,” adds Harald Hammer, Borealis’ Vice President for Business Unit Mobility.