INTELLIGENCE

The Fiat Idea comes with four engines (two petrol and two turbodiesel) that deliver a spirited performance but are decidedly thrifty on fuel. This makes them a viable proposition for use in and out of town.

So please meet the revolutionary 1.3 16v Multijet, the brisk 100 bhp 1.9 Multijet and the lively 95 bhp 1.4 16v Fire. These veritable gems of automotive engineering are joined on the brand-new model by the tried and tested 1.2 16v unit from the Fire family, now with revised parts for improved performance.

All come with four cylinders and make up a product range able to satisfy the most disparate needs. Common features include: flexibility, running economy and respect for the environment. The engines are complemented by three five-speed manual gearboxes and an advance robotised gearbox ('Dualogic') that can operate in both sequential and automatic mode. The engines offered by the new model are also particularly noiseless (due to exhaust systems with optimised arrangement and configuration) and respectful of the environment (they meet Stage 3 and 4 EEC emission limits depending on the market).

All these winning features are the best demonstration of our ability to build reliable, doughty and clean engines. This universally accepted Fiat attribute has been amply demonstrated in the petrol engine field, for example, by the 12 million and more Fire units produced since 1984. And now the diesel versions of the new model extend to a wider public the benefits offered by second generation Multijet Common Rail turbodiesel engines: i.e. an improved ratio between performance and fuel consumption and greater respect for the environment.

The Multijet system proved to be the breakthrough that really helped the Fiat Group to set a major new record in the diesel engine field. But we had been putting in a lot of hard work behind the scenes since 1988, the date that marked the arrival of the Croma TDI, the first direct injection diesel vehicle in the world.


1.3 16v Multijet

The Fiat Idea range would not be complete without the 1.3 16v Multijet, the smallest, most advanced of the second-generation Common Rail direct injection diesels.

Fiat's designers created the engine by taking all the engineering packed into the ultra-recent 140 bhp 1.9 Multijet engine used on higher segment cars: for example, the high pressure Common Rail device, multipoint injections, 16 valves, intercooler and a particularly efficient combustion chamber shape. Then they added an intake system with plastic manifold and directional ducts. Lastly, they reduced engine mass and dimensions without detracting in any way from technical sophistication and quality.

All in all, the 1.3 16v Multijet is a true masterpiece of miniaturised technology: when clad with all its accessories, it weighs in at just 130 kg. Its size is small at less than 50 centimetres in length and 65 in height. The component layout has been designed to ensure it takes up the smallest possible space. Yet it guarantees the same advantages as bigger engines because it has not been reduced but miniaturised.

The power unit has thus been built to ensure the greatest rationalism, efficiency and reliability and is the smallest Common Rail four-cylinder diesel on the market. The only power unit that can pack no fewer than six normal-sized components (namely four valves, an injector and a glow plug) into a cylinder with a diameter of less than 70 mm. This major feat of miniaturisation enables the engine to be fitted to segment B superminis and even segment A city cars. But the new engine can also boast another record: it is the most powerful.

Despite a truly miniscule cylinder capacity of 1251 cc, the pocket Multijet comes out top when compared with all the small diesels with fixed geometry turbines currently present on the market. Even the most vaunted. Suffice it to say that it offers the best specific performance of any diesel engine with 800 to 1500 cc of cylinder capacity: a power output of 51 kW at 4000 rpm and torque delivery of 18.3 kgm at just 1750 rpm.

This compact, technologically sophisticated new engine also offers outstanding efficiency and is practically guaranteed for life. The 1.3 16v Multijet is designed to last for 250,000 km instead of the usual 150,000.

During this long lifetime, it does not require any maintenance to mechanical parts (and the fan belt need not be changed slavishly at 80,000 km). The oil change intervals have also been increased from 20 to 30,000 km. The oil is naturally low viscosity (i.e. designed for fuel economy) and environmentally friendly.

Last but not least, the performance figures for a Fiat Idea equipped with the 1.3 16v Multijet are outstanding: top speed is 159 km/h while the car takes just 15.4 seconds to speed from 0 to 100 km/h and 36.6 seconds to cover a kilometre from a standing start. The fuel consumption figures are also amongst the best in the segment: 6.2 l/100 km over an urban cycle, 4.5 l/100 km over the extra-urban cycle and 5.1 l/100 km over mixed routes.

The 1.3 16v Multijet therefore represents a veritable technological leap that will allow Fiat to tap into growing market interest for diesels, particularly small diesels. Due to their cylinder capacity, low weight, low emissions and advantageous performance-fuel consumption ratios, the diesel market share is growing sharply even in low segments. The figure was 5% in 1997, nowadays it is 20% and over the next three years it should rise to 30-40%.

These results mean that the market for this type of engine should - if the estimates are correct - quickly rise to 1,500,000 units. Small Fiats equipped with the sophisticated 1.3 16v Multijet engine could carve out a significant niche within this market. Because if it is true that, as the history of diesel has taught us, the product drives the market, Fiat is again in the vanguard of change and ready to introduce new models to make the most of the change it helped to create.

The secret lies in the Multijet system

Until recently, the final frontier in diesel engines was power units with Unijet Common Rail engineering. Despite their name, the engines make not one but two injections of diesel into the combustion chamber: a small initial injection and a bigger main injection. But all this has changed now, because the Fiat-GM Powertrain engineers have developed second-generation common rail power units that are Multijet, i.e. capable of more injections (3 to 5).

The engineering principle behind both systems is the same. Even in the Unijet version, the pilot injection raises temperature and pressure inside the cylinder to improve combustion at the time of the main stroke.

Because the main injection can now be divided into many smaller injections, the amount of diesel burnt inside the cylinder remains the same but the combustion is fuller and more gradual. This allows further progress towards the aim of quieter combustion, reduced emissions and increased performance.

Multijet Common Rail engines differ from Unijet Common Rail engines in two essential parts: their injectors and their electronic control unit. To increase the number of injections, we needed injectors capable of reducing the time between one injection and the next - and the gap was accordingly cut by one order of magnitude: from 1500 to 150 microseconds. Then the engineers had to reduce the minimum injected quantity: from 2 to less than 1 mm3. We therefore needed a smarter control unit, i.e. a unit able to continually change injection strategy to adjust to changes in three parameters: engine rpm, torque required at any given moment by the driver and coolant temperature.

While the new 1.3 16v Multijet is in operation, the control unit continually adjusts injection arrangement and number (as well as the amount of diesel injected). When coolant temperature is lower than 60° and the torque requirement is low, two small and one large injection are performed, very close together. As torque increases, the number of injections drops to two: a small one and a large one. Under conditions of high rpm and high torque demand, only one injection is performed. With coolant temperature over 60°, things change again and to minimise emissions the injection arrangement becomes: one small, one large, one small.

Benefits to the customer

As far as customers are concerned, the fact that all the engineering is packed into the small 1.3 16v Multijet means a reduction in fuel consumption compared to the present 1.9 JTD that amounts to some 10% for the same mass and weight. The emission control reduction amounts to 50%. All this comes with:

• lower noise levels (if we imagine the cylinder combustion to be like striking a drum: striking a small drum three times is less noisy than striking a large drum once);
• greater comfort: fewer alternating masses means fewer vibrations;
• smooth, gentle drive due to outstanding torque progression (in turn guaranteed by the possibility of greater control of combustion, moment by moment);
• the flexibility and prompt responses of a diesel engine that resembles petrol engines more and more due to its wide rpm range (e.g. you no longer feel the fuel cut-off at just over 4000 rpm);
• environmentally-friendly features that allow this engine to improve on the greenest feature of a diesel (fuel consumption) by minimising its main defect (particulate emissions).

100 bhp 1.9 Multijet

This engine is derived from the tried and tested 1.9 JTD 8 valve Common Rail unit and takes the form of a 4 cylinder in line unit with bore of 82 millimetres and stroke of 90.4 millimetres. The two valves per cylinder are driven directly by an overhead camshaft. The new turbodiesel has undergone several engineering changes to increase performance and engine torque at low speeds and to reduce noise levels and vibrations.

For example, the Common Rail system used on the 100 bhp 1.9 Multijet unit includes two new strategies for automatically calibrating and balancing the diesel injected to lower noise and reduce vibration. The combustion chamber has also been optimised to improve thermodynamic efficiency by reducing the compression ratio to 18:1.

Certain engine components are brand new: a cylinder head with hydraulic tappets, steel connecting rods and crankshaft, a piston with an internal channel to carry cooling oil to the main and connecting rod bearings that are made out of different material to the previous unit. The exhaust and intake manifolds are also new: the former is made out of a special high-strength material while the latter is made out of die-cast aluminium. The electronically-controlled EGR system is cooled by exhaust gas. The lubrication circuit has a new oil pump and an external heat exchanger (air/oil) for cooling the oil. The cooling system is fitted with a different water pump. This long series of improvements and changes has created a reliable, powerful engine with low fuel consumption.

The power units are turbocharged via a fixed geometry IHI RHF4 MIX-FLOW turbocharger with electronically-controlled Waste Gate that helps improve power delivery by allowing very high torque delivery even at low rpms. Suffice it to say that 90% of maximum torque is available between 1750 and 3250 rpm. These data translate into great driving satisfaction and truly inspiring performance.

The brand new 1.9 Multijet offers various benefits. The engine is quieter as it warms up. The improvement can be quantified as a reduction of 3 to 6 decibels depending on engine speed and environmental temperature. Plus, great power (100 bhp at 4000 rpm), generous torque (26.4 kgm at 1750 rpm) and a top speed of 179 km/h. A car equipped with this engine can also accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 11.5 seconds and cover a kilometre from a standing start in 33.0 seconds. Despite these searing performance figures, the fuel consumption is low: 7.0 l/100 km over an urban cycle, 4.7 l/100 km for an extra-urban cycle and 5.5 l/100 km over mixed routes. The new power unit also reduces emissions even though it is not fitted with sophisticated exhaust gas treatment devices.

The attributes of this second generation Common Rail family are many though the underlying principles remain the same, i.e. high injection pressure and electronic injector control. With one extra feature: during each engine cycle, the number of injections increases over and above the current number of two. In this way, the same amount of diesel is burnt inside the cylinder but in several portions to achieve smoother combustion. The advantages include lower running noise, reduced emissions and a 6-7% increase in performance. All this comes with a level of engine efficiency that improves car handling still further.

These results are not to be underestimated, particularly because they are obtained with an engine that represents an incredible leap forward from prechamber diesels and even improves on first generation JTD engines. The secret of the Multijet engine lies in the control unit that governs the electric injector opening and closure system (and also in the injectors themselves). The crucial element is the electronic control unit itself that can perform a set of injections that may be very closely spaced.

95 bhp 1.4 16v Fire

And so to the latest arrival in the Fire range - and also the highest performer. The new engine offers a cylinder capacity of 1368 cc and a 4 cylinder in line configuration with bore of 72 millimetres and stroke of 84 mm. The four valves per cylinder are driven directly by a twin overhead camshaft.

The power unit was developed with particular attention to performance and fuel consumption, an area where the Fiat Idea excels in its category. This is due to the fact that volumetric efficiency has been optimised throughout the service range due to painstaking fluid dynamic development studies on the entire intake and timing system. The result is a power output of 70 kW (95 bhp) at 5800 rpm and a maximum torque of 13.0 kgm at 4500 rpm. A Fiat Idea with this engine has a top speed exceeding 175 km/h, accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 11.5 seconds and covers one kilometre from a standing start in 33.0 seconds. The fuel consumption figures are amongst the best in the segment: 8.5 l/100 km over an urban cycle, 5.5 l/100 km for an extra-urban cycle and 6.6 l/100 km over mixed routes.

In other words, a vigorous yet frugal engine. This performance is aided by an electronic throttle valve control system known as a drive by wire system. Unlike the current production 16 valve unit, the 95 bhp 1.4 unit uses new engine control unit management software.

This torque-based system represents the cutting edge in its field. Its strength lies in being able to manage all actions through a single co-ordinator block that operates according to one basic parameter, i.e. the driver's torque requirements expressed through the accelerator. When translated into a physical torque value, these demands (including the demands of external systems such as the ABS) may be coordinated even before the main engine control parameters have been converted (advance, throttle position, injection time etc.) with the huge benefit of meeting needs with extraordinary accuracy and within a very short time period. Not to mention the fact that this system exploits a single standard of communication between the various systems and functions that all speak the lingua franca of drive torque. This allows a higher level of handling than with current systems while also reducing polluting emissions levels. The system also guarantees maximum integration with all the other devices such as ESP and Cruise Control.

Another specific feature of the new 95 bhp 1.4 16v Fire is the increase in compression ratio and the high torque values at low speeds, qualities that have allowed fuel consumption to be kept low. This aim is also achieved through the tuning of the cutting edge engine control system that succeeds in cutting fuel consumption as far as possible while still maintaining handling, performance and low emissions. As far as emissions are concerned, the 95 bhp 1.4 16v already meets Euro 4 legislative requirements. This is due to a catalytic converter located in the engine compartment (and welded to the exhaust emission manifold flange using a new method) that reaches high temperatures within a shorter time period and thus reduces emissions even while the engine is warming up. To minimise the environmental effect, the new engine is also equipped with a returnless fuel system that eliminates fuel recirculation within the tank and thus reduces vapour formation.

High-performing, thrifty and clean: the 95 bhp 1.4 16v Fire unit backs these qualities with outstanding acoustic comfort. Firstly, a barycentric power unit mounting system has been adopted to achieve reaction forces with zero offset and thus minimise the transfer of engine vibrations to the body. The acoustic comfort offered by the new engine is also enhanced by:

• an aluminium crankcase base with cast iron main bearing caps cast together;
• the development of an aluminium oil sump that is connected directly to the crankcase base and gearbox to increase the flexural and torsional rigidity of the entire power unit and thus reduce vibrations;
• the use of a damper with setting specially adjusted to damp vibrations with torsional resonance in the crankcase and flywheel system;
• lastly, the adoption of an optimised piston skirt profile on which is deposited (screen-printed) a molybdenum bisulphate coating that allows piston/liner mating clearances to be pared to the minimum possible during production. This reduces noise produced by secondary movement of the piston in the cylinder (piston slap).

80 bhp 1.2 16v

The tried and tested 1242 cc Fire power unit makes its arrival on the Fiat Idea after undergoing a whole series of refinements to make it a paragon of fuel consumption thrift without affecting performance.

The 80 bhp 1.2 16v engine unit selected for the Fiat Idea features a modified torque delivery curve (11.6 kgm at 4000 rpm) for an even more satisfying drive and good performance with better fuel economy. The engine also benefits from all the improvements described for the Fire 1.4 16v as far as the mechanicals, on-board electronics, exhaust system and fuel system are concerned.

This power unit also features a sophisticated piece of engineering not present on the 8 valve version. It takes the form of an electronic throttle driven by the engine control unit, a mechanism previously reserved for higher segment models. This device is wire-driven, i.e. operated without any mechanical connections between accelerator and throttle body. It leaves the electronic control unit the task of delivering torque in accordance with the driver's varying requirements. This is reflected in a top speed of 163 km/h and an acceleration figure of 0 to 100 km/h in 13.5 seconds (it takes 35.0 seconds to cover a kilometre from a standing start). The fuel consumption figures are also amongst the best in the segment: 6.5 l/100 km over a mixed cycle, 8.4 l/100 km for an urban cycle and 5.4 l/100 km over an extra-urban cycle.

A microhybrid electronic engine management system makes a crucial contribution to enhancing the vigorous temperament of the 1.2 16v engine. An aluminium crankcase base with linked main bearing caps has also been developed to improve engine performance as far as acoustics and vibrations are concerned.

Sophisticated, reliable gearboxes

The Fiat Idea comes with three types of five-speed gearbox to exploit the power of the four engines to the full. The first is designed for the petrol engine versions (1.2 16v and 1.4 16v), the second is fitted to 1.3 16v Multijet versions while the third is paired with the 1.9 Multijet. The 1.4 16v and 1.3 16v Multijet can also be fitted with a sophisticated robotised gearbox that allows automatic transmission control: the 'Dualogic'.

First the manual units. Though they differ in terms of the maximum torque values they can handle (15 to 26 kgm), all share a dual cable external control that filters engine running unevenness and vibrations transmitted from the engine to the gearlever. The gear teeth offer high meshing capacity while the fifth speed and final drive gear sets are machined to a superfinish after heat treatment (for lower noise levels). Light and very effective at absorbing noise, the gear cases are developed using finite element structural computing methods.

The gear ratios are longer for good fuel economy while the clutch control is hydraulic to assure - yet again - low running noise, ease of use and efficiency.

Outstanding among the manual gearboxes is the new five-speed Getrag. The unit is fitted to cars with the 100 bhp 1.9 Multijet engine and its strength and reliability are borne out by its ability to withstand very high torques (26 kgm). The Fiat Idea 1.3 16v Multijet, on the other hand, comes with a five-speed manual gearbox that transmits a torque of 21 kgm and features an external coupling. Both gearboxes were developed for higher segment cars and achieve the highest levels of noiselessness and ease of engagement.

The range concludes with a five-speed version of our 15 kgm gearbox that equips the 1.2 16v and 1.4 16v power units. The device differs from the previous version available on other Fiat models. It now offers a fully redesigned internal differential with upgraded bevel gears and box bolted to the ring gear. Gears made out of better quality metals have been used to upgrade this version. The new gearbox also takes up little space and its selection lever is outstandingly manoeuvrable. This has been achieved by reducing clutch driven plate inertia and introducing new gaskets. The gearbox configuration is transverse with two shafts in a cascade, while the gear mechanism is internal over four selection planes. The device is also equipped with a syringe device to prevent involuntary reverse engagement.

'Dualogic'

The 'Dualogic' device is available with the manual gearboxes combined with the 1.3 16v Multijet and 1.4 16v engines and features an innovative transmission system. On this, an automatic servo device automates the clutch and gear lever to retain all the attributes of a dry clutch and manual gearbox (weight, strength and reliability, low energy consumption).

This sophisticated device improves the performance of the manual mechanical transmission components while increasing driving safety via a control system that stops the driver making mistakes and prevents incorrect transmission system manoeuvres. Two operating modes are available: semiautomatic and automatic.

 The first adopts more advanced control strategies to assure peak performance whether the power unit runs on petrol or diesel. Speeds are engaged by means of a lever on the tunnel. Because no clutch pedal is present, the device is controlled simply by moving the lever: forward to change up (towards the + symbol), back to change down (toward the - symbol). A simple push is sufficient to ensure the transmission makes a fast, accurate gear change.

In detail, the 'Dualogic' transmission operates in semiautomatic mode as follows. Electrical signals reach the control unit via the CAN (Controller Area Network) and may be grouped in two main subsets. One set of data comes from the gearbox area and identifies the position of shift, selection and clutch, hydraulic kit service pressure and also clutch speed of rotation. The other set consists of all the signals received from other Fiat Idea systems (e.g. engine and brake system) that help define the gear change in a precise, repeatable manner. The 'Dualogic' system uses these two groups of information to manage comfortable or sports drive in manual or automatic mode and using different operating strategies. It does this by mapping pedal position (interpreted as performance requests as the values increase) and engine rpm.

Once the Fiat Idea has been started, pressure on the brake pedal confirms to the system that the driver is present in the driver's seat. First gear or reverse may then be engaged (the second may be engaged to set off if the ground is slippery). To ensure safety and prevent undesired gear changes, the system engages neutral when the engine is still running and the door has been opened. The 'Dualogic' device also prevents errors that could damage the engine or gearbox by indicating emergency situations or manoeuvres that are not allowed by means of visual and acoustic alarms.

When in automatic mode, the 'Dualogic' system offers two options: Normal and Economy. The Normal strategy offers outstanding driving comfort to assure scintillating gearshifts under all conditions. The Economy strategy is used when you wish to reduce fuel consumption while still maintaining top level handling and driving comfort.

With both options, the system stretches to a higher ratio once the rpm level has been reached, when the engine delivers maximum torque or power. In automatic mode, the system recognises the road gradient (by means of a software algorithm) and modifies the gear shift point to ensure the best possible compromise between the driver's needs, ground conditions and vehicle situation (speed and engine rpm) at all times. Another specific feature of the 'Dualogic' is its ability to assess vehicle deceleration and adjust downshifts. In semiautomatic mode, for example, the system allows downshifts, particularly when the driver demands a lower gear to take a corner at speed during a sporty drive. In automatic mode, the system anticipates the downshift to ensure the driver can always call on the most appropriate speed to maintain the required comfort level or fuel saving.

The 'Dualogic' is the best compromise for those who prefer an automatic but do not wish to give up the satisfaction and fun of a manual gearbox.

Sophisticated technology for maximum in-car wellbeing

The Fiat Idea boasts features that until now were exclusive to higher segment cars. A trip on board the new model will reveal a passenger compartment that satisfies in all situations and weathers. This has been achieved, in part, by a generous and innovative sunroof and a sophisticated automatic dual zone climate control system. And more. The original compact MPV offers state-of-the-art automatic devices to make driving less of a chore: from Cruise Control to Dualdrive electric power steering. Plus the new model allows you to light your way home or the garage door without having to go back and turn off your headlights. The Fiat Idea sets a whole new quality benchmark for cars in this market band and also takes the quality of on-board life and travel up to a new level.

Skydome sunroof

The Fiat Idea may be fitted with a large glass sunroof (Skydome) that represents a first for this segment and offers a new way of experiencing car travel. The latest-generation device occupies nearly 70 percent of the roof and consists of two glazed panels (one fixed and one mobile) and two sunblinds that run independently towards the rear of the car.

This system allows you to choose how you wish to enjoy the outside world as you drive. The Fiat Idea can be converted from a closed car to a car with a glass sunroof, a car with a conventional sunroof or even a model with the feel of a cabriolet. Everything depends on the outdoor temperature and the type of day. When you want to flood the passenger compartment with light, you can close the glass part and open the underlying blind.

If you'd rather travel in an open-topped car, it takes just seven seconds to open the glass front panel and blind fully to enjoy your very own window on the sky. Or you could decide to open the front panel only partly. All you have to do is press the key on the central courtesy light to move the front panel. In the first position, the glass becomes a raised spoiler. When you continue to press the control, it takes up intermediate positions by sliding back on aluminium guides. Simply release the key to stop the movement in the required position. The same movements take place in reverse during closure.

The Skydome also comes with an anti-obstruction system that reverses the motion of the glass panel when it encounters an obstacle.

Automatic dual zone climate control system

Interior climate is one of the main comfort factors during a trip and is also very important for interior safety because temperature, humidity and ventilation affect the driver's well-being and thus his level of alertness. And of course the heating and ventilation system is also responsible for demisting the windscreen and side windows. This is why all versions of the Fiat Idea offer a new, highly-efficient ventilation unit with recirculation facility and pollen filter. Two types of climate control system are also available, according to the version: the first is manual and the second is an automatic dual zone system.

The dual zone device automatically controls temperature, air flow, air distribution, compressor activation and recirculation by means of an electronic control unit. It also acts as a dual zone climate control system, i.e. able to ensure two different temperatures simultaneously: one in the right part of the passenger compartment and the other in the left.

The quality of air reaching the inside of the car is improved by a filter that traps particles measuring more than 0.5 microns and pollen (that could cause allergies).

The Fiat Idea also implements an equivalent temperature climate control strategy. It records internal and external temperature by means of certain sensors and assesses the sensation of thermal well-being experienced by passengers, i.e. the energy exchange between human body and passenger compartment that is affected by humidity, temperature and treated air flow.

Another sensor located in a central position at the windscreen base records solar radiation on the car and the angle at which the rays strike the passenger compartment. This allows the system to prevent an excessive increase in temperature inside the car caused by the sun and thus to inform the climate control system in time.

All these parameters are monitored continuously and used to update the distribution, ventilation and mixing automatically. Air temperature and fan speed are therefore adjusted to ensure passengers experience the desired sensation of thermal well-being (achieved by setting the required temperature). The result is a constant climate, even with significant changes in external conditions.

The system may be adjusted to one of five set combinations to allow air taken into the car to reach all areas of the passenger compartment.

• 'def', directs air only to the windscreen to demist and defrost;
• 'vent', offers an immediate sensation of well-being as the interior reaches the required temperature;
• 'floor', assures rapid heating;
• 'bi-level', directs warmer air from the floor outlets and cooler air from the facia outlets;
• 'heat', ensures the passenger compartment is properly heated and also prevents demisting.

The system offers three possible temperature settings:

• 'LO' (maximum cooling) that is activated when a temperature setting of below 16.5°C is chosen. In this case, the system ensures that the air distribution is directed to the front (vent position), air flow is the maximum permitted by the device and the compressor is on (recirculation is set by the user);
• 'HI' (maximum heating) becomes operational when the temperature requirement is higher than 32.5°C. Air distribution is set to the floor position; output is again as high as possible; the compressor is controlled as required by the control unit and recirculation is left to the motorist's discretion;
• 'MAX DEF' (fast defrost), essential in winter, during periods of high rainfall and sometimes in spring and autumn; the compressor comes on automatically to ensure air taken into the passenger compartment is dehumidified and the windscreen and rear window are demisted/defrosted quickly.

The possibility of altering interior temperature gradually, half a degree at a time, makes for outstanding climatic comfort. The knob can be used to bring about a temperature change of 16°C, with a maximum temperature difference of 7 degrees between the left and right areas.

Manual adjustment is used for:

• setting interior temperature (right and left);
• voluntary changes to air flow distribution;
• fan speed (to alter air flow) and fan shut-off;
• compressor deactivation (in practice, the system works as an automatic heater);
• the recirculation control;
• the 'MAX DEF' function for fast demist/defrost.

Manual choices always over-ride automatic settings. They are also indicated by deactivation of the Full message (Auto remains visible) and stored until the user cancels the command. Each time the system is turned on, it returns to the conditions saved upon deactivation, except for the 'MAX DEF' function, which is zeroed. The entire system can also be turned off manually to fully deactivate the air conditioning system.

Cruise Control

Cruise Control is a system that helps motorists to manage vehicle speed and improve travelling comfort. The device allows a cruising speed set by the driver to be maintained automatically by governing the engine throttle directly. Simply turn a wheel on a dedicated stalk to the left of the steering wheel to ON position and then turn another one (actually a manual accelerator) towards the + (or -) sign to achieve the required speed. When the ring is released, the car continues to travel at the saved speed without the driver pressing the accelerator pedal.

The Cruise Control system can work within the entire range of rpm levels allowed by the engine, but only at speeds over 40 km/h. It is therefore advisable to turn it on only if road conditions allow the set value to be maintained in safety.

When the accelerator pedal is pressed (during overtaking, for example), the Cruise Control system is temporarily disabled even though the system stays on. The car therefore accelerates as required, but the system automatically restores the car to the stored speed as soon as the pedal is released. For obvious safety reasons, the device is released automatically when the driver presses the brake or clutch pedal. In this case, you can go back to the preset speed by pressing the RESUME button at the end of the Cruise Control stalk.

Turn the wheel OFF and turn off the engine to deactivate the Cruise Control finally and cancel all previous settings. A warning light on the multifunctional display indicates system operation or deactivation status.

The Anti Slip Regulation function takes priority over automatic speed control: the system goes back to the set speed when the ASR ceases to work.

Dualdrive electric power steering

This power-assisted steering system comes with two operating modes and uses the power generated by an electric motor instead of power from a hydraulic pump driven directly by the engine.

This device is just as revolutionary as the alternator, electronic ignition and front wheel drive in their day and is destined to bring about a considerable increase in energy saving, noiselessness, reliability and respect for the environment while also significantly improving the way we drive and enjoy our cars. As far as customers are concerned, Dualdrive electric power steering represents the end of an age of compromises.

This is because, to date, designers have always been forced to choose an average effort to be applied to the wheel half-way between maximum steering lightness (best for parking) and a much stiffer control effective at high speed (ensures better control). This occurred because the power steering servo level is constant at any speed.

 The steering response of the Fiat Idea's electric steering system is, however, proportional to car speed: the higher the speed, the lower the assistance and the stiffer the wheel response to ensure greater driving precision.

The system adopted by the new model is particularly innovative even for an electric power steering system and offers customers one extra feature: i.e. a choice of two different setting programs. The first ensures maximum empathy between driver and car and is ideal for mixed out-of-town routes. The second lightens the steering to minimise effort and is therefore ideal for driving round town and parking manoeuvres.

To turn on the latter, all you have to do is turn on the city key in the middle of the facia. But fear not if you set off down the motorway with the device in this position. To ensure customers maximum safety in all cases, both programs offer the same degree of power assistance over 70 km/h and therefore ensure a steering wheel response suited to high speed.

The Fiat Idea's electric power steering system is easy to use, satisfying and safe and also offers other advantages: after cornering - for example - steering wheel return is controlled actively with speed and damping adjusted to driving conditions.

These benefits can be perceived by anyone entering a Fiat Idea for the first time while others become evident at a later stage. First and foremost of these additional benefits, fuel saving.

Unlike a conventional power steering system that requires the pump to be driven continually, the Dualdrive electric power steering only takes up power when necessary, i.e. when the steering wheel is turned. This results in a lower power requirement and a consequent fuel saving of 3% over mixed routes. Equivalent to the effect of reducing car weight by 50 kg.

Lower fuel consumption, therefore, and also a more noiseless passenger compartment due to elimination of the noisy hydraulic pump. On the environmental front, electric power steering helps reduce emissions (as a direct consequence of the lower fuel consumption) but also increases percentage recyclability of the device itself. Because the unit contains no fluid or rubber to be disposed of, the figure of 85% for hydraulic systems is increased to 95% for the electrical system.

The component is also highly reliable because it works at a lower temperature than a hydraulic power steering system and is not affected by possible impurities in circuit fluid.

The device, simple in concept but difficult to build, is integral with the steering column and includes an electronic control unit, an electric motor, a toothed coupling and a steering wheel position and torque sensor.

The Dualdrive electric steering system is also absolutely safe. If a fault occurs, a warning light comes on and the Fiat Idea may be steered in the same way as any car with manual steering. For safety reasons, the system will work only with the engine running.

Follow-me-home

Getting in and out of the Fiat Idea is easy even by night in poorly lit areas. To simplify this operation, the new model is equipped with a delayed headlight deactivation function (follow-me-home function).

The aim is to make the motorist's life easier. The device keeps the dipped beams and side lights on for a while even with the engine off and ignition key out. These few minutes are all you need to see the garage door or garden gate in the dark. After this period, the headlights go off - automatically of course.