18.05.2002  THE NEW FIAT ALBEA ARRIVES IN POLAND AND TURKEY

new Fiat Albea high resolution images

The facelifted Siena, known as the Albea, a segment C car designed for the family, hence its emphasis on a roomy passenger compartment and driving comfort has been penned by the acclaimed designer Giorgio Giugiaro, replaces the Fiat Siena and becomes the next step in the Project 178 World Car programme.

The latest addition to the World Car stable measures 4186 mm in length, 1703 mm in width and 1490 mm in height. Since its launch, the car has aroused great interest in its two selling markets: Poland and Turkey. The car is built in Turkey - by Tofas Turk Otomobil Fabrikasi A.S. in Bursa to be precise. The Tofas plants produce finished cars, engines, components and parts under licence from Fiat. The company is a leading player in the local car market and exports a proportion of its products abroad. It is also the official Turkish importer for Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Lancia brands.

The Fiat Albea comes with different features and equipment in the two markets. In Poland, for example, it is available in EL and HL specifications with two petrol engines, an 980 bhp 1.2 16v unit and a 103 bhp 1.6 16v unit, both managed by EOBD systems and designed to EURO III standards. In Turkey, these power units are joined by a 60 bhp 1.2 8v unit and an 80 bhp 1.2 16v unit with a Speedgear gearbox. The version names reflect this different range: Basic, Functional and Luxury.

All Fiat Albeas share the same standard of quality and reliability. Suffice it to say that all parts and subassemblies are produced in plants that ensure the very highest production standards. The result is two-year factory warranty on all parts, while the service interval is set at 20,000 kilometres. The model also comes with a VE.N.I.C.E. system that manages the car's electronic functions via an on-board computer for improved reliability.

Let's take a closer look at the Fiat Albea's specifications and equipment.

The Fiat Albea's size, shape and interior roominess allow it to compete with cars from higher segments. Part of the credit goes to the car's elegant, well-proportioned design from the hand of Giugiaro.

The windscreen rake, for example, gives the model a strong personality of its own. The same strong character is reflected in way the roof and rear wiper join seamlessly to the tailgate. At the front, the Fiat Albea looks bigger due to horizontal air intakes that considerably broaden its shape to give it stability and stylistic balance. The same imposing nature is apparent at the rear, where the luggage compartment - the best in its category at 515 litres - is enclosed by a tailgate with horizontally-set light clusters and underscored by big bumpers painted the same colour as the body.

And so from the exterior to the interior. The Fiat Albea's interior is welcoming and stylish, with two different trims: one in Imperial Blue cloth and the other in Spring Blue cloth. These may be combined with eleven different body colours (two non-metallic and nine metallic). The facia is two-tone and rounded in shape. The gauges, mileometer and rev counter are also readily visible because their brightness can be adjusted. Some versions also come with an exterior temperature gauge. 

The comfortable, roomy Fiat Albea offers great driving comfort, merit also of its suspension: MacPherson struts at the front with wishbones and stabiliser bar, coil springs and hydraulic shock absorbers. The rear configuration features an interconnected wheel axle with a stabiliser bar welded to the arms. The new model comes with power steering and with height-adjustable steering wheel and driver's seat. On some versions the backrest can also be adjusted.

The Fiat Albea option list includes a manual climate control system with dust filter and a four-speed fan. The device is noiseless and offers excellent passenger compartment air recirculation.

The various versions offer different standard equipment items, including electrically-operated front windows, body-coloured electric door mirror, follow-me-home lighting function and a radio with tape or CD player, RDS, autoreverse and six speakers (a multidisc CD is an option on all versions). On some versions, the fuel tank cap and tailgate catch can be opened from inside the car.

The new Fiat Albea offers an attractive range of standard equipment over the entire range. The list includes height-adjustable front seat-belts with pretensioner, front airbags (the driver's airbag always comes as standard while the passenger airbag is an option on certain versions), height-adjustable front and rear head-restraints, seats designed to counter the submarining effect - and a Fire Prevention System (FPS) with inertia switch to cut off fuel flow in the case of collision. The Fiat Albea also comes with a brake servo and some specifications offer halogen fog lamps. Other options include an ABS with integral electronic EBD system while the Fiat Code 2 is fitted as standard throughout the range.

new Fiat Albea high resolution images