FGAUK today announced that from this week the 500 byDIESEL range will be brought up-to-date with the rest of the 500 range by having Start&Stop engines as standard.

Whilst prices of the 1.2 and 1.4 16v versions remain unchanged at £12,315 and £13,740 respectively the new 95BHP 1.3 16v MultiJet carries a £1,000 premium over the previous 75BHP unit at £14,715.

Scrogg, can you by any chance explain to me why the Vauxhall Corsa, with the same Diesel engine, can be tweaked to give 94hp, 98g/km emissions (zero tax) and still get better mpg than the same engine in the 500? The Fiat version gives 104gm/km and so incurs tax

I'm pretty sure the Corsa costs less than the 500 Diesel 95 too!

I am very worried that Fiats are getting ridiculously and uncompetitively expensive. The loading of prices for fashionability can only go so far before people just begin to feel ripped off: no?

And other cars in the Fiat range combine the usual Fiat trait of under-engined versions at the bottom of the range, with very inadequate spec, and reasonably engined and specced cars higher up, at silly prices.

Fiat sales are crashing in Europe (below 30% of the market in Italy for the first time in five years, and this repeated across the continent) and I can't help feeling all this specification imbalance has something to do with it.

Ulpian said:

Scrogg, can you by any chance explain to me why...

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I wish I could

When the new 95 engine was announced at the back end of last year the first thing I said was why didn't they put a bit more effort in to getting the CO2 below 100 g/km.

A 20 BHP increase was completely unnecessary. A 10 BHP increase coupled with lower emissions, free road tax and even better fuel economy would have been more universally welcomed.

Ulpian said:

I am very worried that Fiats are getting ridiculously and uncompetitively expensive. The loading of prices for fashionability can only go so far before people just begin to feel ripped off: no?

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I can assure you that you are by no means the only person that is beginning to think like that...

Thanks for the considered reply.
My thoughts exactly re the Diesel engine. It surely can only be a matter of software tweaks, and a reduction in price!

I just hope that they address product and marketing very soon. What they'll do with the new engines and the new models next year I can only imagine. The new twin would appear to pretty much cover the same ground as the Diesel, for less money and without the DPF etc.?

Somebody at head office must be getting feedback though

Scrogg said:

I wish I could

When the new 95 engine was announced at the back end of last year the first thing I said was why didn't they put a bit more effort in to getting the CO2 below 100 g/km.

A 20 BHP increase was completely unnecessary. A 10 BHP increase coupled with lower emissions, free road tax and even better fuel economy would have been more universally welcomed.



I can assure you that you are by no means the only person that is beginning to think like that...

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It's always interesting to read your posts Scrogg, working for Fiat I'm sure there are some people who would act like the Iraqi information minister and just say that things are going well and that Fiat are well on their way to world domination, but you (for want of a better phrase) tend to keep it real and I like that

It's so frustrating that Fiat haven't made the best of what they've got. If they'd worked harder and faster on multiair and ddct they could have had both technologies out far earlier and had a lead over their competitors. It just seems to me that Fiat sometimes snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

306maxi said:

...working for Fiat...

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Just for clarity, I do not work for FIAT. I work for an independently-owned group of car dealerships that sell, amongst others, FIAT and Abarth cars.

Otherwise, I thank you for your kind words

Scrogg said:

Just for clarity, I do not work for FIAT. I work for an independently-owned group of car dealerships that sell, amongst others, FIAT and Abarth cars.

Otherwise, I thank you for your kind words

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Sorry, I was well aware of that but my wording was a tad clumsy

I thought the Bydiesel was supposed to be a limited run? Have they still not sold them all?

When I bought my byDiesel, they told me there were only going to be 10,000 made. Seems they are not selling? Either that or the dealer lied to me.

Limited to the amount of people happy to buy one.

zanes said:

I thought the Bydiesel was supposed to be a limited run? Have they still not sold them all?

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'Limited Production' can mean one of 2 things. Either a pre-determined number will be built, or only a limited number will be built each year.

The 500 byDIESEL is the latter, so they will continue to build, and sell, them in small numbers possibly forever.

I like the 500 by Diesel, and the diesel engine. Far nicer than the white Lounge or Red Sport that Fiat encourage everyone to buy.

Speaking to friends in Italy, over there Fiats have always been expensive and they cant believe the prices we buy them for over here.

But yes Fiat UK really hasnt changed as much as the image of Fiat has or the market demands and will continue to make the same cock-ups over and over. Having said that the cars are still developing reasonably well and people do seem to be buying anything for any price as far as cars are concerned these days.

It think Fiats big problem in Italy is pushing the Grande Punto upmarket, it needs it as Kia etc... are chasing hard on the quality front but in reality people treat the brand over there a bit like Rover was treated over here.