Technical 500 twinair 105hp - when?

[rkt2003]

Was these 2 seperate rate announcements - one for the 500L and the other for a TA 105hp or was it the 500L with the 105hp TA engine ?

NewsMore powerful Fiat Twinair engines due More powerful Fiat Twinair engines due
13 February 2012

104bhp version to apprear in 500L
On sale spring 2013
Even more powerful Twinairs on way

A new 104bhp version of Fiat’s Twinair engine will make its debut in the Panda-based 500L early next year.

Fiat has been developing this more powerful version of its two-cylinder engine for some time, but until now there had been no word on when it would appear in production models.

 

[Alxandr]

Maybe Australians like their cars more powerful than Europeans, but even a 105hp TA seems a little too weak for the 500L? I think for the US market, it will get the 135hp 1.4 Multiair and TCT auto from the Alfa Mi.To, which if the 500L ever comes to Australia, this would be the ideal engine/transmission combo...

 

[loveshandbags]

Maybe Australians like their cars more powerful than Europeans, but even a 105hp TA seems a little too weak for the 500L? I think for the US market, it will get the 135hp 1.4 Multiair and TCT auto from the Alfa Mi.To, which if the 500L ever comes to Australia, this would be the ideal engine/transmission combo...

I used to think that but the S/S causes havoc with the TCT setup. Top gear did a review of this setup (you can google it) and gave it a 3/10 whilst the older 155TB got an over the top 8/10. One of the key benefits is the C02 figure drops to 121 grs/km. I would wager a bet that it would also be better on real world economy than the TA 105hp in a 500L.
Not too sure if anyone has heard of the new Ford 3 cylinder boosted engine - it was criticised for not being 'leading edge' but it has 'innovative' ideas on the cooling setup to quicken warm up to improve economy. This new trend in small boosted petrol engines is is competing with the diesel option and demonstrating that petrol isn't 'dead' when it comes to choosing an engine for a 'bigger' car.

 

[Alxandr]

I've test driven a TCT with S/S, i didnt really find it that intrusive to be honest - i could easily live with it. As you said, the multiair 1.4 would probably get the same real world economy as a TA, yet with far better performance. VW's Polo BlueGT released at geneva truly proves petrol isnt dead, it has a 140hp 1.4 that can run on two cylinders under light load - it's C02 is 105g/km. IMO Fiat should have gone down this road, rather than make an actual 2 cylinder engine. I'll always take preference to petrol cars, even hybrid petrols, IMO hybrids are highly under rated...

 

[loveshandbags]

I've test driven a TCT with S/S, i didnt really find it that intrusive to be honest - i could easily live with it. As you said, the multiair 1.4 would probably get the same real world economy as a TA, yet with far better performance. VW's Polo BlueGT released at geneva truly proves petrol isnt dead, it has a 140hp 1.4 that can run on two cylinders under light load - it's C02 is 105g/km. IMO Fiat should have gone down this road, rather than make an actual 2 cylinder engine. I'll always take preference to petrol cars, even hybrid petrols, IMO hybrids are highly under rated...

The AF is littered with complaints about it and it reminded me of not specing ESP (with the hill holder) for the Dualogic 500s. I must get a drive in one at some stage since I was always of the belief that a DCT was a great idea (once it doesn't go wrong !)
http://www.topgear.com/uk/alfa-romeo/mito/road-test/1.4-tb-multiair-135-tct-veloce

That idea of running a 4 on 2 cylinders is also being used by IIRC BMW on the 8 running on 4 and it has a marked improvement on mpg on the urban cycle. Can't see Fiat doing this since it's marketed as a 'cheap' car and I can't imagine going into the local Ford garage if I had problems with it !

 

[ahmett]

So if the Fiat 500 L gets this engine then how about the normal 500?

 

[JTD_Liam]

I would imagine the 500 will get a more thorough overhaul during 2013, which might be when the 104bhp TA appears, following its launch in the 500L in Spring 2013.

Not sure if the standard 500 really needs a bigger TA engine, as our 85bhp one seems quite quick enough, but maybe they will add the bigger one.

Pretty sure the 95bhp Multijet in the 500 will get replaced too, as the bigger 500L is only getting the new 85bhp Multijet from the Punto & MiTo, so it'd be mad to have the more powerful engine in the smaller car.

Not quite sure why the 500L looks quite visually different inside & out to the standard 500 - called a 500L, built on a Punto platform, using interior components (as far as i can see) from the Panda, Giulietta & Ypsilon. Not really a great way to go about creating a brand within a brand if everything's different

 

[ahmett]

Hey guys what is the latest on this? Any ideas?

 

[306maxi]

Hey guys what is the latest on this? Any ideas?

Good on you for posting on an existing thread, seems not many on this forums can manage that these says. I mean who wants all the information on one topic in one easy to find thread?

I've not searched endlessly, but there doesn't appear to be a release date which IMHO means it's perhaps 2 or 3 months away.