So i wonder if FIAT will show anything new on the Geneva Motorshow.
I hope to see Panda's and 500's with new GSE-Firefly engines.
And i would not be surprised if that only would be 3 cylinder engines for the Panda and 500, with the 4 cylinder being use as a basic engine for the larger models.
I would make sense to use a 3 cylinder turbo instead of a NA 4 cylinder.

Fiat is too busy making losts of money selling millions of low tech pick ups in the U.S.A.
Way easier then competing with the VAG group in Europe with small low margin cars that don't get the credit that they deserve and trying to bring Alfa Romeo
Makes a lot of sense though.

We might see:
Some new colours and trim.
A special edition or two of a model far too long in the tooth.
A concept (they have no intention of making, but Fiat won't be the only one).
Lots of young women with far too much makeup on and ridiculously high heels.

http://darkroom.baltimoresun.com/20...edia-preview-day-at-the-frankfurt-motor-show/
http://www.caradvice.com.au/5505/fiat-grande-punto-abarth-frankfurt-motor-show/photos/
https://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/12/frankfurt-motor-show-a-hands-free-fiat-500-test-drive/
http://shows.autospies.com/gallery/auto-show-photos.asp?imageId=85571&galleryId=129
http://shows.autospies.com/gallery/auto-show-photos.asp?imageId=85558&galleryId=129

The last two, "school girl" ones are a bit disturbing, I don't think I'll be getting much work done today!

Goudrons said:

We might see:
Some new colours and trim.
A special edition or two of a model far too long in the tooth.
A concept (they have no intention of making, but Fiat won't be the only one).

Click to expand...

Cynical.

There won't be ANY new colours/trim for the Panda, though the Pop model will now become self-assembly.

The only new thing for Europe will be the freshly trimmed 500 STB in matching livery.

STB: Scraping the bottom (of the barrel)

According to info does the 1.3 Firefly turbo get 150/160 hp.

https://passioneautoitaliane.blogspot.nl/2018/02/nuovo-motore-firefly-turbo-da-160cv.html

FCA will show a Panda @ Geneva.

https://passioneautoitaliane.blogspot.nl/2018/02/ginevra-2018.html

I hear Fiat have been cold weather testing a 48v hybrid system to fit the 500 and Panda.

I believe it's a mild hybrid system, so the electric motor and battery "aids" the petrol engine when it's not running at it's most efficient, very similar setup to Suzuki's SHVS system.

Now I'm not sure which engine it's been tested on, but the idea of it is so they can drop the diesel from these ranges and reduce CO2 emissions across their products (something they get fined for if they breach a certain level).

It's hard not to think it may cause an extension to their current model/engine offerings, at least until the next generations hit the market in 2019/20 when I think the Firefly will come.

I'm also lead to believe there is some form of autonomous braking system on the way, again not sure if it's camera or radar based, but it's probably safe to say it'll be based on whatever is cheapest.

Goudrons said:

I hear Fiat have been cold weather testing a 48v hybrid system to fit the 500 and Panda.

I believe it's a mild hybrid system, so the electric motor and battery "aids" the petrol engine when it's not running at it's most efficient, very similar setup to Suzuki's SHVS system.

Now I'm not sure which engine it's been tested on, but the idea of it is so they can drop the diesel from these ranges and reduce CO2 emissions across their products (something they get fined for if they breach a certain level).

It's hard not to think it may cause an extension to their current model/engine offerings, at least until the next generations hit the market in 2019/20 when I think the Firefly will come.

I'm also lead to believe there is some form of autonomous braking system on the way, again not sure if it's camera or radar based, but it's probably safe to say it'll be based on whatever is cheapest.

Click to expand...

The 48V system is two Titan rechargeable drills from Screwfix. Not sure there's space for owt else.

I hope the automated braking is better than the City Brake. I disengaged ours as it didn't suite the narrow, twisty Derbyshire lanes.

The Pretender said:

According to info does the 1.3 Firefly turbo get 150/160 hp.

https://passioneautoitaliane.blogspot.nl/2018/02/nuovo-motore-firefly-turbo-da-160cv.html

Click to expand...

In the 2019/2020 timeframe apparently.

Goudrons said:

I believe it's a mild hybrid system, so the electric motor and battery "aids" the petrol engine when it's not running at it's most efficient.

Click to expand...

So in the TA, that will be all the time, then.

To be honest, I'm not sure which engine it's being lined up for.

I heard Fiat had been looking for a tie up with someone instead of developing their own system for a good while and from what I can tell, it's very very similar to Suzuki's SHVS system. (which is about as cheap and simple as they come)

It's basically a battery, a motor/generator with a belt to the crankshaft.
Under acceleration when the petrol engine isn't at it's most efficient the electric motor will aid the engine.

Under deceleration the crank turns the motor which will generate the charge back to the battery.

This battery and motor will more than likely perform the restart when the stop start in enabled, making the system more reliable and take the load off the cold start 12v battery which really isn't up to the job of repeated starts, as most of us know!

It's a shame they haven't tapped Mazda up for their Skyactiv stop start system, that's very clever as it stops the engine on a compression stroke, then ignites that cylinder to restart the engine.


An engine that's in production has had a lot of investment put into it, so I can't see Fiat dropping the TA for a while.
Fiat do tend to get the money's worth out of things!

I can't see them dropping the FIRE too soon either, I presume it will be offered in the work a day and base spec models for a while with perhaps the option of the simple hybrid system to clean it up.

Another tit bit that I think might be on the cards is that the next gen Panda's production will be back at Tychy with the new(?) 500.
Pomigliano may be freed up for Alfa models, they've big plans for Alfa SUV's and Crossovers.

I would not mind to see the new 1332cc 4cylinder Firefly with a Mild Hybrid like Suzuki.

Having driven an Ignis with the Mild Hybrid system (which uses a higher voltage Lithium battery under the passenger seat to deliver its magic), I can report that it works seamlessly, and according to the specs delivers an additional 36lb/ft of torque when most needed. Certainly goes well for a 1.2 though....

Really looking forward to Geneva and what Panda news FIAT will show us.

Rumor has it, that the new 999cc 3 cylinder MultiAir Turbo GSE-Firefly engine has 97 hp and 165 Nm of Torque.

The Pretender said:

Rumor has it, that the new 999cc 3 cylinder MultiAir Turbo GSE-Firefly engine has 97 hp and 165 Nm of Torque.

Click to expand...

Sounds about right - kinda on par with that 0.9 turbo-triple Nissan (via Renault) I was driving recently. Lab fuel consumption will be roughly half real-life, for urban driving.

Still, to quote Captain Sensible: "Happy torquing-torquing, happy torque"

AB100 said:

Sounds about right - kinda on par with that 0.9 turbo-triple Nissan (via Renault) I was driving recently. Lab fuel consumption will be roughly half real-life, for urban driving.

Still, to quote Captain Sensible: "Happy torquing-torquing, happy torque"

Click to expand...

I had a Nissan Micra with NON turbo 3 cilinder as a loaner during the UniAir problems, although is was not a really fast engine i quite liked it. (best 3 cylinder i ever driven)

The Pretender said:

I had a Nissan Micra with NON turbo 3 cilinder as a loaner during the UniAir problems, although is was not a really fast engine i quite liked it. (best 3 cylinder i ever driven)

Click to expand...

Hmm. All will soon be revealed at Geneva. It looks like another brace of 500 special editions (clearly the horse is not yet dead) and a promised warmed-over Tipo. Exactly what the world wanted.

Meantime, I like this modern Stratos that someone appears to be showing:

According to previous info, Fiat would present Panda news on Geneva.
But on all the pictures i have seen so far from the FIAT stand at Geneva, there is not a single Panda to be seen on the stand.