I read that the Fiat Qubo 2011 will meet Euro 5 standards and will be equipped with new 1.3 diesel engines, Multijet injection system @ 95 hp, Start & Stop and cruise control etc.

Sounds great Anyone know when these will be available to order? Anyone else heard this?

Well, I went to a Fiat dealer today (Stoneacre) and they looked it up: they assure me these new models will start arriving in the New Year. There is a 12-16 week wait for a new Qubo order, apparently.

Prices?

Are they replacing or additional to the existing 1.3?

They said that Fiat were phasing out the older 1.3 @ 75 bhp.

A new 1.3 multijet diesel 95 bhp, climate contro,l cruise control, stop & start, dualogic semi-auto(£1000 extra), Dynamic, in green (which is £400 extra) was quoted at £15,000. I think that includes ESP, but I can't remember.

Blimey, I like the Qubo but you can get a well specced ex demo Doblo for that or a new top spec C3 Picasso.

Although french I do think the C3 may be the better allround car for most people.

Mapusaurus said:

They said that Fiat were phasing out the older 1.3 @ 75 bhp.

A new 1.3 multijet diesel 95 bhp, climate contro,l cruise control, stop & start, dualogic semi-auto(£1000 extra), Dynamic, in green (which is £400 extra) was quoted at £15,000. I think that includes ESP, but I can't remember.

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although list of a 75hp with ESP is about £14k anyway?

I have got my new price list that has euro5 for everything on it other than the Multipla and the Qubo. The multi is stock cars only now so obvious.

Are they definately going to bring in the euro 5 Qubo? FiatUK have a good technique of stopping importing cars that dont meet their targets. (it seems more so that most other manufacturers)

ivantate said:

I have got my new price list that has euro5 for everything on it other than the Multipla and the Qubo. The multi is stock cars only now so obvious.

Are they definately going to bring in the euro 5 Qubo? FiatUK have a good technique of stopping importing cars that dont meet their targets. (it seems more so that most other manufacturers)

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Eek, hope theyre not gonna drop it, i'm just starting to see a few driving around - the best form of advertising & way of getting people into dealerships.

Fiat seem to have focussed on 500 TwinAir, the Euro 5 changes to the Panda and changing the Punto Evo line-up (more diesels, 1.2 petrol, dropping Eleganza), so maybe they'll work on updating the Qubo and hopefully Bravo in the new year?

JTD_Liam said:

Eek, hope theyre not gonna drop it, i'm just starting to see a few driving around - the best form of advertising & way of getting people into dealerships.

Fiat seem to have focussed on 500 TwinAir, the Euro 5 changes to the Panda and changing the Punto Evo line-up (more diesels, 1.2 petrol, dropping Eleganza), so maybe they'll work on updating the Qubo and hopefully Bravo in the new year?

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I'm willing to bet they won't tool up for a RHD 95bhp. See Idea, Croma for instance.

calvjones said:

I'm willing to bet they won't tool up for a RHD 95bhp. See Idea, Croma for instance.

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Will be a shame as with that extra power, plus a keen advertising campaign, it could sell.

I see far more Qubos than i do the Peugeot and Citroen versions, so Fiats initial magazine adverts must've helped abit. I don't remember Citroen or Peugeot doing any promotion. Just shows the power of advertising.

The way they're going they will soon be a one car company here.

The uglified Evo isn't selling, the Bravo is dead in the water - too cramped and with a compromised driving position, the Panda is being overtaken by Korean competition, the Doblo and the Qubo...too expensive and with the wrong powertrains. I read somewhere else that Fiat's perennial problem is speccing cars properly for markets, and nothing seems to be changing on that front.

The Qubo could do with the 1.4 Multiar petrol 120, instead it gets the underpowered NA 100. The Doblo also needs a more powerful petrol but doesn't get it, and the Diesels need the Multiair technology now to help with the DPF problems that are causing sales resistance. The Twinair 500 itself is, like nearly all Fiats now, too expensive and apparently doesn't deliver on consumption, which is the whole point of it - and that's what the Italians think, so don't shoot the messenger.

Fiat is concentrating a lot on Chrysler, and the huge expenses involved with launching the new engine and gearbox technologies look like they may not pay off. The Alfa Giulietta is nice enough, but flawed in the usual Italian way with having no proper place for a clutch foot and being too conservative just when a bit of bravery is needed. These things matter, but not to Fiat it seems.

The American 500 has all the improvements the European version needs, but we will have to wait till 2011 or 2012 for them.

I hope the company can stay afloat that long because all that loyal Fiat buyers seem to be asked to do is wait wait and wait. Always jam tomorrow from Fiat.

Fiat is doing the worst in Europe of all the European manufacturers: tired product, expensive product, lack of innovation that delivers and poor after sales are all taking their toll.

I hope they pull their fingers out next year, but I say that every year and still sales are falling disproportionally.

Last week I ordered & paid the deposit on a new Qubo Active Dualogic.

I got a very good price & really thought the dealer would fail to make an order on one.
I had been unable to order a 'new' Peugeot Bipper Tepee Outdoor auto or even a Citreon Nemo auto when they changed to euro 5 (end Oct) & were to get the smaller engine 12.5 instead of the 1.4 HDI.
Builds appear to have been suspended & orders arnt being taken at present.

I didnt want a Dynamic Qubo & was prepared to buy a Citreon Multispace Automatic van that was in stock.

Luckily i looked again at the Fiat Dealership & ordered a new Qubo for less than the van was costing me.

The one thing thats unsure is what Qubo Active i will recieve when it is getting built in 2011.
I really wanted basic, no A/C, seat hight adjust, heated mirrors etc, basic white.

I suggested to the dealer/salesman that it will have Stop/Start & a Particulate filter & be Euro 5,
He didnt even understand that this wasnt what i wanted but i did want to buy new.,
Even when i showed him the Dealers Info sheet on the 500/500c Multijet now being 95bhp & having a Particulate filter.

He couldnt understand why i would be against having that.
& when i said at present they were an option & with the Dualogic box having to also have electric/colour coded mirrors @ an extra £100 which i also didnt want,
he said whats wrong with getting more for less. (the elec mirrors are in with the £1000 for the box??)
& that "diesels had filters fitted for years now".
I said yes i know that being a mechanic, but the new set up is a very different thing.
He just humoured me, all 19 years old worth of experience he has.

My reason is that the new Particulate filters will end up costing a fortune down the line.

Private Hire Taxi drivers are already finding out they are no use for their needs.
Sitting with the engine running & doing short journeys at in town speeds are causing them lots of problems.

My Qubo is for using doing Radio Marshal Duties at Stage Ralies etc,
Winter months,
where sitting for hours & trying to keep warm is a neccessity. (engine running without moving)

Just waiting to here from Fiat sometime about my new vehicle,
I will accept whats built,
& if it ends up taking long enough to be registered as a 11 instead of a 60 plate thats fine.
Paid the deposit tho & paying not a penny more than the order form price.

george

Taken from the dealers Leaflet for customers of 500/500C
for the updating spec. from the 75bhp
1.3 16v Multijet 95bhp (70 Kw) @ 4000 RPM
Max EC torque Nm (kgm) 200 (20.4) @ 1500 RPM

fuel system,
electronically controlled "common rail" Multijet direct injection with turbocharger and intercooler.

emmission control,
Oxidising catalyst in engine compartment, Lambada probes,
EGR valve electrical, EOBD DPF particulate filter.
urban 56.5, extra urban 85.6, combined cycle 72.4

I will be happy if i can just get a Euro 4, 75 bhp Qubo Dualogic
& not a 95 bhp version,
if they do end up doing a Qubo Dualogic version in the next 3 months.

george

The 95 would look to have the perfect combination, but is the DPF going to give trouble for normal drivers?

How about a five year guarantee Fiat, just to convince us!

Ulpian said:

The Qubo could do with the 1.4 Multiar petrol 120, instead it gets the underpowered NA 100. The Doblo also needs a more powerful petrol but doesn't get it.

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Qubo gets a 77bhp 1.4 8v Petrol i think. They saved the 95bhp 16v throbber for the Doblo - it must go like stink

To me the Qubo should have the 16v 1.4 from the Doblo, plus the 95bhp Multijet, whilst the Doblo should get the 105 Multiair with the current two diesels. A good double-ad campaign (like Meriva/Zarifa) plus a keener warranty would get the sales up to a reasonable level i think.

To me, the Panda and 500 are fine. TwinAir is too new to comment on as economy may improve as the engines get miles on them. The Panda update seems quite committed for Fiat - i was expecting them to go down to a 1 model Panda range, but instead we've got three, including updated engines (not sure the DPF diesel is a good idea tho) and a couple of new colours, plus different spec levels.

They have altered the Evo range now, to include the 1.6 diesel Sporting, an Eco diesel in Dynamic trim, plus a 1.2 for penny pinchers (God knows why else you'd want it in an Evo), plus dropped the Eleganza, which keeps things abit more simple. These measures might do the trick, but comments on here suggest the Grande has upset too many people with stupid faults & now the Evo isn't proving the quality product it ought to be. The factory it's made in sounds like a farce - cars with fog lights being fitted with non-foglight switch banks, boots not aligned and leaking, cubby holes falling off. There's no excuse for that other than pi*s poor management.

The Bravo is flawed, but so are many cars, and they still sell. My example of the Citroen Xzara proved this. It sold well, not because it was especially good, but because Citroen let everyone know it existed & offered good deals on it. Fiat simply don't promote the Bravo.

It'd only take a few changes to get sales up by quite a decent amount, but for some reason Fiat don't seem to wanna take the risk of that investment.

All these engines, and such confusion. I believe in slightly larger engines not working too hard. So a 1.4 120 petrol in the Qubo, with decent gearing , would be both economical and torquey. Having to rev the b***s off an engine just to keep up with traffic is no use at all, for economy or durability.

The new Uno, designed and made in Brazil and coming to Ireland next year, looks like a great little car. Roomy, tough, sensible, simple and economical...just like a Fiat should be... and the replacement Panda? Where is it and and what will it be?

The 500 Twinair has not had one test where economy was praised, other than to regurgitate the official figures. I saw a letter from the head tester at Autocar who defended their test procedures, and even admitted to repeating them for the Twinair because they couldn't believe the practically 100% discrepancy between the published economy and their own figures. In every case the published figures could not even be approached in real life conditions. But they liked the performance and the car generally. You have to ask; what was the point of the new engine?

And I agree about the Evo; it seems still to have the leaking boot of the original, plus a host of other stupid niggles. People don't need that and so will, and are, buying Korean. Who can blame them?

A test on a static rolling road no matter how technically advanced the computer programme used is never going to allow for a real life drive with cross winds, different tar/asphelt/surfaces & weather conditions & temeratures.
Heater, lights,radio,wipers etc on & luggage/passengers being carried.

The difference in the real world on the Fuel consumption is marked between a Qubo Dynamic Dualogic compared to a Qubo Active Dualogic.

The difference comes from the Actives narrower tyres, no roof bars & no chance of A/C getting switched on, saving fuel over the wider tyres etc.

A single driver compared to a driver & 1,2 or 3 passengers can be easily noticed when driving similar routes.

Its no longer a hard & fast rule that using Air con uses more fuel.
I was driving for 1 year a Hyundia i30 1.6 diesel auto.

Putting on the A/C increased the revs on the alternator,
very noticable at low speeds,
Amazing difference out of town. It changed how the gearbox was shifting,
the engine run smoother & was getting 5 mpg more with the aircon on.

Pulling up a hill flat out just needed the A/C button switched on to give it an extra boot up the behind to get it mooving.
60mpg on runs was easy to acheive, noticable difference with the intercooler depending on running at zero celcius outside or 12 degrees celcius, winter to spring.
down side when you are getting low fuel consumptions IMO is the Fuel saver tyres you get landed with,
terrible Fuel consumption in town when not on the turbo, & no engine braking worth speeking of when you lifted off the throttle.

Horses for coarses i think.
george

There is an awareness that rolling road tests don't replicate real conditions. However, although magazines tests have to be prone to variation (temperature, traffic etc.) the results given by the 500T still fell well outside the normal variations. Far more than for any other car tested. This is the point I think.

I have torquey Diesel and I have no idea what the difference between A/C on and off is. I do know that in summer the windows have to be closed for noise reasons, and in winter I need defugging, so it practically never goes off.

It does drive better with it on though - smoother.

s44gtw said:

I will be happy if i can just get a Euro 4, 75 bhp Qubo Dualogic
& not a 95 bhp version,
if they do end up doing a Qubo Dualogic version in the next 3 months.

george

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George, I know a man who can sort you with one of those. It even matches your avatar

calvjones,
cheers for that but i really have got a good deal on the one i have ordered & if there is a problem in the delivery of it i will just get a Citroen van.

i already have a Bipper Tepee Outdoor 2tronic in orange to match another couple of orange vehicles i have.
I am a vehicle sprayer,
but this Qubo is getting a Wrap, just not in orange.
The g/f says white is the new black !! She's in for a surprise.

george