Fiat 500L altruistic technology

The Fiat 500L can be ordered in Italy and on the major European markets starting from July 2012. The commercial launch is scheduled in Italy with an Open Day on the first weekend in October, to then progressively expand to all the other markets. Altogether, during 2013 the Fiat 500L will go on sale in more than 100 countries around the world, including the United States

The Fiat 500L is the result of a path along which Fiat designers had to tackle issues of technological feasibility, brand strategies and studies that set out to understand in advance what relationship we will have with the car in the future. An approach that attempts to go beyond the form-function connection to focus attention on the user and his needs.

The reduction in fuel consumption and emissions involves the design and set-up of the entire vehicle. As proven by the over 3000 hours of controls on the body and underbody carried out at the Fiat Group Automobiles wind tunnel in Orbassano (Turin), one of Europe's largest: the final result is a CX of 0.30.

The new 105 HP 0.9 Turbo is the maximum evolution of the TwinAir family of engines that combine the concept of downsizing (reduction of displacement and weight) with sophisticated engineering such as supercharging through a turbocharger, the exhaust manifold integration in the cylinder head and the brand-new MultiAir 2 intake valve control system. The second generation of MultiAir further optimises the engine's thermo-dynamic efficiency by modulating the amount of exhaust gases recirculated in the combustion chamber (internal EGR) thanks to a brand-new design of the intake cam profile.

The exhaust manifold in the cylinder head instead reduces the temperature of the exhaust gases (which are directly cooled by the engine cooling system). This has a positive impact on fuel consumption because the enrichments otherwise necessary to keep down the maximum temperatures of the combustion gases are reduced in order to preserve correct turbocharger operation.

The small petrol engine with 2-cylinder architecture combined with a 6-speed manual gearbox develops 105 HP at 5,500 rpm with a maximum torque of 145 Nm at just 2,000 rpm. The value of the specific power is considerable - a good 120 HP/litre - a value comparable to the sportier engines.

As on the previous Turbo TwinAir applications, ECO mode is also available for the new Fiat 500L: in this condition the maximum torque delivered is limited to 120 Nm and the power to 98 HP, allowing the power unit to function in the operating range which permits maximum efficiency and thus minimum emissions.

The TwinAir engine is a little gem also because of the good level of comfort it offers. The agreeable and characteristic timbre of the two-cylinder engine has been optimised using the balancing countershaft and dual mass flywheel that minimise vibrations and shaking. Particular attention was also paid to improving the soundproofing by studying containment solutions to reduce the levels of noise perceived in the passenger compartment and to improve the articulation index.

The Fiat 500L 105 HP 0.9 Turbo TwinAir is very brilliant in its performance (top speed of 180 km/h and it accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 12.3 seconds) and it is at the top of its class in fuel consumption and emissions in the homologation combined cycle at the same time (4.8 litres/100 km and 112 g/km of CO2).

Fiat has chosen Officine Grandi Riparazioni (OGR) in Turin to present the new 500L to the international media. This place full of charm is where trains were repaired until the 1970's and since 2011 has been the venue of a major center for contemporary culture. To remember the extraordinary success of the 'Fare gli italiani' exhibition set up last year and brought back in 2012 with a new section. The exhibition revisits the history of the Italian people from the pre-unitary phase to the unification of Italy, up to the present day. A route constructed to think on the long process of forming the national identity, where the elements that fostered aggregation, and also the elements that stopped it in some phases, are highlighted.

With this location of great charm and historic value Fiat cements the strong bond with the major Piedmont city that witnessed its birth in 1899. It was from here that its century-old history started, which in 1957 gave birth to the Fiat 500, the car that united Italy with the first mass motoring phase of the country. From here, with the fundamental contribution of Officine Grandi Riparazioni, the railway transport that reduced geographical distances, boosting both Italy's industrialisation and the free movement of the Italian people with its dreams, desires and ambitions, was born.