2011 Fiat Bravo Hatch Receives Minor Updates New

Fiat Bravo arrives with two potent motorizations – the national 1.8 16V E.torQ with mechanical transmission or Dualogic, and the imported 1.4 T-Jet with 6-gear transmission – and three finishing versions – Essence, Absolute and T-Jet – very well equipped.

Fiat Bravo, for example, can be equipped with up to seven airbags – two frontal, two front sides, two for the protection of occupants’ heads, besides one for protection of the driver’s knees. With Dual Drive® electric steering, it arrives with avant-garde technology like fog lights with cornering system, NAV™ Radio, Xenon headlights, front parking sensor, folding external rearview mirrors and a new Skydome sunroof.

The two available motorizations for the new Fiat Bravo offer excellent performance, fuel economy and low emission levels. Both are compact and modern.

The E.torQ 1.8 16V engine puts together high performance and economy, with excellent torque at low rotations. Driving only with gasoline, its power is 130 hp at 5,250 rpm; with ethanol, 132 hp at the same rotation. And the maximum torque of 18.4 kgfm with gasoline and 18.9 kgfm with ethanol, is reached at 4,500 rotations. But at 2,500 rpm, the engine already produces 93% of its torque.

It equips the Essence and Absolute versions of the new Fiat Bravo.

Now the 1.4 16V T-Jet engine equips the sportive version of the hatchback. This compact gasoline turbo engine produces no less than 152 hp of power and 21.1 kgfm of torque at 2,250 rpm.

Small engines with performance of large engine are a strong trend in Europe. Their advantage is that, when not required, they are so economical as any other motor of the same capacity. To obtain this formula, an especially developed turbo compressor is employed to overfeed the engine with lesser capacity.

The T-Jet engine comes coupled to a 6-gear mechanical Italian transmission.

Get to know below the hatchback versions:

* Essence 1.8 16V Flex with transmission mechanical
* Essence 1.8 16V Flex with transmission Dualogic
* Absolute 1.8 16V Flex with transmission mechanical
* Absolute 1.8 16V Flex with transmission Dualogic
* T-Jet 1.4 16V Turbo with transmission 6-gear mechanical


Fiat Bravo Essence. Very well equipped, all Bravo versions bring ISOFIX, universal hook for setting of child seat. The Essence version also includes standard items like double airbag, manual air conditioning, electric steering with “City” function, 16″ light alloy wheel, fog lights with cornering system, disc brakes in the four wheels, automatic pilot, CD radio with MP3, electric external rearview mirrors, Safe Lock, front and rear electric windows with one touch system and anti-crash, steering wheel with height and depth regulation, fuel tank cap with electric opening, driver’s seat with height regulation, visors with mirror and lighting, illuminated glove compartment and trunk, 1/3 and 2/3 bipartite rear seat, five headrests with height regulation, hood for engine and transmission, hooks for fixing of load in the trunk, key with remote control for windows, locks and trunk, among several others.

For both Essence versions, the list of optional equipment includes brakes with ABS, Dual Temp® automatic air conditioning, Hi-Fi sound with subwoofer, Blue&Me™ or Blue&Me™ NAV + leather upholstered steering wheel with radio controls, Skydome electric sunroof, electrochromic internal rearview mirror, twilight sensor, rain sensor, rear and front parking sensor, electric folding of external rearview mirrors, front armrest with refrigerated span, rear armrest, besides partially leather upholstered seats in black or brown. The Dualogic version offers, even, the transmission control on the steering wheel, or butterflies.

Fiat Bravo Absolute. The version has the same standard items of the Essence version plus: Dual Temp® automatic air conditioning, Blue&Me, ABS in the brakes, Night Design, rear parking sensor, leather upholstered steering wheel with radio controls, front armrest with refrigerated span, besides the passenger seat central armrest , 17″ light alloy wheels, knobs and linings under the chromate windows, rags on carpet with Absolute embroidered, more exclusive fabrics and finish details.

Fiat Bravo Absolute Dualogic. Besides all standard equipment of the Absolute version, this also has Dualogic® Automatic transmission and transmission control on the steering wheel.

The two Absolute versions offer, as optional equipment, Skydome electric sunroof, tire pressure sensor, Hi-Fi sound with subwoofer, Blue&Me™ NAV, NAV™ Radio, front parking sensors, external rearview mirrors with electric folding, electrochromic internal mirror, twilight and rain sensors and partially leather upholstered seats, plus the airbags: kneebag, sidebags and windowbags.

Fiat Bravo T-Jet. The list of standard items includes all equipment present in the Absolute version, and even 6-gear transmission, ESP (stability control system) + Hill Holder, 17″ exclusive light alloy wheels, Overbooster button on the panel, darkened front headlights, double chromate exhaust, steering wheel, red painted brake calipers – for the first time in the Fiat series -, hand brake and leather upholstered level knob with red seams, pedal system and sportive footrest, spoiler, mini-skirts, besides diverse finish details that differentiate the sportive version from the new hatchback.

The customer can equip even his Fiat Bravo T-Jet with xenon headlights, tire pressure sensor, Skydome electric sunroof, NAV™ Radio, Blue&Me™ NAV, electrochromic internal mirror, twilight and rain sensors, Hi-Fi sound with subwoofer, 18″ light alloy wheels + tire 225/40, partially leather upholstered seats, plus the airbags: kneebag, sidebags and windowbags.

2011 Fiat Bravo Hatch Receives Minor Updates

Fiat Bravo arrives with two potent motorizations – the national 1.8 16V E.torQ with mechanical transmission or Dualogic, and the imported 1.4 T-Jet with 6-gear transmission – and three finishing versions – Essence, Absolute and T-Jet – very well equipped.

Fiat Bravo, for example, can be equipped with up to seven airbags – two frontal, two front sides, two for the protection of occupants’ heads, besides one for protection of the driver’s knees. With Dual Drive® electric steering, it arrives with avant-garde technology like fog lights with cornering system, NAV™ Radio, Xenon headlights, front parking sensor, folding external rearview mirrors and a new Skydome sunroof.

The two available motorizations for the new Fiat Bravo offer excellent performance, fuel economy and low emission levels. Both are compact and modern.

The E.torQ 1.8 16V engine puts together high performance and economy, with excellent torque at low rotations. Driving only with gasoline, its power is 130 hp at 5,250 rpm; with ethanol, 132 hp at the same rotation. And the maximum torque of 18.4 kgfm with gasoline and 18.9 kgfm with ethanol, is reached at 4,500 rotations. But at 2,500 rpm, the engine already produces 93% of its torque.

It equips the Essence and Absolute versions of the new Fiat Bravo.

Now the 1.4 16V T-Jet engine equips the sportive version of the hatchback. This compact gasoline turbo engine produces no less than 152 hp of power and 21.1 kgfm of torque at 2,250 rpm.

Small engines with performance of large engine are a strong trend in Europe. Their advantage is that, when not required, they are so economical as any other motor of the same capacity. To obtain this formula, an especially developed turbo compressor is employed to overfeed the engine with lesser capacity.

The T-Jet engine comes coupled to a 6-gear mechanical Italian transmission.

Get to know below the hatchback versions:

* Essence 1.8 16V Flex with transmission mechanical
* Essence 1.8 16V Flex with transmission Dualogic
* Absolute 1.8 16V Flex with transmission mechanical
* Absolute 1.8 16V Flex with transmission Dualogic
* T-Jet 1.4 16V Turbo with transmission 6-gear mechanical


Fiat Bravo Essence. Very well equipped, all Bravo versions bring ISOFIX, universal hook for setting of child seat. The Essence version also includes standard items like double airbag, manual air conditioning, electric steering with “City” function, 16″ light alloy wheel, fog lights with cornering system, disc brakes in the four wheels, automatic pilot, CD radio with MP3, electric external rearview mirrors, Safe Lock, front and rear electric windows with one touch system and anti-crash, steering wheel with height and depth regulation, fuel tank cap with electric opening, driver’s seat with height regulation, visors with mirror and lighting, illuminated glove compartment and trunk, 1/3 and 2/3 bipartite rear seat, five headrests with height regulation, hood for engine and transmission, hooks for fixing of load in the trunk, key with remote control for windows, locks and trunk, among several others.

For both Essence versions, the list of optional equipment includes brakes with ABS, Dual Temp® automatic air conditioning, Hi-Fi sound with subwoofer, Blue&Me™ or Blue&Me™ NAV + leather upholstered steering wheel with radio controls, Skydome electric sunroof, electrochromic internal rearview mirror, twilight sensor, rain sensor, rear and front parking sensor, electric folding of external rearview mirrors, front armrest with refrigerated span, rear armrest, besides partially leather upholstered seats in black or brown. The Dualogic version offers, even, the transmission control on the steering wheel, or butterflies.

Fiat Bravo Absolute. The version has the same standard items of the Essence version plus: Dual Temp® automatic air conditioning, Blue&Me, ABS in the brakes, Night Design, rear parking sensor, leather upholstered steering wheel with radio controls, front armrest with refrigerated span, besides the passenger seat central armrest , 17″ light alloy wheels, knobs and linings under the chromate windows, rags on carpet with Absolute embroidered, more exclusive fabrics and finish details.

Fiat Bravo Absolute Dualogic. Besides all standard equipment of the Absolute version, this also has Dualogic® Automatic transmission and transmission control on the steering wheel.

The two Absolute versions offer, as optional equipment, Skydome electric sunroof, tire pressure sensor, Hi-Fi sound with subwoofer, Blue&Me™ NAV, NAV™ Radio, front parking sensors, external rearview mirrors with electric folding, electrochromic internal mirror, twilight and rain sensors and partially leather upholstered seats, plus the airbags: kneebag, sidebags and windowbags.

Fiat Bravo T-Jet. The list of standard items includes all equipment present in the Absolute version, and even 6-gear transmission, ESP (stability control system) + Hill Holder, 17″ exclusive light alloy wheels, Overbooster button on the panel, darkened front headlights, double chromate exhaust, steering wheel, red painted brake calipers – for the first time in the Fiat series -, hand brake and leather upholstered level knob with red seams, pedal system and sportive footrest, spoiler, mini-skirts, besides diverse finish details that differentiate the sportive version from the new hatchback.

The customer can equip even his Fiat Bravo T-Jet with xenon headlights, tire pressure sensor, Skydome electric sunroof, NAV™ Radio, Blue&Me™ NAV, electrochromic internal mirror, twilight and rain sensors, Hi-Fi sound with subwoofer, 18″ light alloy wheels + tire 225/40, partially leather upholstered seats, plus the airbags: kneebag, sidebags and windowbags.

Fiat Debuts Uno Cabrio and Mio Concepts along with New Uno Sporting at Sao Paulo [Live Photos]

In addition to being one of Fiat's most important markets, the Italian automaker is also getting ready to celebrate its 35 years in Brazil next year, so it comes to no surprise that the company is exhibiting a total of 30 vehicles at this week's Sao Paulo Auto Show. The Uno Cabrio and Mio [or FCC 111] concept models and the new Uno Sporting and Bravo production models, are among the highlights of Fiat's display.

Beginning with the Uno Cabrio, this concept study is a two-seater drop top variant of the South American market Uno supermini. In addition to losing the Uno's top and rear seats, the quirky looking roadster model also sports an aggressive bodykit with newly designed front and rear bumpers and a set of 17-inch alloy wheels.

The engine of choice is the same one as of Punto T-Jet, a 152HP 1.4-liter turbo which is capable of carrying the Cabrio to a top speed close to 200 km/h [124mph].

Read more »

Analyst Forecasts New Chrysler and Fiat Models Until 2012 Including Jeep based Alfa GTX SUV

Research firm IHS Global Insight (GI) has released a new analysis forecasting a variety of Chrysler and Fiat Group models to be built in North America between 2011 and 2012. Before we say anything else, we'd advise to pay attention to the words 'analysis' and 'forecast'. That said, don't take everything you read as a fact. The report begins with the Alfa Romeo 169, a BMW 5-Series rival that is said to be built at Chrysler's Ontario factory in Canada with the first models rolling off the assembly line as early as November 2011.

The analyst predicts that the 169 will be based on Chrysler's LX platform which underpins the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger models. While it makes sense for the Italians to use the LX platform, unless Fiat is planning to simply re-skin / re-mask the next-generation Chrysler 300 into an Alfa, in which case, we're talking about a mistake from Fiat's behalf, saying that that the Alfa Romeo 169 will be ready to enter production in about two years time, is quite optimistic. Plus, as you can see in one of Fiat's previous product plans, Alfa was supposedly scheduling to introduce a self-developed 169 in 2009 - what happened to that?

Talking about the LX platform, the forecaster said that due to the bankruptcy of Chrysler LLC and the plant closures, the start of production of the new 2011 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 have been delayed to November 2010 and January 2011 respectively.

Continuing with the North American-built Fiat models, Global Insight said that the highly successful in Europe, 500 mini, will be made in Toluca, Mexico with U.S. sales starting in July 2011.

The MINI-rivaling 500 will be the only Fiat-badged model to be sold in the States. Since the 500 is based on Fiat's 169 platform, the Toluca plant will also produce the Jeep Panda 4x4, again from July 2011. We're guessing that the Jeep variant will most likely be a remasked version of the European market Panda 4x4.

Next up we have an array of models based on the Fiat Group's C-EVO platform that underpins C-segment cars like the Lancia Delta and Fiat Bravo. The report says that the C-EVO will be used on the next-generation Dodge Journey crossover, Dodge Caliber crossover and Chrysler Sebring sedan. Production is slated to begin for the Journey and Caliber in July 2012 at the Belvidere Assembly Plant, and for the Sebring, in June 2011 at the Toluca assembly plant.

In addition to the above models, the C-EVO platform is also reported to form the base for an Alfa Romeo compact SUV (no date) and weirdly enough, for the successor of the Jeep Liberty (July 2012) with both SUVs said to be produced at the Toledo plant in Ohio.

But the report gets even better as it is predicted that Fiat will produce a larger Alfa Romeo SUV model called the GTX at Chrysler's Jefferson North Assembly Plant beginning in July 2011. The GTX is said to be based on Jeep's WL platform that underpins the 2011 Grand Cherokee. However, bear in mind that the Grand Cherokee's WL platform is derived from Mercedes-Benz (it was developed during Daimler's reign over the company) so we're not entirely sure if Fiat has the rights to use the platform for one of its own models.

The paper ends with two subcompact hatches, the Dodge Hornet and Alfa Romeo MiTo that will share the same hardware- aka Fiat's 199 B-segment platform. Both cars are reported to be built for the American market at Chrysler's Belvidere assembly plant in Illinois with production slated to begin in March 2011 for the Hornet and July 2011 for the MiTo.

Call us skeptics, but if you want our opinion, we find the forecast extremely optimistic in the sense that Fiat will not only have to develop, design, engineer and test a whole bunch of new cars but also revamp Chrysler's North American factories to build the vehicles and all this in just two years from now.

Fiat Bravo MPV Rendering

With sales of the all-new Bravo starting Euro-wide throughout June, several magazines have begun speculations on additional versions of Fiat’s new compact hatch. Greek car mag Autotriti has come up with a rendering of an MPV version of the Bravo, allegedly said to come out in 2010. Even though Fiat’s latest product plan doesn’t mention any such version, it won’t surprise us if Fiat’s changes its plans and decides to take a hit at the Opel Zafira and Renault Scenic MPV’s with a more rational proposition than the Multipla. -Continued after the jump

Pics via: Autotriti

Technorati: Fiat+Bravo, Fiat, Carscoop, cars, autos, vehicles

Fiat Bravo Coupe-Cabrio Renderings

This is the second time that we’ve seen renderings proposing a Coupe-Cabrio version for the new Bravo compact-hatch, but as we’ve said before, we really doubt that Fiat will attempt to create an anti-Eos. Still it's an interesting thought. -Click “Read More…” below for the image-gallery


Via: Autoblog.it

Technorati: Fiat+Bravo, automobile, cars, automotive, vehicles, autos, Carscoop, blogs, 2007, images, pictures

Fiat Bravo Cabriolet Rendering

Today’s… cabriolet rendering is based on Fiat’s all-new compact hatch, the Bravo. To tell you the truth, we haven’t heard of on any future plans for an open-top Bravo but you have to admit that it sounds quite interesting. Infomotori’s proposition doesn’t specify whether the Cabriolet will have a soft-top or a retractable hardtop, but if Fiat where to create such a version I’d bet it would get the second. Via: Infomotori

Technorati: Fiat+Bravo, Cabrio, auto+news, car+news, automobile, cars, automotive, vehicles, autos, Carscoop, blogs, 2007, images, pictures,

2008 Fiat Bravo Press Release & Gallery

Sounds nice, looks even better. For Fiat’s sake, let’s hope that the Bravo not only combines style with substance but also that it has nothing in common with its homonymous 90’s predecessor. We’ll get back on the Bravo once we get the chance to test-drive it in a couple of months. -Continued: Click “Read More…” below to see the press-release and the image gallery

Technorati: Fiat+Bravo, auto+news, car+news, automobile, cars, automotive, vehicles, Carscoop, blogs, 2007, pictures, images,

When Beauty encounters Substance

The new Fiat Bravo is a perfect balance of Beauty and Substance, another milestone in the process to update the brand’s product range. This extraordinary period of change is symbolised by the new logo that makes its debut on the front of this new model, with which Fiat will tackle the challenges of the future, without turning its back on its past century of history. This essential sign, full of references to tradition, was created to express 'change in continuity', and to represent from a modern viewpoint a human and technological heritage that few of the world’s carmakers can boast. Historical identity and state-of-the-art engineering skills, pride in its past and a renewed determination to innovate: this is the context in which the new Fiat Bravo was developed, a beautiful well-built Italian hatchback, which is agile, entertaining to drive, and competitive, thanks to the excellent balance between content and price. The new Fiat Bravo is 'concrete beauty', a car that reiterates the aesthetic canons of Italian styling tradition. It was designed to give customers the substance that comes from outstanding safety and reliability, coupled with the enjoyable, sporty driving style that the whole world expects from an Italian car.
The new model was presented in the spectacular setting of the Stadium of Marble in Rome, the Eternal City, in one of the most important examples of Neoclassical architecture. This beautiful stadium, which is inside the Foro Italico, was built in the 1930s by Renato Ricci (1896-1956), who decided to decorate the stands with an array of statues in Greek style produced by young sculptors who were unknown at the time. The end result is an extraordinary stadium where each figure, sculpted in white marble, embodies the power of an athletic movement in a form of refined beauty. One of the characteristics of Neoclassical art was to reproduce reality by taking Beauty as the ideal of perfection and balance, not just copying nature but trying to grasp its intrinsic essence.
The decision was a pondered one, because the goal of this artistic movement, which developed in Europe between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was to recover in a contemporary key the aesthetics, forms, noble materials, building techniques and artisan skills of Graeco-Roman tradition, the cradle of every subsequent artistic manifestation of Western culture: from literature to the theatre, music and architecture. The neoclassical artist did not improvise, but summed up tradition in every work, with exemplary control over his emotions, perfect mastery of his materials and a broad knowledge of history.
The choice of this site underlines an ideal parallel with the Bravo project. When they developed the project, the engineers, designers, technicians and marketing staff also set out to create a 'new classic': in the design, by references to the great Italian styling tradition; by respecting the 'fundamentals', such as the quality of the materials and the assembly, safety, and exploitability of space, and comfort, which have always decreed a car’s success; and finally, in the technological components and cutting edge engineering processes, including recourse to virtual development techniques that have made it possible to cut lead times and to check even the tiniest details related to quality and performance thousands of times.


Rigour and Love: the best way of creating a car

The launch is charged with other symbolism. The New Fiat Bravo project challenged accepted paradigms where the design and development of a new model are concerned, in terms of time and methodologies. This extraordinary result was achieved thanks to the rigorous integration of the best processes, and the application of the most advanced technologies, but above all the essential contribution of Fiat’s men and women, and the commitment, creativeness and love that they put into their work. To convey this immense undertaking, for the debut of the new Bravo, Fiat insisted on the extraordinary participation of the performers of 'Le Cirque du Soleil': a perfect organisation, but above all 'the best artists in the world', as the international press has described them. It is certainly one of the most extraordinary live performances on the planet.
'Le Cirque du Soleil' employs about 3000 people, and performers include numerous Olympic champions and former champions, who currently give life to 5 resident companies (all in the United States) and 6 touring companies that perform simultaneously all over the world, and are regularly sold out. The various shows share maniacal attention to the tiniest detail, because everything is done by hand and nothing is left to chance. It was the first time that 'Le Cirque du Soleil' has put on a performance in Italy designed specifically for a corporate event, in front of an audience of more than 6,000 journalists, dealers, suppliers and representatives of large client companies from 72 countries, plus 3000 children from Rome who attended the first night and enjoyed a magical dream come true.
The parallel with the Circus world is appropriate, because the circus is hard work, talent, and creativeness, preparation and dedication, professional skill and passion, coordination, collaboration and teamwork, dexterity and lightness, magic without tricks, a dream but not an illusion. Just like the project to develop a new car: months of hard work, involving hundreds of people, and a huge investment. A perfect mechanism, for a spectacle that leaves no space for pretence or for second chances. At the first turn of the key, everything must function perfectly, year in and year out, repeat after repeat.


'Authentic Italian Beauty'

Designed by the Fiat Style Centre, the model sets out to attract the public with its uncluttered, smooth lines, which on one hand confirm Fiat’s determination to create a new 'family feeling', beginning with the Grande Punto, while on the other hand they reinvent the stylistic elements of the great Italian car-making tradition, without exaggeration or stylistic excesses: authentic beauty in other words, that is reassuring and easy to understand. The raked, forward windscreen, the drop-shaped headlights, the sporty grille that frames the new logo, and even the colour chosen for the launch campaign, known as Maranello Red, which is a clear tribute to the best-known symbol of Italian automotive excellence: Ferrari.
The new Fiat Bravo is born from this cultural and stylistic heritage, a five-door saloon with a sleek, aggressive line, which is refined and compact at the same time. It is 434 centimetres long, 179 cm wide, and 149 cm high, with a wheelbase of 260 cm, and a loading capacity of 400 litres that tops its class.
The beautiful 'dress' made by Fiat contains all the substance of a car built to surprise in the category that rules the European market, to convince a clientele that considers the cars of this class as a real investment, because they are the family’s main car. The Bravo aims to make the difference in terms of quality, comfort, practicality and the versatility of the interior. Anyone who gets into the car will immediately be aware of the quality leap that everyone at Fiat was determined to achieve. The refinement of the materials and the colour combinations, the solidity, attention to detail and painstaking assembly, all represent a new standard for Fiat and a benchmark for the market.


Innovation, reliability and quality

Substance also means performance, safety and technology.
The launch of the new Fiat Bravo is also an opportunity to present the new family of turbocharged T-JET petrol engines (120 and 150 bhp 1.4 Turbo), which combine fuel economy, low emissions and exceptional performance, and now join the popular range of Multijet common rail turbodiesels (1.9 litres delivering 120 and 150 bhp) and the 90 bhp 1.4 16v petrol engine.
Comfort is enhanced by the pinpoint steering and excellent roadholding, and the choice of two tried and tested suspension systems which have been suitably modified and updated: an independent MacPherson system at the front, and a semi-independent torsion axle with interconnected wheels at the rear.
The Fiat Bravo was designed to score maximum points in passive and active safety tests, thanks to several airbags (as many as 7), three-point seat-belts with pre-tensioners and load limiters, and five head-restraints. Another aspect of safety regards the 'Pedestrian impact', which was taken into account during the design of the chassis, designed to maximise the absorption of this type of impact. The new model also features the most sophisticated electronic systems to monitor the vehicle’s dynamic behaviour, such as ABS complete with EBD, the sophisticated ESP system with a Hill Holder, and ASR anti-slip regulation.
The Fiat Bravo embodies new technologies, not only where engineering is concerned, but also in the use of electronics at the service of comfort and well-being on board. The best example of this is the new generation of the 'Blue&Me' system, known as 'Blue&Me Nav'. This technology, which is a Fiat Group exclusive, developed with Microsoft, combines the functions of the first generation with a highly efficient pictogram navigation system, and access to a series of telematic services, that convey the true spirit of Fiat: simple, useful and at the right price.
The 'dual-zone' automatic climate system, a choice of two radios with specific Hi-Fi systems, the large panoramic opening sunroof, Cruise Control, a rain sensor, parking sensors and foglights with a self-adaptive cornering function, complete the array of equipment to customise the car, and to make life on board a pleasure for every occupant.
And finally, to underline the generosity of this project, the Fiat Bravo range will be broad and comprehensive right from its launch, with a choice of 5 engines, 12 elegant liveries and 4 outfit levels (Active, Dynamic, Emotion and Sport), all designed to offer the customer outstanding value for money.


Made in Italy, Sold around the world

The new Fiat Bravo aims to become the benchmark for what is the most important segment of the European market, which accounted for over 3,400,000 cars sold in 2006, or little more than one fifth of the total market (a value that has been practically constant since 2000).
It is clearly a very interesting segment but one that is also highly competitive, with about 30 different models, from full-liners and premium European, Asian and American manufacturers. We should also underline that the largest grouping in the medium sized saloon category is made up of 2-box saloons or hatchbacks, which account for over 71% of sales. About 25% of total sales for this category are destined to the corporate market, where qualities such as residual value, operating costs, reliability and price are important considerations. But these are areas in which the Fiat Bravo will be one of the most competitive models on the market. With these expectations, the long-established plant in Piedimonte S. Germano (Frosinone) and its 3500 employees are preparing themselves enthusiastically to turn out an average of 120,000 cars a year, which will be marketed in 55 countries around the world, starting in 2007.