Fiat in India today announced the launch of the new Fiat Palio Stile in two petrol engine options: Palio Stile 1.1 (in three versions- SL, SLE, SLX) and Palio Stile 1.6 (Sport). New Fiat Palio is a stunning car that has nothing conventional and commonplace about it. It strikes you for its aggressive look and a technology that is unprecedented in this vehicle class. Surprise and innovation: it has been refurbished in every respect, from its young, modern looking design to new comfort and safety contents.
This car is more fuel efficient and less powerful than the earlier versions of the Palio. The new Palio 1100 comes with an 1108cc engine with 54 bhp power. This is 25 percent less than the previous version which carried over 72bhp. The estimated torque in the Palio 1100 is 9kgm and the Kerb weight of this car is close to 900 kgs. The trunk is pretty spacious at 280 liters. The cost of this car will be close to 4 lakh ex-showroom Delhi. The motor of this car is from FIAT and the popular FIRE (Fully Integrated Robotized Engine) version which is on the Palio NV too.
It is with the new look & updated and reduced capacity power plant as well, one that displaces 1100cc. Done to allow the Italian car to meet the new excise norms for small cars, which define it as being under four meters in length and powered by petrol engines smaller than 1.2 liters. Fiat is hoping this car will be a shot in the arm for flagging Palio sales. The nose of the car is virtually all- new. Your focus now rests on a pair of double-barreled headlamps.
Set deep in a very modern-looking nacelle, they deliver a grown-up modern look to the car. They also wrap around and spill on the fender and bumper. A wider black ‘anti-matter’ grille sits squarely between the lights, with Fiat’s logo looming large in the centre. However, the blue- backed badge may be replaced by the new/old logo in red. The red logo was used successfully by Fiat for years, and Fiat’s return to this bold logo is sure to add charm. The font and style of the lettering is similar to that on the nose of Schumacher’s Ferrari.
The new bumper has a unique slot in the centre for better cooling and the three-part chin of the car is all-new as well. Black has been cleverly used in the lower part of the nose to lighten the design. The shape of the doors remains similar; it’s too expensive to change these, but a different mirror and new door handles mean there is a slight change. The rear of the car is not terribly attractive, but the slab- like vertical tailgate does look new. Also new are the taller tail-lights.
The lower capacity motor will have 25 percent less power than the current car’s 72bhp, but the pulling power of the engine from low speeds is expected to be better than on the existing version. This will be a big improvement as the current car lacks pulling power at lower engine speeds. The better low speed torque is also likely to have a positive impact on fuel economy ” overall, a step up. The motor itself will be from Fiat’s excellent FIRE (Fully Integrated Robotized Engine) family, the same as that of the current NV. So you can expect it to be smooth and free-revving.
Fiat hasn’t upgraded the car’s interiors as they are not available in right-hand drive configuration. Hard- wearing plastics, comfortable seats and a solid build are things to look forward to. Fiat and Tata want to place the car where it is accessible to the widest audience and the current interiors are up to the task. With the new Palio, Fiat and Tata will look at taking this much-loved car mainstream. The expected drop in price, the expected increase in fuel economy as well as the fresh new look of the car are sure to attract customers. And they could bite too.
Engine and Mechanics
The engine bay is typical. A piece of machinery for Tony to fix again… The front “pod” where the radiator(s) and headlights are fixed is of a sissy piece of metal sheet. The metal sheets seem to be fashioned in an as easy as possible manner so it would slash time off the production man hours… Nope; I would not trust it… Performance is not worth dwelling on. Just moves the car, the brakes are good. They stop the already not-too-heavy vehicle easily. However they give the feel that they may fade too eary causing real heartbeats and adrenaline downhill… Panic braking proved to be safe with the ABS kicking in in a timely manner.
Watch out for the rear biased braking power though… ABS does not defy physics laws ya know… So do not brake all that hard in curves expecting the car to stop dead in its tracks. Careful piloting is a must. The gears engage easily, plopping into place. However the whirring of the gearbox is annoying. The shocks have a short travel and the spiral springs are stiff. So this car is highway queen. Countryside roads can become kidney pulverizes if the load and speed blend is sufficient.
It has always annoyed me to see that car manufacturers always claim that the McPherson strut system is best. This strut system is the simplest; thus cheapest to build. And it is of no significant comfort or handling improvement whatsoever. If that was the case, Mercedes, Porsche etc. would use it… They just pump us with what they wish us to believe.
Design, Interiors, Engineering
The Palio has not had a visual face-lift since its launch, but it still looks sturdily handsome and feels superbly built and secure. The doors shut with a sound hunk, and the car’s build imparts a safe feel. The car has specifically been engineered for developing markets, and over-engineered at that, so it is extremely tough and more thoroughly engineered than most small cars. Designed as Fiat’s ‘world car’, the Palio is also sold in markets like Brazil, Turkey and China, all of which require toughness and simplicity of design. Even the Macpherson strut/lower wishbone suspension in front and the torsion beam at the back are extremely tough, and built to last.
The Palio still looks pleasant and very grown-up; a clean, strong-looking and squat design livened up by the jewel-like headlamps and flame-shaped rear lamps. However, just to keep the pot boiling, Fiat has face-lifted the Palio in Brazil, and will bring that model here in 2005. The Polio’s interiors are spacious and comfortable, with passenger room comparable to a mid-size car.
The seats, which are shared with the Siena, are extremely comfortable and feel like they belong in a bigger car. The ergonomics are excellent with all the controls well-placed and falling easily to hand. There is decent legroom, head-room and width, but the design is the same as on the Siena, introduced in 1998, and looks dated now.
The chunky steering is great to hold, the dead pedal to rest your left foot is a boon on long drives and the high-set music system that sits nicely in line with your vision makes you wonder why other manufacturers haven’t adopted the same approach. A problem area is visibility, hampered by the thick A-pillar, high waistline and unhelpfully small mirrors; plus, we wish the Palio had seat height adjustment. Fit and finish aren’t terrific, and the plastics feel down market.
Safety and special features
Fiat claims its Palio stile is equipped with auto intelligence system which includes Double Crank Prevention System - A unique engine guard system which prevents re-cranking of the engine when already on, Reverse Gear Lock - A sensible reverse gear lock prevents any accidental engagement of reverse gear and ensures that you always travel the right way and an engine Immobilizer - a high security system which ensures the engine start only when your coded key is inserted and acts as a theft prevention device (a must device for Indian vehicles especially when the recovery ratio of the lost vehicle is very poor) along with Fire Prevention System (FPS) and child safety lock. All the safety systems are standard on all variants of Palio stile. Rear wiper is standard in 1.1SLX and 1.6 sports and sadly there is no defogger in Palio stile too.
Price and Service
Fiat wishes to rebuild its image with its partner Tata. Fiat Palio stile is the first new vehicle produced after Tata-Fiat JV hence both the partners will be keen to ensure customers a valuable service and value for money. Palio stile’s prices are competitive and are ranged from Rs 3.49 lakh to Rs 3.90 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) while the Palio Stile 1.6 is priced at Rs 4.31 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).
The entire range is available through the country-wide Tata-Fiat network of 63 dealerships covering 42 cities. The plan is to increase this dealership number to 100 in the next few months in preparation for the new models that are on the anvil. Fiat hopes its Tata alliance and aggressive pricing (cheaper by Rs 40,000 than the base models of the recently launched ‘Getz Prime’) will help to sell decent numbers of Palio stile and in revival of Fiat’s brand. Yes, the partnership seems to be working.
Technical Specification
| DIMENSIONS | 1.2 EL NV | 1.2 EL PS NV | 1.2 ELX NV | 1.2 Sport NV | 1.6 Sport | 1.9 D EL PS | 1.9 D ELX PS |
| Length | 3763mm | ||||||
| Width | 1620mm | ||||||
| Height | 1440mm | ||||||
| Wheelbase | 2373mm | ||||||
Ground Clearance | 170mm | ||||||
| Trunk Capacity | 260–950 | ||||||
| Kerb Weight | 1015kg | 1080kg | 1140kg | ||||
| Fuel Tank | 47 litres | ||||||
| ENGINE | 1.2 EL NV | 1.2 EL PS NV | 1.2 ELX NV | 1.2 Sport NV | 1.6 Sport | 1.9 D EL PS | 1.9 D ELX PS |
| Capacity (cc) | 1242 | 1596 | 1910 | ||||
| No. of Cylinders | 4 | ||||||
| Max. Power | 72 bhp | 100 bhp | 63 bhp | ||||
| Max. Torque | 10.4 kgm | 14.0 kgm | 12.2 kgm | ||||
| SUSPENSION | 1.2 EL NV | 1.2 EL PS NV | 1.2 ELX NV | 1.2 Sport NV | 1.6 Sport | 1.9 D EL PS | 1.9 D ELX PS |
| Front | Independent wheel, McPherson type with lower wishbone anchored | ||||||
| Rear | Torsion axle, coil springs, stabilizing bar and telescopic dual | ||||||
| STEERING | 1.2 EL NV | 1.2 EL PS NV | 1.2 ELX NV | 1.2 Sport NV | 1.6 Sport | 1.9 D EL PS | 1.9 D ELX PS |
| Type | Rack & Pinion | ||||||
| Turning Radius | 5.1m | ||||||
| BRAKES | 1.2 EL NV | 1.2 EL PS NV | 1.2 ELX NV | 1.2 Sport NV | 1.6 Sport | 1.9 D EL PS | 1.9 D ELX PS |
| Brake System | Hydraulic, Dual-diagonal split, servo assisted | ||||||
| Front | Ventilated Disc | ||||||
| Rear | Drum, Self adjusting Type | ||||||
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