Fiat Has A Punt At Relaunching Brand

Illawarra Mercury

Saturday August 6, 2005

with BRENT DAVISON

? It may have escaped your attention but Australian Fiat importer Ateco Automotive has been discussing the rebirth of the brand here for, well, let's just say "a very long time" now.

The commercial side of the operation is doing quite well with a solid range of Ducato low and high-roof vans and cab-chassis trucks, but the reintroduction of a passenger car line has had more false starts than the Adelaide to Darwin rail link.

That could change next year though, according to Ateco, and with the dollar squaring off nicely against the euro the car to do it could be a car called Punto Grande.

"Grande" means bigger than the regular Punto and the new model, which will debut at next month's Frankfurt Motor Show, is seen as the ideal car to relaunch Fiat here because of its size.

Punto Grande is 4030mm long on a 2510mm wheelbase, stands 1680mm wide and 1490mm tall and comes in three and five-door body styles.

Punto Grande will debut with two petrol engines (1.2 litres/49kw, 1.4 litres/58kw) and four turbo-diesels (1.3 litres/56kw, 1.3 litres/68kw, 1.9 litres/90kw and 1.9 litres/97kw).

The car goes into right-hand drive production in the middle of next year and could be here by the end of the year.

? Is the United States finally catching up with the rest of the world when it comes to road safety and vehicle occupant protection?

Car and Driver.com reports that a House-Senate committee has directed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to issue regulations to the car industry with the express aims of preventing rollovers, reducing passenger "ejections" in rollover crashes, increasing roof strength and also improving side impact protection.

Cynics might suggest a reduction in the number of SUVs on American roads and compulsory seatbelt use might go a long way towards preventing a couple of those problems.

As well, NHTSA has been directed to study, among other things, "back-over avoidance technology", power window switches and the use of old tyres.

? Jaguar will revive its Daimler brand later this year, bringing the name back to the market for the first time in seven years.

The old name will be attached to a new model with a long-wheelbase Jaguar XJ sedan variant to be called the Daimler Super Eight.

Look for a 4.2-litre V8 engine, six-speed automatic transmission, traditional Daimler detail (fluted radiator surround with matching rear garnish and the scrolled "D" bonnet mascot) and plenty of nice bits inside.

Jaded business types will be able to play with fold-down seatback trays, lamb's wool floor rugs, multiple-zone, climate-control airconditioning, acoustic laminated glass and an entertainment package comprising TV and DVD.

Expect the car to come here in limited numbers.

? The Victorian Government has become the first state government to ban the sale of "monkey" or "pocket" motor bikes, scaled-down replicas of road-going and racing bikes. The ban is supported by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries' Motorcycle Group.

FCAI spokesman Peter Sturrock says the little bikes cannot be road registered and cannot be ridden legally on any public property including roads, bicycle paths or footpaths.

The Federal Government is currently investigating the safety aspects of the Asian-made motorcycles.

Sturrock said the ban did not affect the legitimate sale and use of offroad mini-bikes.

? Ford Australia will mark its 80th anniversary in a special way at the eighth round of the V8 Supercar Championship at Sydney's Oran Park circuit on August 14.

All 14 Ford-factory Falcons racing in next weekend's championship round will carry the slogan "Ford 80" on their windscreens. As well, Greg Ritter's Ford Credit/ Ford Performance Vehicles Falcon will get a one-off number change for the race, Ritter dropping his usual number five for the new number 80.

Ritter's car will also carry a special logo, designed to commemorate Ford's 80-year partnership with the Geelong Football Club, on its sides and roof.