There is some tension in the Fiat group over the production of Fiat 500 EV electric minicars, it seems. While CEO Sergio Marchionne predicts that for every sale of a Fiat 500 EV, Chrysler would make a $10,000 loss. Despite that figure, the company is pushing ahead with the Chrysler-built Fiat electric car, to debut in the US in 2012.

Meanwhile, Fiat Chairman John Elkann has said that electric cars get unfair coverage in the media, when compared to the actual proportion of those vehicles on the market. It would seem that this kind of excessive focus is contributing to the pressure automakers feel to build electric vehicles, despite them being economically unviable.

It seems a kind of phantom competition has been constructed over electric cars, with manufacturers racing to compete and provide alternatives, without getting any real returns. On the 10,000-dollar loss of each Fiat 500 EV, Sergio Marchionne says:

Continue reading: Fiat 500 EV to produce $10,000 loss on every vehicle

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We’re convinced that Fiat models might not be luxurious, but that they’ve got access to some fantastic engine technology. The Fiat 500 was the perfect car on which Fiat could try out its new twin-cylinder engine - a citycar that needed a smaller engine with good fuel consumption and no pretensions to becoming a track god. The 500 TwinAir still has 85 hp which is an impressive figure for such a diminutive model.

As this Autocar test drive reveals, if you accept that this Fiat 500 hasn’t been made for high-speed chases, you’ll actually find it highly entertaining and fun to drive, especially if you’re looking for an urban commute that will save you some money on fuel. They say that Fiat’s claimed fuel consumption is actually well below what it in fact has, but it is still an economic model. They reckon the extra money for the TwinAir compared to the 1.2 model is worth it, although there would be many who would disagree. The upshot is, though, that Fiat has invested in improving petrol engine technology and could have a produced a little winner in the meantime.

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Reports say that Fiat could be working on a hybrid model using its new 500 TwinAir engines. The Fiat 500 would have room enough for hybrid technology given the more compact 900cc, twin-cylinder engines take up less space. We could see a TwinAir, electric motor and dual-clutch transmission combination as part of expansion plans of the TwinAir line-up.

The Fiat 500 TwinAir will be available from September in the current 84 hp which corresponds to the same power output as the 1.4-litre engine on offer. A new powerstep in 64 hp will be developed, which is equivalent to the 1.2-litre engine, and the range will likely be topped off with a 105 hp version.

The first TwinAir on the market will be priced the same as the 1.4-litre engine but obviously has the benefit of much lower fuel consumption, which Fiat claims is a 30-percent reduction. Fiat also plans to use the TwinAir engines in other brands, most likely Lancia, and has ambitions for a production rate of 400,000 units a year.

Source | Autocar and 4WheelsNews

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The Fiat 500 TwinAir video of the new two cylinder engine models is the kind of cute European touring video we had expected, although we were put in mind of a Mr Bean-like clip seeing the cars drive in opposite directions. We can only say kudos to Fiat for developing its new TwinAir engine with a focus on performance in a city car segment that was never meant to be made of supercars, and actively looking to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

The 0.9-litre unit has 85 hp and 145 Nm of torque, which reports say is comparable to the performance of a 1.2 or 1.4-litre aspirated engine but with 30 percent less CO2 emissions. In fact, the Fiat 500 TwinAir produces 92 g/km of CO2 and has fuel consumption of just 4.1 litres per 100 km.

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The prices for the new Fiat 500 TwinAir have been released for the Italian market, and each model will cost about 1,600 euros more than its 1.2, 69 hp counterpart. The new engine is a twin-cylinder unit with 85 hp, and further powersteps to come, along with hybrid and methane drivetrains. Personalisation kits range from “Pop” to “Sport” and “Lounge”, and the most expensive is the special version Fiat 500 ‘by Diesel’.

The “Lounge” option for the Fiat 500 hardtop is replaced by a “Rock” kit in the Fiat 500C cabrio model. Pricing for the current models start at 11,650 euros for the 500, and 15,150 euros for the 500C. After the jump you’ll find all the local pricing in Italy for the new Fiat 500 TwinAir.

Continue reading: Fiat 500 TwinAir pricing in Italy

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The new Fiat 500 is now in its third year and Fiat has decided to give it an edge with a new twin-cylinder engine. The engine is the 900 TwinAir with 85 hp which will equip both the 500 and 500C models from September. It’s the first of a new family of twin-cylinders using the new Multiair system.

The TwinAir range will include engines with powersteps ranging between 65 and 105 hp while assuring an impressive reduction in CO2 emissions of about 30 percent. The 85 hp TwinAir has extremely low emissions for a petrol model, with manual transmission achieving 95 g/km of CO2, getting down to 92 with the Dualogic gearbox.

Fiat is proving its engineering capabilities are nothing to be sneezed at, though it invests them in a pint-sized model. The Fiat 500 is hugely popular, though, and new engine options such as this one should make it more appealing to those who want power and speed in a small package. A smaller turbine guarantees greater engine response. Compared to the standard 1.2-litre 70 hp engine the engine is about 23 percent more powerful. And compared to the 16v 1.4-litre, the engines are equally as powerful, but the new twin-cylinder is about 30 percent more economical on fuel consumption.

Fiat 500 TwinAir

Continue reading: Fiat 500 gets new twin-cylinder engine: 500 TwinAir

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