Monday, August 29, 2011

Fiat 500 on its way to Brazil, via Mexico

Fiat 500 Cult and Lounge Air

The North American produced version of the Fiat 500 will be sold in Brazil. This replaces the Polish built Fiat 500 that has been sold in Brazil since 2009 (read story here). The Toluca, Mexico built 500 will be sold in three levels: The Cult (which replaces the Pop name used in the US), the Sport Air and the Lounge Air.

Fiat 500 Cult 1.4 Evo Flex

Fiat 500 Cult Dualogic gearbox

Interestingly, the Cult will come with a 1.4 liter 8V flex fuel engine that is not offered in the US. The 1.4 EVO Flex, as the engine is called, is a single overhead cam design and is from the FIRE engine family. It produces 85 hp on gasoline and 88 hp on ethanol and will be mated to either the 5 speed from the US car or the 5 speed Dualogic automated manual gearbox used in Europe and not offered in the US.

Brazilian Fiat 1.4 MultiAir dynograph

The Sport Air and Lounge Air will be equipped with the 1.4 liter 16V MultiAir engine as used in the US, but with slightly different outputs: 105 hp @ 6250 rpm and 100 lbs-ft @ 3850 rpm (Us car is rated at 100 hp @ 6500 rpm and 93 lbs-ft @ 4000 rpm). Transmissions are the same as in the US with a 5 speed manual or Aisin 6 speed automatic for the Sport Air and only the Aisin for the Lounge Air.

Fiat 500 Prima Edizione

Brazil will also be treated to their own Fiat 500 Prima Edizione. Just as in the US and Canada, the 500 Prima Edizione will be a limited production run of 500 sequentially numbered cars. Offered in three colors - Sfrontato red, Broth white and Sfrenato gray - the cars will be identical to its US and Canadian cousins.

Source: Fiat Press Brazil

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