Two hot sedans for
The big majors are eyeing mid size segment though rolling out small cars is their core aim. Maruti has rolled out its SX4 sedan and Mahindra – Renault has rolled out
Engine and Powertrain:
Toyota Vios is almost same as the
Toyota Vios is powered by a
Fiat’s Linea
For the turnaround of Renault – Nissan its Carlos Ghoshn, while for the Fiat Its Marchionne’s – the man who mastered the new generation Fiat. Linea is one of the products of new generation Fiat and it’s derived from the Fiat’s much popular hatchback Grande Punto
Two engines are available at present: the 1.4 petrol delivering 77 bhp and the 1.3 Multijet diesel with a power output of 90 bhp. Linea may also be powered by a1.4L Turbo T-jet, petrol engin delivering 120 bhp and a much powerful 1.9L JTD engine (uniJet Turbo Diesel is Fiat Group’s term for its current common rail turbodiesel engine). Fiat may consider other engine options too but an engine from FIRE (Fully Integrated Robotised Engine) family and Swift’s, Punto’s 1.3L Multijet diesel is for sure. Manual as well automatic gearboxes will be offered.
Styling and Engineering:
Fiat Linea
For making a sedan take a popular hatchback give it a boot and doors that is what clever engineering in modern automotive industry. Fiat follows the same for its Linea but its not just a extended version of popular Punto hatchback.
Fiat Linea clearly has an international vocation; it was designed by the Fiat Style Centre, and its exterior styling is elegant, dynamic and typically ‘Italian’. The aim was to appeal to the public with uncluttered, smooth lines which confirm the new Fiat family feeling (from the Grande Punto to the new Bravo), while they offer a new reading of the stylistic elements of the great Italian motoring tradition in the saloon segment. This extraordinary stylistic heritage has now produced the Fiat Linea, a 4-door saloon that is sleek and elegant, but with generous dimensions that put it at the top of its class: it is 4.56 metres long, 1.73 metres wide, 1.5 metres tall and has a wheelbase of 2.6 metres, as well as a 500 litre luggage compartment.
The same attention went into the styling of the interiors of Linea, where the lines are harmonious and balance well with the exterior, creating a friendly, light-filled environment that provides an amazing amount of room and superior comfort, where ergonomics and space for the driver and passengers are concerned. And it is in terms of the quality, comfort, practicality and enjoyment of the interior that the Fiat Linea aims to make the difference, backed up by the refinement of the materials and by the colour combinations, as well as the attention paid to every detail and to the assembly. Designed for an elegant, refined clientele with plenty of personality, the Linea is agile and enjoyable to drive in all situations.
Toyota Vios
Unlike the Fiat Linea, Toyota Vios is not an eye catcher. Vios derives most of its design cues from its big brother Camry. After the Hyundai verna, this kind of sedans with short overhang is familiar in
The 3rd generation Vios which is to be launched has almost identical dimensions (4300mm*1700mm*1460mm) to Honda City. Similar to the corolla, you can expect decent space for rear passengers and not for the Driver and the front passenger from the vios. Accessibility to instruments and storage space are only for those with pixie hands also the Thai auto journals criticized vios for its noisy passenger cabin. Though in JD power initial quality study (IQS) vios finds a position, it is ranked below Honda city. But don’t forget Vios is much powerful and frugal than city.
Similar to the recently launched Chevrolet spark Toyota Vios’s instrument binnacle is set in the centre of the dash. This arrangement not only leaves most of the dash clean and uncluttered, it also allows the instruments and warning lights to be at a distance and an angle that allows the driver to read them with minimal eye movement. But some dislike and prefer a conventional location.
Safety and Special Features:
Fiat Linea:
The Fiat Linea is equipped with a reliable suspension layout which guarantees very easy, precise steering, excellent roadholding and the best possible comfort for passengers: an independent MacPherson system at the front, and semi-independent wheels connected by a torsion axle at the rear. Regarding the safety – Stable, effective braking, good acceleration guaranteed by the engines and predictable handling, get the Fiat Linea out of even the most critical situations. Linea is also very well equipped where passive safety is concerned, a fact borne out by the presence of airbags; it also adopts a number of innovative technical elements that ensure the driver always has total control of the car (active safety): latest generation ABS, complete with EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution) and, optionally, the sophisticated ESP (Electronic Stability Program). ESP is supplemented by the ASR/MSR, a system that prevents front wheel skidding in acceleration and deceleration, enabling the Fiat Linea to move effortlessly on low grip road surfaces. The ESP includes the Hill-Holder, a device that lets you stop and start on uphill roads without having to pull the handbrake.
The range also proposes equipment worthy of a higher segment, such as certain sophisticated climate and infotainment devices that improve the comfort and quality of the time spent on board: from automatic climate control, the Blue&MeTH system with USB port, a radio with CD-player (including MP3 files) and Cruise Control, down to rain, dusk and parking sensors. In other words, there are endless possible combinations which may convert Fiat’s Linea an excellent value for money (if correctly priced) and the best price-content ratio.
The safety features and equipments in Vios are on par with sedans of its class available in
A revolution ahead:
Fiat aims to slot in top 10 car manufacturers by 2010 and
Toyota Vios will take on Maruti Suzuki’s SX4, Chevrolet Aveo and segment leader Honda city and vios is expected to hit our shores by the end of this year or early 2008. For the Linea, Fiat has launched the saloon in
FYI Fiat has launched the saloon in Turkey in the price range of 27,000 – 37000 liras and also it can increase with optional equipments..
Linea i the car to await , Toyoa clones with Hyundai will all look similar in th days ahead…
Any idea as to when is the VIos coming to India? any indicative price range?
The FIAT Linea seems to be just what the doctor ordered for both FIAT India to revive their fortunes in India, especially after the beating that their image has taken here and for a potential customer looking towards buying a C segment car, albeit one small worry. Whilst I am not technically inclined towards cars and hence understand bare minimum of terms like bhp@rpm, CC, torque, etc. – for a car that supposedly has dimensions akin to the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla – I think a 1.4L engine (petrol) seems quite puny – at best. In my limited technical knowledge, I would have thought that at least a 1.6L engine should have been the bare minimum. The Linea does tout two engine variants – one with 77bhp and the other a 120bhp turbo alternative so maybe the math equates to having a car that can be driven well after all if the 120bhp variant is purchased.
Having said that if the basic car design makes you salivate then it is a great car to look forward to and buy if FIAT India indeed do provide ALL the bells and whistles that they publicize the Linea comes with worldwide. There are three versions of the FIAT Linea – Active, Dynamic and Emotion. Add to that special equipment like parking, rain and darkness sensors, safety and style packs plus automatic air-conditioning etc. Perhaps the Blue&Me is the only piece of equipment that I personally could not care much for though it might have its fair share of fans. Get the full input at http://www.fiatlinea.com.
If FIAT manages to get the Emotion version coupled with the TurboJet engine and can somehow offer the special equipment at an on-road (Mumbai) price of around Rs.8 to 8.50 lacs, I think in one small, swift move they will wipe out all their misdemeanors of the past and swing the entire potential Aveo, Fiesta, City, SX4, Verna, Vios buyers their way. In fact, given its dimensions the Linea might even attract Civic, Corolla, (new) Elantra and Optra buyers. It would be in FIAT India’s personal (maybe even vested) interests to price the Linea right and totally KILL the rest.
If the Linea is offered (no actually the word FIAT should look at is ruthlessly unleashed) at the price mentioned above with all the trims, I feel that as a car buyer I would be foolish to consider any other vehicle in the same price range and category.
The link to FIAT Linea Website is http://www.fiatlinea.com
An extra . at the end of the address has been erroneously added in my previous post
when you launch linea.i am waiting for this car.
my rear shockabsorber of my toyota vios leaked after 10 months… is this happenning to all vios model? my vios was only bought last year. i was dissapointed about my car
ask for the detailed warranty of toyota vios before buying that car..the quality was not so good.
A recent article on the Autocar India Website (http://www.autocarindia.com/new/Information.asp?id=1816) gives hope that the FIAT Linea could be a potential threat to all the other C segment cars currently available in India. Let’s hope that a fully loaded Linea does not damage the wallet beyond Rs.800000/- (on road, Mumbai). Also, I hope that in FIAT India’s gameplan to corner the larger pie of the Indian car market they do not compromise in quality as they plan on 85 per cent indigenised availability of components. An Emotion version with all the other accessories as mentioned by another reader above offered at a good price would be awesome for both the Indian consumer and for FIAT India’s fortunes. The Linea would certainly be a refresing change from the amount of Honda Citys plying on our roads, which have become almost as common as your taxicabs.
is vios coming in diesel model
I read from one of the blog sites that Toyota has dropped the plan to introduce Vios in India and is planning for a small car…is it true?
FIAT LINEA would be a treat in waiting for the Indian car lovers. I was praying for this car to be launched in India, the moment I saw this car photo in the Turkey auto show and very glad that the prayers are heard.
FIAT should launch the fully loaded version of LINEA at a highly competitive price (between 7 -8 lacs) and you bet, this would give the other car companies a run for their money.
I m eagerly waiting for this car to be launched and give away my Fork Ikon. ‘Nothing else will do’…
Any idean when would this be launched in India.
Well i am eagerly waiting for this car & the tentative launch would be Sep’08 ahead of Grande Punto
I know Fiat’s engine performance.And in Linea also it will shown. I think Linea will be the best in its class. I am waiting for LINEA.
waiting for the linea.
december 2008 or jan 2009 buy?
awaiting lenea with eagerness.Toyota vios will be a flop
Let’s be honest, three-box sedan spin-offs of popular C-segment hatches never quite seem to cut the mustard. Notchbacks, as they’re sometimes referred to, tend to be middle-of-the-road, dour and diluted interpretations of their hatchback siblings.
The all-new Fiat Linea, however, is the exception to the rule. Architecturally it is a three-box C-segment saloon – spatially, however, it would put many a D-segment prestige sedan to shame. It shares stylistic elements with Fiat’s ‘glam’ hatches, the Grande Punto and the Bravo, but unlike many of its aesthetically-challenged competitors with their tacked-on rear ends, the Linea’s a true trendsetter. This is a bespoke, typically ‘Italian’ four-door sedan and the best news is that it’s coming to South Africa. Expected to make its market debut around the second half of 2009, the local Linea line-up is still to be finalised. (Pricing will be competitive.) Please note that engine choices, in particular, are likely to differ from what is presented in this preview kit as Fiat Group Automobiles SpA will shortly be adding some exiting new powerplants to the range.
Here are a few fast facts concerning the Fiat Linea:
*It was designed by the Fiat Style Centre, and its exterior styling is elegant, dynamic and sinfully suave. The aim was to achieve uncluttered, smooth lines which confirm the new Fiat family feeling (from the Grande Punto to the new Bravo), while offering a new take on Italianate stylistic elements in the saloon segment. Generously proportioned, it shoots to the top of its class: it is 4.56 metres long, 1.73 metres wide, 1.5 metres tall and has a wheelbase of 2.6 metres.
*The same attention went into the styling of the interior, where the harmonious lines combine with the excellent values of roominess as well as an ideal driving position (accommodating drivers from 1.50 to about 2 metres tall). Even if the driver himself is tall, there is still room for an equally tall passenger to sit comfortably behind him. And this does not detract from the luggage capacity which is 500 litres in the normal configuration (one of the most capacious in its category). And if the space is still not sufficient, the rear seat will fold down to create an enormous loading area measuring 1175 litres up to the ceiling.
*At its Turkish launch, customers had a choice between a petrol engine (1.4 8v, 57 kW) and a turbodiesel (1.3 Multijet 16v, 66 kW with a variable geometry turbo), both mated to five-speed manual transmissions – with a third powerplant waiting in the wings. When fitted with the petrol engine, the Fiat Linea has a top speed of 165 km/h, and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 14.6 seconds. Consumption is among the best in this class: 8.2 l/100 km in the urban cycle, 5.1 l/100 km out of town and 6.3 l/100 km in the combined cycle. The 1.3 16v Multijet engine, the smallest and most advanced second generation direct injection Common rail diesel unit, delivers torque of 200 Nm at 1750 rpm. But that’s not all. With the 66 kW on tap, this version of the Linea guarantees excellent performance: it has a top speed of 170 km/h and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 13.8 seconds. Fuel consumption is also among the best for this segment: 6.5 l/100 km in the urban cycle, 4.0 l/100 km out of town and 4.9 l/100 km in the combined cycle. The 90 kW 1.4 16v Turbo from the new T-Jet family was recently added to the overseas Linea line-up. This powerplant is very elastic, requiring fewer gear changes, for an enjoyable, relaxed driving style, but it will respond assertively if the driver puts his foot down. This is one effect of the low inertia of the turboblower, which makes it possible to obtain top performance by acting on the accelerator, and there are none of the annoying delays typical of this type of engine. The result is outstanding sportiness combined with fuel economy.
*Internationally, three specifications (Active, Dynamic and Emotion) and 11 body colours are available. The range also proposes equipment worthy of a higher segment, such as certain sophisticated climate and infotainment devices that improve the comfort and quality of the time spent on board: from automatic climate control, the Blue&Me® system with USB port, a radio with CD-player (including MP3 files) and Cruise Control, down to rain, dusk and parking sensors. In other words, there are endless possible combinations, all offering excellent value for money and the best price-content ratio.
*The Fiat Linea is equipped with a reliable suspension layout which guarantees very easy, precise steering, excellent roadholding and the best possible comfort for passengers: an independent MacPherson system at the front, and semi-independent wheels connected by a torsion axle at the rear.
*It goes without saying that like its 5-star-EuroNCAP-rated siblings (500, Grande Punto and Bravo) the Linea is similarly a very safe car. Rather than the individual devices, it is the combination of the many solutions adopted that make it one of the safest cars in its segment. The new model is very well equipped where passive safety is concerned, a fact borne out by the presence of 6 airbags (Multistage at the front, curtain-bags and sidebags) which are standard depending on the version and the market. What’s more, it also adopts a number of innovative technical elements that ensure the driver always has total control of the car (active safety). These include latest generation ABS, complete with EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution) and, optionally, the sophisticated ESP (Electronic Stability Program).
These briefly are the winning features of the Fiat Linea which aims to play a leading role in this category, where all the world’s major carmakers compete. Segment C accounts for 20% of the Western European car market, in other words the core of the market, with about 3,000,000 registrations per year.
The share in other non-European countries is equally significant. In Turkey, for example, the C-segment represents 52% of the whole market, and saloons account for 75% of this, with 170,000 registrations per year (approximately 50% of these are premium cars, and the sales mix is 50% petrol and 50% diesel models). In Brazil, the market absorbed close to a total of 2 million cars in 2007, and is expected to reach 2,250,000 units by 2013 (because the Brazilian market is structured differently, the Fiat Linea is in category D, and its goal is to achieve a 13% share of the segment). A special version will be marketed in Brazil, powered by the new 1.9 Flexfuel engine (running on gasohol, which already contains about 22% ethanol, and pure bio-ethanol).
In South Africa the importance of the C-segment can likewise not be underestimated. In 2007 it accounted for 23.7% of the passenger car market. Despite a slight drop-off in 2008 – with some buyers migrating to segment B – it still remains the second most important segment, accounting for 21.1% of all passenger car sales. The forthcoming launch of the new Fiat Linea is, therefore, well timed. According to Ryan Curling, Fiat’s Brand Manager, “We’re confident that Linea will provide a stylish alternative to those who want the best of both worlds – a car that verges on D-segment territory in terms of size and spec, yet comes competitively priced.”
IN 2008 FIAT CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF BUSINESS IN SOUTH AFRICA. FROM A SINGLE MODEL LINE-UP AND NOT ONE STAND-ALONE DEALERSHIP, THE COMPANY NOW BOASTS A VERY COMPREHENSIVE RANGE AND A DEDICATED DEALER NETWORK. FIAT GROUP AUTOMOBILES SOUTH AFRICA – 10 YEARS YOUNG AND HERE TO STAY!
I saw linea, RF motors ernakulam showroom in kerala. it’s wonderful!!!,amazing……I like it … fully loaded car. near by only 900000/- on the road.Big car like Toyota corolla.
Fiat really will have a winner in their hands if they can release
Linea along side multipla, and bravo ,punto,In such case Toyota will have biten dust with their not so selling corolla door and bumper modified altis and sure to be a flop Vios (Thialand model underpowered engined).Suzuki already having huge pile ups of SX4 A star stocks, not to mention yet to come splash stocks another A star
in making .Other hand Honda city only will be a competitor for Linea
But city suffers from light weight skid prone body at high speeds.
All this makes up if Fiat gets serious for come back with better customer relation and warranty issues and networking Fiat will be Indias No.1 carmaker with Tata’s
I;m not sure even the Linea Emotion pack launched here in India, comes with 6 airbags. I think its only two.
This is a wonderful. The things mentioned are unanimous and needs to be appreciated by everyone.
parking sensor