Fiat alongwith new partner Tata plan to give the Palio a new lease of life.

Will the number 1100 turn out to be lucky for Fiat in India? Will the Italian company finally relive the success it had initially earned on the Indian shores? We’ll soon find out. Fiat and Tata will launch the new face-lifted Palio in January 2007. Added to the new look will come an updated and reduced capacity powerplant 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 metres in length and powered by petrol engines smaller than 1.2 litres. 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-barrelled 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 Robotised Engine) family, the same as that of the current NV. So you can expect it to be smooth and free-reving.

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.

Factfile
New Palio 1.1
Price Rs 4 lakh (est)
Engine 1108cc, 4 cyls in-line
Power 54bhp (est)
Torque 9.0kgm (est)
Bore/stroke 70/72mm
Kerb weight 910kg
Transmission 5-speed manual
Trunk volume 280 litres
L/W/H 3763/1620/1440mm