Three new additions to Fiat’s 5-door mid-size Bravo range – two 1.6 MultiJet versions and an Eco option – went on sale here earlier this month. These Euro 5-compliant versions join a buoyant Bravo line-up, which has enjoyed significant recognition since its introduction to the UK in June last year.

The 2007 launch marked Fiat’s return to the second largest segment of the UK market, which equates to almost 600,000 cars per year or some 25 per cent of the total. The new engines enhance existing aspects of the Bravo range – with even more impressive economy, lower running costs and notably low emissions.

There are now 17 versions in the UK Bravo range, priced from £10,995 to £16,355 on-the-road, embracing five trim levels – Bravo, Active, Active Sport, Dynamic and Sport. Augmenting an interior design founded on the fundamental pre-requisites of class-leading space, exemplary build quality, and visual and tactile sophistication, the Bravo’s equipment specification has been carefully considered to simplify and enhance life on board. ABS anti-lock braking, remote central locking, driver and passenger front and side airbags, electric front windows, a CD player, Dualdrive electric power steering and Follow Me Home headlamps are fitted as standard, even within entry level models.

This comprehensive equipment package is further boosted by a range of innovative, safety and comfort enhancing options such as dual-zone climate control, cruise control, rain, parking and tyre pressure sensors, a SkyDome glass sunroof occupying almost the entire Bravo roof area, a CD system – with subwoofer – that can play MP3 files, and Blue & Me mobile phone and MP3 player connectivity with steering wheel controls.

The new 1.6 MultiJet engine brings the number of powerplants offered in Bravo’s UK range to six. The 1.6 has four cylinders in line, 16 valves, and a displacement of 1598 cc.  Two different engines are available: the first developing 105 bhp at 4000 rpm and torque of 290 Nm (214 lb ft) at 2000 rpm; the second developing 120 bhp at 4000 rpm and torque of 300 Nm (221 lb ft) at 2000 rpm. Both units come with a manual six-speed gearbox which generates significantly less noise at motorway speeds and facilitates reduced fuel consumption.

This new 1.6 MultiJet is also available with a special eco-package in 105 bhp form. In addition to revised engine ECU settings, this ‘Eco’ pack employs special measures to optimise aerodynamics, incorporates low rolling resistance tyres and ‘taller’ gear ratios, and returns outstanding fuel consumption and CO₂ figures: 62.8 mpg in the combined cycle (an increase of five mpg on the standard 105 bhp 1.6 MultiJet) and CO₂ emissions of just 119 g/km.

These engines are boosted by either electronically-controlled fixed-geometry (105 bhp version) or variable-geometry (120 bhp version) turbochargers, to enhance power output while providing very high torque even at low revs. The engines are best in class for maximum torque, while specific torque output is best-in-segment for engines below 200 bhp.

Compared with the current Fiat 1.9 MultiJet 120 bhp unit, the 1.6 MultiJet series represents an important step forward – with the same power, torque is improved by almost 25 per cent at 1500 rpm, and fuel consumption is reduced by eight per cent.

The Bravo engine line-up also includes the 1.4 litre T-Jet 150 bhp turbocharged petrol engine, which made its debut in the Bravo. This is the first example of a new family of turbocharged petrol units developed by Fiat Powertrain Technologies to combine the sporting performance and low NVH characteristics of a petrol engine with fuel economy comparable to a diesel unit and CO₂ emission levels which readily comply with increasingly stringent European regulation.

Through cubic capacity downsizing allied to the adoption of the smallest possible turbocharger, Fiat’s responsive 150 bhp 1.4 litre T-Jet engine combines performance equal to or better than a conventionally aspirated 1.8/2.0 litre petrol engine, but with a reduction of between 10 and 20 per cent in fuel consumption and emissions. These advantages are especially useful, given the importance of the fleet market, where taxation plays a major role.

The addition to the UK range last September of a 120 bhp version of this outstanding unit, offers performance equal to or better than a conventionally aspirated 1.6 litre petrol engine, with significant fuel consumption reductions.

Fiat’s T-Jet engines are pioneers of the downsizing philosophy which consists of a turbo compressor coupled with a smaller, lighter engine to achieve better performance with lower consumption and emissions. Fun to drive, the T-Jet engine range features lower fuel consumption thanks to higher combustion efficiency.

Bravo can also be equipped with a 90 bhp version of Fiat’s lively 1.4 litre 16-valve Fire petrol engine, as well as a 150 bhp 16-valve version of the company’s widely acclaimed 1.9 litre Common rail direct injection MultiJet turbodiesel.

These on-going developments with Bravo fit perfectly with Fiat’s plans to be an environmental leader among the world’s car companies. In 2007, Fiat Group CEO Sergio Marchionne announced his intention to push forward with plans, by 2012, to reach the lowest weighted average CO₂ emission level for the cars Fiat produces, compared with its competitors.

Fiat is already the top performer in Europe for having the lowest average CO₂ emissions, at 137.3g/km, according to the latest figures published by Jato Dynamics, a world leader in automotive research and information. Widely recognised as being one of the world’s ‘greenest’ car manufacturers, Fiat was also recently voted the UK’s lowest CO₂ emitting car brand by CleanGreenCars.co.uk. 

DESIGN

With a 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating to its name, the new Fiat Bravo builds on an already impressive safety portfolio with the full range of braking, traction control and stability systems available on the market today: ABS anti-lock brakes, complete with electronic brakeforce distribution, ASR to limit wheel spin during acceleration, MSR to modulate engine brake torque whilst changing down, and a sophisticated ESP to control vehicle stability through bends. Vehicles fitted with ESP also benefit from hydraulic brake assistance and a Hill Holder function to facilitate smooth hill starts.

Combining class-leading accommodation with exemplary build quality, flexible practicality, generous equipment levels, and state-of-the-art technology and driving dynamics, the all-new Fiat Bravo was created in just 18 months, from design ‘freeze’ to production.

To achieve this record-breaking development time, Fiat Auto employed new, groundbreaking, state-of-the-art Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) systems of unprecedented power and complexity. Obviating the need for inefficient, costly, and time consuming physical prototype studies other than for final ‘sign off’, the development of the new Bravo was undertaken almost entirely through virtual analysis and engineering.

Virtualisation of every aspect of design and manufacture creates a practically infinite number of prototypes which can be subjected to unlimited testing, measuring unprecedented quantities of information to explore and optimise every aspect of vehicle behaviour in the smallest detail.

So sophisticated is the computer software involved, that not only could Fiat’s engineers simulate Bravo’s structural stiffness, driving dynamics, NVH levels, aerodynamic efficiency, fuel economy, visibility zones, impact characteristics, durability and even air-conditioning functionality, but they were also able to create a virtual production-line. Virtualisation of the assembly-line included a ‘total immersion’ approach, employing virtual reality equipment to optimise on-line manufacturing techniques, whilst component supplier access to every CAD/CAE stage afforded continuous specification revision before final quality verification and manufacture.

The benefits of Fiat Auto’s ground-breaking developments in virtual design and engineering are clearly evident in every aspect of the Bravo, from consistently high build quality and class-leading passenger accommodation, to impressive driving dynamics, minimal NVH levels and outstanding safety credentials.