New engines for the bottom and top of the line

Good news arrive from Fiat Powertrain Technologies (FPT) regarding two extremes of the model range of Fiat Group: the small and efficient Fiat engines and the powerful Ferrari ones. In the first case, FPT has announced than soon small Fiats (Panda, 500 and Punto) will be also offered with TwinAir Natural Power engine that allows the car to use either gas or methane without any inconvenient. This new engine will be available in 2 sizes, the basic one with 80 hp and the Turbo one, with 105 hp that might be also available in the coming Fiat 500L. Fiat guys say that Turbo version of the new B-segment minivan will have fuel efficiency of 4.7L/100 km with emissions of 112 g/km, not bad for a 4.15m length MPV. These engines will slowly replace the current 85hp and 105hp common gas ones as the fuel efficiency and emissions will be much better. An Hybrid version is also coming. The TwinAir Hybrid, which might be ready in one year, will be a very efficient small engine capable to use gas and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) allowing an optimal consumption of 4.0L/100km and emissions from 80 g/km with gas up to 69 g/km with CNG. Did anyone hear about Italian incentives?

Fiat TwinAir engine. International Engine of the Year Award 2011

In the opposite side, FPT is also working on the replacement of the current 4 cylinders 1.750 cc Gasoline and 235 hp(used by the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde). The new version will arrive at the begining of 2013 and will be able to be installed on longitudinal or transversal engines offerinf 1.800 cc and up to 300 hp that will certainly add excellent performance to C and D-segment models in Europe and America. But it won’t be the only big engine to come. For the top of the line, Ferrari, Maserati and a big Alfa Romeo, Ferrari is investing $50 million Euro in the development of 2 engines: a V6 double turbo and up to 450 hp, and a V8. Both engines will have the task to move some awesome Ferarris, the next generation of Maserati Quattroporte (to be presented in Paris 2012), the Maserati Kubang and the future E-segment of Maserati and Alfa Romeo.