The 2007 Melbourne International Motor Show (2-12 March 2007) marks Fiat’s first birthday back in Australia, because it was in Melbourne last year that Australian car buyers had the first opportunity to see the new Fiat Grande Punto that heralded Fiat’s return to Australia and which went on sale soon after the show.

“It’s been a remarkable 12 months and I can’t believe we are back in Melbourne again, it’s gone so fast,” says David Stone, General Manager for Fiat in Australia. “So many things have happened during the past 12 months and even more is planned for the next 12 months! Obviously we took the Punto to the Australian market, where it has been warmly received and, with the Punto 1.3 JTD, set a new Australian standard for low fuel consumption. But, that was just part of it! We have appointed dealers and advertising agencies, set up systems to look after all our new customers and, with DuaLogic, the self-shifting version of the Punto, added new versions to the range.”

The Grande Punto, Fiat’s attractive new small car, is the largest car in the highly competitive small car segment, combining class-leading accommodation with high quality build, flexible and practical interiors, comprehensive equipment levels, state-of-the-art technology and the superior driving dynamics of larger, higher segment vehicles.

As a result of top quality construction, research and development, Grande Punto, which has undergone a gruelling testing regime comprising more than 5,000,000 kilometres, also meets the highest safety standards. Benefiting from the company’s unrivalled expertise in the field of small cars, new Grande Punto has been awarded a maximum 5-star safety rating in the gruelling Euro NCAP crash test programme. Achieving 5 stars for passenger safety, 3 stars for child protection and a further 3 for pedestrian protection, the new Fiat recorded a total of 33 points out of a possible 37 – the highest overall score yet recorded in its market category.

Five versions of the new Grande Punto, priced from a remarkably competitive AUS$19,990 to AUS$27,990, will be available from launch, embracing three and five door versions with three trim levels – Dynamic, Emotion and Sport. Augmenting an interior design founded on the fundamental pre-requisites of class-leading space, high quality build, and visual and tactile sophistication, the new Fiat’s equipment specification has been carefully considered to simplify and enhance life on board. Standard equipment on all versions includes ABS anti-lock braking, cruise control, remote central locking, front, side and curtain airbags, electric front windows, Air Conditioning, a CD player with steering wheel controls, electric operated and heated door mirrors, Dualdrive electric power steering and Follow Me Home headlamps.
 

The DuaLogic gearbox, which is available on the Fiat Grande Punto with the 1.4 petrol engine as well as the Turbo Diesel Grande Punto 1.3 JTD, further adds to the ability and the attraction of the Punto. Technically DuaLogic is described as a sequential manual gearbox, which means it has a conventional clutch and gearbox, so there is no power-sapping torque converter and hydraulic gears. Instead there is small, light actuator unit to operate the clutch and move the gears, plus a highly intelligent computer.
 

Thus, the DuaLogic equipped Grande Punto has the performance and economy of the manual car as a starting point, unlike a conventional automatic which is always at a disadvantage to a manual gearbox given its weight and power-consuming technology. To this already efficient system is added a computer that knows the engine to which it is connected inside-out. The computer ensures that the gearbox is always in the most effective gear for the performance required, maximising both performance and economy capabilities. Indeed, the Punto DuaLogic even knows if it is going downhill or climbing a hill and adjusts its changing patterns appropriately!

With the DuaLogic taking over the operation of the gearbox and the clutch, driving is easier and simpler. The driver has the choice of placing the Grande Punto DuaLogic in automatic or manual modes. In automatic mode, DuaLogic does all the work, selecting the gears, operating the clutch and getting the best economy and performance. The driver can also select normal mode or economy mode, with, as the name suggests, the latter selection ensuring that the Grande Punto extracts every the maximum energy out of every last drop of fuel.

DuaLogic doesn’t just blindly change gears. It has full fuzzy logic, so it can adapt to the driver’s style, matching his changing demands, both his style and changing road conditions. Another feature of the DuaLogic is its ability to assess vehicle deceleration and adjust downshifts. In semiautomatic mode, for example, the system allows downshifts, particularly when the driver demands a lower gear to take a corner at speed during a sporty drive. In automatic mode, the system anticipates the downshift to ensure the driver can always call on the most appropriate speed to maintain the required comfort level or fuel saving.

With the DuaLogic gearbox in automatic mode, its robotised electronic management system allows the gears to be changed at the time of maximum engine performance. This makes it possible to exploit all the power and torque of the 1.4 petrol and 1.3 Multijet Turbo Diesel engines and achieve a distinct improvement in acceleration over a manual gearbox. However. This is an Italian car; therefore DuaLogic has a manual mode where, using the gear lever, the driver can self-select gears to get the maximum pleasure out of driving the Punto.

How does this translate in fuel economy terms? In automatic mode with the Economy key engaged, the Grande Punto consumes less fuel than a manual gearbox. Fuel consumption with the DuaLogic fitted is 5.7 compared with 5.9 l/100 km for the 1.4 petrol and 4.5 versus 4.6 l/100 for the Multijet. The most substantial benefits are achieved around town: 6.8 compared to 7.5 l/100 km for the 1.4 petrol and 5.8 compared to 5.9 l/100 for the Multijet.

DuaLogic also boosts safety. To prevent unwanted gear changes, the system engages neutral when the engine is still running and the door has been opened and DuaLogic device also activates warning lights and buzzers to notify the driver of emergency situations or manoeuvres that are not permitted and could damage the engine or gearbox. The cream on the DuaLogic cake is that also saves money on purchase, with a lower purchase cost than a conventional automatic gearbox, with the Fiat Grande Punto 1.4 DuaLogic available with a recommended retail price of AUS$21,490 and the Punto 1.3 JTD DuaLogic offering an RRP of AUS$24,490.