The Fiat brand won’t have anything new to highlight its booth at next week’s 88th Geneva Motor Show, however it will roll out a new trim level across the 124 Spider, 500X and Tipo models – which it’s dubbed “S-Design” – and this offers new aesthetic details both inside and outside coupled to an improved level standard equipment.
Fiat 124 Spider S-Design
The new Fiat 124 Spider S-Design special series to be presented in Geneva will feature some additional styling details from the Mopar accessories catalogue that now come fitted as standard. They include the two roll hoops behind the driver's and passenger's seats, the A-pillars and door mirror covers all finished in a polished steel effect and this look will be completed by 17-inch alloy wheel rims in a special design, a tricolour flag badge on the bootlid and a red body stripe that incorporates the script '124 Spider' where it chases along the front wing.
Inside, the new 124 Spider S-Design offers the following features as standard equipment: four airbags, automatic climate control, mp3 radio with USB port and four speakers, leather seats and steering wheel, lower fascia and top of the dashboard with visible seams, cruise control and Keyless Go system.
Under the bonnet of the 124 Spider S-Design will be the usual 1.4-litre MultiAir turbo engine with 140 hp and 240 Nm torque with the six-speed manual gear and automatic transmission options.
Fiat 500X S-Design
The car on the stand in Geneva drawn from the 500X range will be an S-Design Cross fitted with the 170 hp 1.4 MultiAir engine and automatic AT9 transmission as well as four wheel drive.
Finished in a matte livery, key details of the trim upgrade see a polished steel Myron finish applied to the side mouldings, door handles, front spoiler, light bezels, boot handle and the door mirror covers.
The 500X S-Design also comes with tinted rear windows while the alloy wheels of the vehicle on the booth will be 18-inch and in a two-tone colour finish. Finally, the bezels of the Xenon headlights, which come as standard, will also be in a polished steel finish.
These darker exterior details will be replicated inside. Namely, on the dashboard panel and in the mouldings of the central tunnel and door panels. The seats will also be specific and feature a sporty fabric with embroidered, copper coloured logo.
Fiat Tipo 5-Door S-Design
The three model range S-Design trim level is completed by the arrival of the Tipo S-Design, which will be exhibited in Geneva in the 5-Door version, in exclusive "Metropoli Grey" livery.
On the outside this level will see the horizontal grille featuring a ‘Piano Black’ finish while the Bi-Xenon headlights, standard on this version, will come in the same colour as the grille. The Piano Black detailing continues on the edges of the air inlets that surround the fog lights and on the door mirror covers.
There will be new diamond finish 18-inch alloy wheels as well as tinted rear windows and body coloured door handles.
The interior also receives cosmetic upgrades starting with twin needle stitched seams of the leather and Airtex fabric seats and the gear knob as well as a crossover patterned fabric on the steering wheel.
The dashboard features details in "Piano Black" and the fascia is in grey. The steering wheel and the frame of the gear lever boot have the same shiny black finish as the fascia.
The car on show in Geneva will be equipped with the 1.6 Multijet 120 hp turbodiesel engine with DCT dual clutch automatic transmission, that’s rated at 120 hp at 3,750 rpm with peak torque of 320 Nm at 1,750 rpm.
The S-Design version will also be available to order in the Cinema Black, Coliseum Grey, Amore Red and Gelato White colours and with the 120 hp 1.6 Multijet Diesel engine with manual gearbox, the 110 HP 1.6, E-Torq petrol engine with automatic transmission or the 120 hp LPG-petrol 1.4 T-jet unit,
The S-Design trim level will shortly be extended to the Tipo Station Wagon.
In addition to its aesthetic features, the Tipo S-Design will come with a decent standard equipment list including the 7-inch HD Live Uconnect system with high resolution colour touchscreen and capacitive sensing, enabling the user to "pinch & swipe" the images as if using a tablet. Additionally, the steering commands enable the motorist to freely interact with Siri, thanks to the Siri Eyes Free technology.
The Fiat Tipo S-Design is the best-connected Tipo yet as its standard equipment includes both Apple CarPlay integration and Android Auto compatibility, enabling motorists to interact with their smartphone.
Specifically, Apple CarPlay enables the user to access the compatible contents and applications present on their iPhone, interacting with the radio display or with the voice commands. The motorist can view driving directions on Maps, make and receive phone calls, access text messages and listen to music, never once taking their eyes off the road.
The system is also compatible with Android Auto, which transfers the Android experience to the car, by "projecting" applications and functions on to the central display. This enables the user to retrieve information and use the Google functions while driving in an easy, safe way.
The driver can also use Google Maps to obtain driving directions, or access music and communicate with friends thanks to the messaging applications.
Photos: 88th Geneva Motor Show 2018
