General Gruppo Fiat Questions

[Keith Walker <100662.3423@domain.elided>]

>>There are no Lancia models listed. Is Lancia not selling in the UK?<<

Lancia pulled out of all rhd markets about the same time that Alfa
pulled out of the USA.

>>There is no engine listed bigger than 3.0L, or more powerful than 218bhp,
for
any of the Fiat brands. Also nothing seems to be turbocharged anymore.<<

The 156GTA should solve that.

>>In general it seems that the cars are less powerful and more heavy than
they
were 6-7 years ago. Also the engine choices have gone down (no more boxer,
no
1.3 TS etc).<<

Fairly standard now for most makers.

>>Is this change in engine power/ built-design philosophy a result of cost
cutting, stricter emissions, need for reliability, or lack of development
funds?<<

Fairly certain the reasons are emisions. European emisions rules have gone
from being far more lax than the USA to trying to be far stricter. Also
worth
noting that the UK is a fairly conservative maket. We never got the 2L V6
turbo versions of the 164 or the GTV, nor the 3L 12 valve version of the
Spider, 1.4L versions of the 145/6 (and they were made and sold in
rhd form for the Irish market), 1.8 version of the Fiat Coupe, and when
we do get cars we normally get them months or even years after
there lhd introduction. We did get the turbo version of the Fiat Coupe
until recently

>> For example why the newer 24v 3.0, V6 by Alfa in the GTV making only
218, when in the 164Q the 3.0 was making 230bhp a few years earlier?<<

I suspect that is exhaust routing on the smaller car.

All the best

Keith

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