Following its Australian debut at Melbourne's Motor Show, it has been confirmed that the Fiat Grande Punto will be on display at the Brisbane International Motor Show in March (3rd-12th March 2006), prior to the return of Fiat cars to the Australia market later this year. With past failures out of mind, Fiat and their Australian agent, Ateco, are gearing up to give the brand another attempt in Australia.

"This will be Queensland's first chance to see the star of what I am sure will be one of the most exciting launches in 2006," says David Stone, General Manager for Fiat cars in Australia. "The past 12 months have seen a major shift in the Australian car market towards small cars and not just small cars, but sophisticated small cars that offer all the style and performance of the larger cars that many people are abandoning. With the Grande Punto coming from a company that has a unique heritage in producing the best small cars in the world and from a country that is renowned for performance, style and passion, there could be no better time to launch the Grande Punto in Australia!"

The Fiat Grande Punto is one of the most important cars in Fiat's history, not just because it is the car that will return Fiat to Australia, but because it is the latest in a long line of small cars that has provided Fiat's legendary heritage.

These small cars started with the original Fiat 500, launched in 1936 as the world's smallest mass production car and nick-named Topolino. Built in sedan, wagon and convertible versions, the original Fiat 500 made cars available to people who had never been able to afford a car and it did it with the style. Today, the 500 is most likely to bring a smile to the face of observers.

In 1955 the Fiat 600 was launched, followed by a new 500 in 1957. As well as providing another classic small car the 600 was also the basis for the Fiat 600 Multipla, launched in 1956, and arguably, with its six seat layout in a small car, it laid the foundations for the millions of small people movers that followed. These two classic small cars have been followed by generations of small cars, including the Fiat 127, the first and second generation Pandas, the Fiat Uno and the first generation Fiat Punto, a car that has been bought by more than six million people.

The Grande Punto, therefore, has a hefty reputation to continue. It is also a role that is heightened in importance by the strategic shift in the European car market over the last five years that has seen car buyers moving into the Punto's market sector from the one above to make it the largest market sector. This sector now represents 26 per cent of the European car market, with about 3,750,000 cars sold a year. In Italy this sector is even more significant, where this category accounts for 37 per cent of the market. This sector is split 56 per cent petrol engines and 44 per cent diesels. This market shift to smaller cars, which has also been seen in Australia in recent months, is not matched by a willingness to give up the features, equipment and style provided by the larger cars, providing an additional challenge for new-generation small cars.

So how is the Fiat Grande Punto going to deliver everything that is demanded of it?

The Grande Punto sets safety and quality standards that are particularly high for its segment, it offers the best range of diesel engines and it has a very competitive price/content ratio. As a result of all these features, the Grande Punto meets the fundamental requirements of this class and then it adds a new level of styling, a driving experience that befits the country that produces sports cars and does it all in a highly original way.

Developed by Italdesign and Giugiaro together with the Fiat Style Centre, the styling of the Grande Punto stands out in the current automotive scene for its beauty, which is modern, elegant and distinctly 'Italian', with a 'Mediterranean' stylistic language where the tapered rounded lines inspired by the sports cars of the 1950s and 1960s.

Like the exterior, the interior of the Grande Punto represents the most evolved expression of Italian styling, thanks to the quality of the materials and the care that went into every detail. The result is a luminous, welcoming, functional environment.

The car's external dimensions put it at the top of its category: it is 4030 mm long, 1680 mm wide, 1490 mm high and has a wheelbase of 2510 mm, measurements which translate into an extraordinary amount of interior space.

The full world engine range includes two petrol engines (the 48 kW 1.2 8v and the new 57 kW 1.4 8v), and four turbodiesels (the 90 kW and 96 kW 1.9 Multijet, the 55 kW 1.3 Multijet 16v and the new 66 kW 1.3 Multijet 16v with a variable geometry turbo).

Styling, emotion, comfort, safety and a good price: these are the guidelines along which the Grande Punto was developed; a car designed for young adults, the first time car buyers and young families. To meet the requirements of this broad customer base, the Grande Punto offers two bodies styles: a three door version and a five door version.

Both versions share a broad, comprehensive range with three specification levels, each capable of satisfying different customers. The Dynamic version is the right response for those who combine an emotional and a rational approach, while the Grande Punto Emotion is ideal for the motorist who is looking for the equipment of a higher category and excellent comfort in a compact car. And finally, the Sport version will certainly appeal to customers who want excellent performance and distinctive styling features. In total for global markets 19 versions have been produced, by combining two body types (three or five doors), four trim and equipment levels, six engines, 13 body colours and 12 types of interior trim.

The Australian market versions, along with prices and specifications, will be announced in June when the Fiat Grande Punto will, again, signal the return of Fiat to Australia.

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GM Sells More Than 9 Million Vehicles
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Volkswagen Passat is Germany's Favourite Car
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