Fiat rolls out new Bravo
Newswheel staff :: 31 October 2006 :: Filed under Hatchback, Fiat Bravo, Europe & UK
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Italian hatch gets an encore
A class-leading crowd pleaser Fiat’s soon-to-be-defunct Stilo hatchback most definitely was not. What chance therefore for the new Bravo, unveiled this week and due out early next year, of laying waste to the competition in the fiercely competitive mid-sized Euro hatchback sector? If history serves, the most likely answers all begin with ‘z’ and end ‘ip’, ‘iltch’ and ‘ero’. And yet we can’t help hoping Fiat might finally have a winner with this latest Bravo… 
The new Bravo: Only available as a five-door hatch
According to the official PR puff, the Italian outfit has lofty ambitions for the reborn Bravo. How does immediate installation as the class benchmark grab you for starters? In the context of the towering competence of the second-gen Focus and Mark VI Golf, that’s an extremely tall order.
For now, technical details are few and far between. However, Fiat has let slip the car’s overall dimensions. At 434 cm long, 179 cm wide, 149 cm high and with a wheelbase of 2.6 metres, it’s slightly smaller than the current Ford Focus. However, Fiat claims the Bravo’s 400-litre boot is unmatched in this class.
A smattering of data concerning the engine line up has also been divulged. Of most interest is a pair of new 1.4-litre turbo petrol four-bangers available in 120bhp and 150bhp trim. These are neatly matched by Fiat’s existing 1.9-litre diesel mill, again available in 120bhp and 150bhp tune.
The new Bravo will receive its first official outing in Rome on January 29th. Europe-wide sales are expected to follow within weeks of launch.
And finally…
The new Bravo is also the very first Fiat to sport the company’s new logo. Branding exercise or real-world renaissance? Only time will tell.
Posted 31 October 2006, by James
I think it looks pretty smart, don't you? You can bet your bottom dollar it will be more 'exclusive' than a Golf or Focus in the UK as well, even if bits do fall off it on a monthly basis!