Fiat Palio

Fiat Palio

Manufacturer	Fiat
Also called	Fiat Weekend Nanjing Fiat Palio Pyonghwa Hwiparam
Production	1996–present
Assembly	Bursa, Turkey Betim, Brazil Bielsko-Biała, Poland Tychy, Poland Ferreyra, Córdoba, Argentina Kurla, Mumbai, India Nanjing, China Casablanca, Morocco (SOMACA) Rosslyn, South Africa (Nissan)
Predecessor	Fiat Uno
Class	Small family car
Body style(s)	3-door hatchback 5-door hatchback 5-door station wagon 5-door crossover
Engine(s)	1.0 L FIRE I4 1.0 L Fiassa I4 1.1 L FIRE I4 1.2 L FIRE I4 1.3 L Fiassa I4 1.3 L Multijet turbodiesel I4 1.4 L Sevel I4 1.4 L FIRE I4 1.5 L Fiassa I4 1.6 L Fiassa I4 1.6 L Sporting I4 1.6 L Torque I4 1.7 L turbodiesel I4 1.8 L GM Powertrain I4 1.9 L diesel I4
Related	Fiat Albea Fiat Siena Fiat Strada Fiat Punto Lancia Y
Designer	I.DE.A Institute (1996) Giorgetto Giugiaro (2001 and 2004) Centre Stile Fiat Brazil (2007)

The Fiat Palio is a small family car designed by Fiat as a world car, aimed at developing countries. It is produced in Brazil, Argentina, India, Turkey, South Africa and China. It is also built under licence in North Korea as the Pyonghwa Hwiparam. Russian ZMA started assembly of Turkish CKD kits in Autumn 2006. The Palio platform is also used to produce Fiat Siena sedan, Fiat Palio Weekend station wagon, Fiat Palio Adventure SUV Crossover and Fiat Strada pickup truck. The station wagon and pickup versions are also sold in Western Europe.

Origins of the Palio badge

The Palio badge originated on the Mark II Fiat 127, of 1977 where it was a trim designation rather than an actual model in itself. The 127 Palio featured alloy wheels, a more luxurious interior and a metallic paint finish as found on the 127 Sport. The Palio designation was also used on other Fiat models throughout the 1980s and 1990s in various markets.

First Generation (1997-present)

Fiat Palio Weekend 2001 (Europe)

Launched in 1996 in Brazil, as part of Fiat's "178 project", the Palio was Fiat's first attempt to build a world car, the same basic design being produced in numerous nations around the globe. Four principal models were produced -hatchback, sedan, pickup and station wagon-, with different versions being built for different markets. The powerplants, both diesel and petrol, also varied from region to region depending on local production capability, legislation and market requirements.

The basic chassis was a development of the Fiat Punto, but little remained unchanged. The entire structure was significantly stronger in order to be suitable on the rougher roads found in some of the markets for which it was intended, as was the suspension. The body was a completely new design by the I.DE.A Institute of Turin, who also designed the new interior.

Production began in 1996 in Brazil and was followed later that year by a plant in Argentina. 1997 saw production starting in Venezuela, Poland and Morocco whilst Turkey started building the same car in 1998. India and South Africa began production in 1999, Egypt in 2001 and China in 2002. The Palio Weekend station wagon was launched in 1996 in Brazil and later in Europe.

2001 revision

In 2001 the model had its first facelift. The new design was made by the Italian automobile designer Giorgetto Giugiaro. This facelift included new front and rear fascias, and a brand new interior. Also, new engines came for the Palio: the Fully Integrated Robotised Engine (FIRE) 16 valve 1.0 L and 1.2 L and the Sporting engine, a 1.6 L 16 valve with 120 hp made in Turkey. The Palio 2001 version was the first Fiat to be made in China by Nanjing, and included a "SpeedGear" version. Palio 2001 is the ultimate version sold in Italy. In the 2011 Fiat introduced for south americas market the new version Palio Adventure, a crossover vehicle based over the body of the Palio Weekend.

2004 revision

Fiat Palio 1.8R (2005)

The third revision was released in 2004, designed again by Giorgetto Giugiaro. It is basically a facelift from the previous models. The 2004 Palio was the very first Brazilian model in the B-segment available with four airbags (two front airbags and two side airbags), parking assistance, and light and rain sensor. In Europe, the new model featured a redesigned front fascia and interior with rear fascia similar to Palio 2001 version. It has also a sport version called the Palio 1.8R which has a new version of the General Motors 1.8 L "Powertrain" engine rated at 115 hp (ethanol) and 112 hp (gasoline), lowered suspension, new 14 inch alloy wheels, new seats, and other sporting features. The third generation of the Palio had huge sales numbers, even getting higher sales in some months than VW Gol, the Brazilian best-selling car for over twenty-four years. It is currently still sold as Palio Fire Economy as a cheaper alternative to its posterior facelift, with alterations derived from the Uno Mille Fire Economy model. The top model is still Weekend Adventure version; it is equipped with a 1.8 litre Powertrain Flex fuel engine with 112 HP (petrol/gasoline) and 114 HP (ethanol) at 5500 rpm, all terrain Pirelli Citynet tires and a higher/reinforced suspension kit but still with 4x2 traction.

Fiat India is making the Palio 2004 with old 2001 version interiors at Ranjangaon plant along with Grande Punto, Linea. After entering into a partnership with Tata Motors, the Palio has been relaunched as Palio Stile with 1.1 Fire, 1.6 Torque and 1.3 Multijet engines. Sales have been low at hardly 200 units per month.

2007 revision

Fiat Palio 2007 facelift

2009 Fiat Palio Adventure Locker

The last Palio facelift was launched in 2007, in Natal, Brazil. The design of the body was inspired by the new version of the Fiat Grande Punto, which was launched in Brazil in the first semester of 2008.

This fourth facelift includes new front, rear and side design, but it keeps the original chassis from the 1996 model despite being marketed as New Palio. It also has a minor change in the instrument panel with differences between the two variants sold.

The trims for this new Palio are ELX with the 1.0 or the 1.4 FIRE engines, both flex (ethanol and petrol) and the "sporty" version 1.8R with the current revision of the 1.8 8 valve engine from GM, also flexible. The new Torque engines will be shown at the Palio, only after the launch of the Grande Punto. The Palio Adventure introdice the new limited slip differential and new suspension for off road with front wheel drive traction.

Fiat has sold 111.949 Palios since January from June 2008.

Second Generation (2011-)

The Brazilian Fiat is working on a new generation of Palio (Project 326) to be launched until August 2011. Fiat ordered to accelerate the project for the launch be anticipated due to new Fiat Uno success on Brazil. It's the first total remodeling since its launch at 1997.

Nanjing Fiat

Nanjing Fiat Palio

In November 2001 the Chinese Fiat Palio debuted, with either the 60 PS (44 kW) 1.2 liter or the 85 PS (63 kW) 1.5 liter. The Siena sedan was added in November 2002, followed by the Palio Weekend in June 2003. The Siena and Weekend were not available with the smaller engine.

The Nanjing Fiat Perla was launched at the 2006 Auto Guangzhou Motor Show, and is based on the European Fiat Albea. The car's rear got a more profound facelift for the Chinese market. For example, the rear is longer and lower than the Siena. It has a new 1.7 L MPi engine, air conditioning, dual front airbags, anti-lock brakes, power steering, power windows, central locking, and many other features. Since Fiat withdrew from Nanjing in 2007 and SAIC took over, discontinuing the Fiat models, the Perla only had a very brief existence.

Russia was meant to be the first country outside China to receive the Perla, but with the 1.4 L Fire 8v engine with 77 PS (57 kW) and the Speedgear transmission.

Electric versions

Fiat is joining utility companies Cemig and Itaipu to develop new electric vehicles for Brazil, with an initial batch of Fiat Palio cars scheduled to start testing later 2007.

Safety rating

A Fiat Albea, the sedan version of the Palio, was tested in Russia according to the EuroNCAP latest standard (Offset frontal crash at 64 km/h). The Albea scored 8,5 points in the frontal test, equivalent to 3 stars. The tested vehicle, was equipped with standard driver Airbag and regular seatbelts.

The Fiat Perla, the Chinese version of the Fiat Albea, was tested in China by the China-NCap in three different test; 100% front crash test with a wall (like the US NTHSA test) a 40% offset test (like the EuroNCap) and a side crash test like the EuroNCap. The Perla scored 8,06 points in the 100% frontal crash test, equivalent to 3 stars; 12.02 pts in the 40% offset crash test, equivalent to 4 stars, and 10,96 pts in the side crash test, equivalent to 3 stars; with an average result of 31 points and 3 stars. The tested vehicle, was equipped with standard driver and passenger airbag and regular seatbelts.

Motorsport

Several competition and homologated versions of the Palio have been produced, such as the A6 class rally car, multi-Brazilian and South American champion of the A6 class with Brazilian Luis Tedesco as driver, and the Turkish Fiat Rally Team create Palio Super 1600 Super 1600 Abarth rally car, with a 215 hp 1.6 L 16-valve engine and a 6-speed sequential transmission. Turkey also boasts an N2 Palio.

External links

• Official site