Fiat Panda 4x4 wins best mini 4x4 award 2014

• The UK’s best-selling off road magazine “4X4 Magazine” names FIAT Panda 4X4 “Best Mini 4X4” in its 2014 awards
• Affordable and economical, the FIAT Panda 4X4 is praised by 4X4 Magazine editors not only for its character but also its capability
• FIAT Panda 4X4 “so nearly” claimed overall victory versus considerably more expensive off-roaders

Britain’s best-selling magazine for off-road enthusiasts, 4X4 Magazine, has named the FIAT Panda 4X4 “Winner Mini 4X4 Class” in its 2014 4X4 of the Year Awards. The FIAT Panda 4X4 not only saw off its direct competition during the award adjudication, conducted at a dedicated and challenging off-road course in Cheshire, it also acquitted itself admirably in the final five-vehicle shootout. In fact, so impressed were the editors of 4X4 Magazine they commented that “overall victory so nearly went to the infectiously cute, riculously capable…FIAT Panda 4X4.”

According to Nigel Fryatt, Editor of 4X4 Magazine, “One of the surprises of this year’s test was just how good the Fiat Panda 4x4 is. We used a test facility that was designed to demonstrate the abilities of far bigger – and much more expensive – vehicles. Allowing for limited ground clearance and power, we still managed to crawl the Panda over and through some significant obstacles. You needed care, and perhaps we took it further than most owners would, but that’s irrelevant. The point is that the Panda 4x4 could do it, with some style.”

Elena Bernardelli, FGA UK Marketing Director, commented: “It is remarkable that 30 years after we launched the original FIAT Panda 4X4 it remains not only a best-seller but also a favourite of the experts. That the FIAT Panda 4X4 can go toe-to-toe with so many luxury off-road vehicles proves that you don’t have to sacrifice capability or practicality in order to reduce your running costs or to do your bit for the environment.”

The FIAT Panda 4X4 is powered either by FIAT’s award-winning 85hp TwinAir turbo petrol engine or a 75hp 1.3-litre MultiJet II turbo-diesel engine. Priced from just £13,995, it offers combined-cycle fuel economy figures of 57.6 and 60.1 MPG respectively, with CO2 emissions of just 114g/km and 125g/km.

2014 Alfa MiTo available to order in the UK now.

• New model year Alfa MiTo now on sale in the UK priced from £14,350 OTR
• Highlights include revamped interior and new 105hp TwinAir engine
• Streamlined model range with new colours and more equipment
• Uconnect™ five-inch, colour touchscreen infotainment system as standard

The 2014 Alfa MiTo has gone on sale in UK offering customers higher specification, revised interiors, subtle styling enhancements and even more advanced technologies, including the Uconnect™ five-inch, colour touch-screen infotainment system as standard equipment and the addition of the new 105hp TwinAir engine to the range.

Externally the 2014 MiTo benefits from a new, chromed front grille; titanium grey headlamp and tail lamps surrounds; tinted rear windows and a sports rear bumper, as well as a revised colour palette that now includes a new “Matte Magnesio Grey” finish.

The interior is thoroughly revised with new dashboards, upgraded plastics and a new Uconnect™ five-inch, touch-screen infotainment system with voice recognition, Bluetooth, steering wheel remote controls, USB/Aux ports and optional satellite navigation.

A comprehensive array of traction, braking and stability control systems is standard on all Alfa MiTo models and these systems, along with steering effort and throttle response, can be adjusted via Alfa Romeo’s trademark ALFA D.N.A. three-mode selectable driving mode system. Where fitted, ALFA SDC adaptive suspension and ALFA TCT transmission settings are also adjustable via the ALFA D.N.A. system.

The model line-up has been streamlined with four trim levels now available: Sprint, Distinctive, Sportiva and Quadrifoglio Verde (QV). In addition to the features listed above, all models are equipped with Start& Stop; air conditioning; a leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear knob; electric windows and mirrors; seven airbags; front fog lamps, a rear spoiler and alloy wheels.

“Distinctive” highlights include 17-inch alloy wheels; cruise control; rear parking sensors and a front centre arm rest, while “Sportiva” includes 18-inch QV sports alloy wheels; a QV steering wheel and hand-brake lever (trimmed in black leather with green stitching); satin-effect exterior highlights and special badges. The high-performance QV adds red, four-piston Brembo brake callipers, SDC active suspension system, bespoke sports seats with uprated upholstery and special QV wing badges.

The MiTo engine range now comprises five turbo-charged engines, all with Start&Stop as standard – three petrol and two diesel units. The 0.9 TwinAir Turbo engine benefits from a 20hp boost in performance – now 105hp – which translates to a 0-62mph time that’s 1.1 seconds faster than the previous 85hp version. Despite the additional performance, the MiTo TwinAir remains impressively efficient, with a combined fuel economy figure of 67.3 mpg and CO2emissions of just 99g/km.

The 1.4 TB MultiAir 135hp (available with a manual or the Alfa TCT twin dry clutch transmission) and the 1.4 TB MultiAir 170hp QV engine complete the petrol line-up, while the diesel range consists of the 1.3 JTDM-2 85hp and the 1.6 JTDM-2 120hp powerplants.

Prices for the 2014 Alfa Romeo MiTo start at £14,350 for the 105hp TwinAir Sprint.

New Fiat 500L MPW on sale now in the UK, not a pretty car this one.

• New FIAT 500L MPW has arrived in UK showrooms
• Available in 5-seat and 5+2-seat* configurations
• Most compact 5+2-seat* people carrier in the segment
• Two trim levels, four engines and
• 7 body colours and 9 bicolour combinations
• Prices start from £15,795 OTR for the 500L 1.4 Pop Star

Following the successful launch of the FIAT 500L in March and the 500L Trekking in June, the newest member of the 500L range now goes on sale in the UK: The new FIAT 500L MPW.

The 500L MPW is the perfect expression of FIAT’s know-how in making space-efficient cars with a twist - combining the charm and agility of the FIAT 500 with the comfort and contents of a C-segment car and the space and the versatility of a people carrier.

In either five-seat or optional 5+2-seat* configuration, the FIAT 500L MPW offers two compelling packages: As a five-seat vehicle the FIAT 500L MPW is a credible alternative to a traditional C-segment estate, combining exceptional roominess and comfort with an impressive load capacity of 638 litres and all within a footprint at least 20cm shorter overall.

As a people carrier it is the most compact 5+2-seater* in its segment, measuring just 4,352mm in length, 1784mm in width and 1,667mm in height, while still offering the same kind of load-carrying versatility of the five-seat version when its rearmost seats are folded flat and stored neatly under the boot the floor.

The new Fiat 500L MPW will be offered in two trim levels: Pop Star and Lounge. Equipment highlights on the Pop Star version include air conditioning, cruise control, 16-inch alloy wheels, a 5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Uconnect, six airbags, a full suite of stability and traction control safety systems as well as rear parking sensors.

The Lounge version builds on the Pop Star’s high specification level by adding rear electric windows, front fog lights, dual-zone automatic climate control, automatic headlamps, rain sensors,
front seats with seat back tables and storage nets, an electro-chromatic rear view mirror, rear privacy glass, floor mats and an electric glass sunroof.

The new FIAT 500L MPW engine range consists of four power plants: The 95hp 1.4-litre petrol (5-seat only); the 105hp 0.9 TwinAir petrol; the 85hp 1.3 MultiJet (also available with the Dualogic automatic transmission) and the 105hp 1.6-litre MultiJet. A total of 9 different colour choices are available, plus a variety of contrasting roof and mirror colour combinations, as well as a range of alloy wheels in different sizes, styles and colours.

Prices for the FIAT 500L MPW start at £15,795 for the 1.4 Pop Star while the 7-seat versions start at £17,990 for either the TwinAir 105hp Pop Star or 1.3 MultiJet 85hp Pop Star.