Beijing 2012: Fiat Viaggio
* Fiat shows off new saloon in Beijing * Based on same platform as Alfa Giulietta and Dodge Dart * Not confirmed for UK...
Fiat has unveiled its new Viaggio saloon at the Beijing motor show.
The all-new saloon is based on the same underpinnings as the Dodge Dart, which was revealed at the Detroit motor show in January, and the Alfa Romeo Giulietta. The Viaggo is a C-segment rival to the likes of the Chevrolet Cruze and Volkswagen Jetta saloons.
Fiat claims the Viaggio will offer exclusively turbocharged engines; a 1.4-litre T-Jet petrol unit will develop either 118bhp or 138bhp. There is no indication yet as to whether the Viaggio will come with the choice of a diesel engine.
Buyers will be able to choose from either a five-speed manual gearbox or a Fiat-developed dual-clutch automatic unit.
Inside, the Viaggio has a floating island bezel that holds most of the interior controls and features, and is said to be designed in a driver-centric manner. Fiat says there are no films, fake woods or imitation metals to keep the dashboard as clean and tactile as possible. An 8.4-inch touch-screen is available on top-level trims
The Viaggio will be the first model to be built at the new Fiat manufacturing plant in Changsha, China, when production starts from July this year. Cars will then go on sale in China in the third quarter of this year, where it will be called the Fei Xiang, while a Fiat spokesman said there are no current plans for it to come to the UK.
Tom Webster
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