Fiat has a modernized Tipo in the development rooms, a car whose first prototypes have now been captured outside the walls of Fiat’s development centers.
It is 2016 when Fiat brings the Tipo to the European market, a compact model that made its Dutch debut that year. A year later, not only did a five-door hatchback, but also a station wagon reinforce the Tipo range. In terms of sales, the Tipo, the sedan version of which was already cut from the range in mid-2018, does not know how to break pots in the Netherlands. Although the Tipo is available with a 120 hp 1.4 T-Jet, a turbo petrol engine, an atmospheric 95 hp 1.4 serves as a base engine. This machine is a copy of the now outdated Fire family, a block that the Tipo does not give a favorable starting price in our tax system. That may soon change with the introduction of the facelifted Tipo, which can be seen on these photos for the first time.
Fiat has developed a completely new engine family in 2018 that ranks it as ‘Firefly’. These new engines from Fiat’s Global Small Engine (GSE) engine family are three and four-cylinder models that are available in various power versions. In addition to atmospheric machines, there are the T3 and T4. The first is a blown 1.0 triple-fuel engine that generates a maximum of 120 hp and 190 Nm. The T4 is a 1.3 four-cylinder that generates up to 180 hp and 270 Nm. The 120 hp 1.0 in particular would be an interesting replacement for the 120 hp 1.4 T-Jet. The turbless version of the 1.3 is good for 101 hp and could theoretically replace the 95 hp 1.4 Fire power source. When Fiat puts on the naughty shoes, it also brings a plug-in hybrid powertrain to the Tipo, as fellow company member Jeep supplies such a powertrain for the Renegade. However, it is more likely that Fiat brings a power source equipped with mild hybrid technology to the Tipo.
On the surface, not much seems to change based on these photos. Count on the arrival of a slightly modified front bumper and a revised grille. In the interior, Fiat may be screwing the most current version of the Uconnect infotainment system. We expect more information about the updated Tipo later this year.
Since the launch of the ‘new Tipo’ in 2016, a total of just over 1,600 units have been sold in the Netherlands up to and including February. For comparison: De Tipo sold 2,290 times in one of its lesser sales years (1994) in our country and found a new owner in 6,304 customers in its best year (1989).