Fiat at the Paris motor show 2008

By Ben Barry

Motor Shows

03 October 2008 09:29

No new cars for Fiat at Paris, so the spotlight fell on environmental initiatives. A five-times life-size white Fiat 500 presided over a stand occupied entirely by pearl white 500s, Bravos, Sedicis, Cromas and Qubos. These cars were set on a Simpsons sky-like floor of blue and white over which the usual high quality of Fiat ladies strolled. If Fiat did heaven, it could look a lot like this.

EcoDrive is a software application that plugs into Fiat’s so-called Blue&Me USB port and records all your environmental missteps – or otherwise. Then you simply unplug it and connect it to your laptop. An ecoIndex lets you analyse each journey while tutorials encourage more eco-responsible driving. There’s even an ecoVille where – yuuuuuk – ‘everyone can share interests and their commitment to an eco-responsible way of driving by accessing the site fiat.com/ecodrive’. Fiat 500 and Grande Punto models are the first to use the software, while 2009 sees it extended to all cars equipped with Blue&Me.

But that leaves the initiative with the user and so will never work. The stuff that does the planet-saving for us – and therefore will work – is PUR-02, essentially Fiat jumping on the Bluetech/Bluemotion/Blue Lion bandwagon with start/stop, lower rolling-resistance tyres, low-viscosity fluids, aero packs and taller gear ratios. You’ll see the PUR-O2 badge on 500s, Bravos and Cromas from November 2007.

It’s all outlined above, but it’s also well worth looking at the Abarth stand next door. There you’ll find an Abarth-fettled 500 and a full-on 500 racer complete with roll-cage, bucket seats and front splitter. Nice.

Not a must-see, but well worth a visit.

Click here for up to the minute Paris motor show 2008 live reports

Click here for the previews and review: Guide to all cars

By Ben Barry