• Fiat unveils Dart-based, China-only subcompact hatchback

    November 25, 2013
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    Fiat has unveiled the new Ottimo hatchback at the Guangzhou Motor Show that is taking place right now in China.

    The Ottimo (a word that means “excellent” in Italian) is based on the four-door Viaggio sedan, which is essentially a Dodge Dart with a bespoke front end sold exclusively on the Chinese market. In its transition from a sedan to a hatchback, the Viaggio gains a model-specific front bumper with a smaller, more upscale-looking radiator grille adorned by chrome trim. The sculpted hatch and the tail lamps draw inspiration from the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, the hatchback that the Dart and the Viaggio both trace their roots to.

    Interior pictures are not available but the sedan’s dashboard will likely be carried over unchanged to the hatchback. Fiat will put a big emphasis on state-of-the-art technology in order to lure younger, trend-conscious buyers into showrooms, and the hatchback will be offered with the automaker’s latest touch screen-based infotainment system.

    Mechanically, the hatchback will be offered with two versions of Fiat’s widely-used 1.4-liter four-cylinder gas-burning engine rated at 120 and 150 horsepower, respectively. A five-speed manual will come standard and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic will be offered at an extra cost.

    At the time of writing Dodge is not planning on offering a two-box version of the Dart in the United States because buyers have a tendency to shun hatchbacks, but the car could make a late appearance in Fiat’s European lineup.

    Built in China, the hatchback will help Fiat reach its ambitious goal of selling 300,000 cars a year on the world’s largest automaker. So far, its efforts have been in vain

  • Audi to launch A3 e-tron plug-in hybrid in 2015

    November 25, 2013
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    Audi has announced it will launch a plug-in hybrid version of the A3 Sportback sub-compact hatchback across the United States in 2015.

    Previewed by a thinly-veiled concept that bowed in Geneva earlier this year, the A3 Sportback e-tron will be powered by a heavily-modified 1.4-liter TFSI engine and a compact 100-horsepower electric motor integrated into a brand-new six-speed gearbox called e-S tronic. Combined, the two power sources will send 201 horsepower and 258 lb-ft. of torque to the front wheels.

    The driver will be able to choose whether the car is running on gasoline, on electricity or on both by flicking a switch on the center console.

    When driven conservatively, the e-tron will return 156 mpg in a mixed European cycle and emits just 35 grams of CO2 per kilometer. Alternatively, the hatchback will be able to operate on electricity alone for 31 miles at speeds of up to 80 mph.

    If fuel economy is not a concern, the electric motor will provide a power boost that will enable the e-tron to reach 62 mph from a stop in 7.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 137 mph.

    Audi will publish a full set of details about the 2015 A3 e-tron closer to its on-sale date. Pricing information is not available, but expect it to be priced near the top of the A3 lineup.

    The e-tron will be the only A3 hatchback sold in the United States. All other models – including diesel-burning TDI-badged variants and 296-horsepower S versions – will only be available as a four-door sedan.