Παρουσιαση Fiat Stilo απο top gear (September 1, 2001)

Fiat - Stilo

Oops. Forgot what I was driving there for a second. Here I am in a brand new Fiat Stilo, the Italian marque's Brava/Bravo replacement and rival for the VW Golf and Ford Focus, when I look in my rear-view mirror to find one of my travelling companions in another Stilo. And at first glance I thought it was a new Volkswagen of some kind.

Odd, isn't it? An Italian company designing a car that looks German when there's all that Pininfarina/Giugiaro-type talent downing espressi in Turin coffee bars. Shouldn't be allowed. But take a look at the Stilo yourself and you'll see what I mean. This is not the same kind of bold move that Ford made when it launched the dare-to-be-different Focus into the medium-sized hatchback fray.

In fact, I'm a bit surprised by the conservatism of it all. But I suppose wacky designs don't sell cars. Not in VW Golf numbers, anyway. I think I can see a trend developing here: after Ford's homage to the VW Passat with its new Mondeo, we now have a moving tribute to Wolfsburg's finest.

To be fair, the three-door version starts to look like its own car once you get around to the sides and the back. I quite like the kicked-up back and the smart rear light clusters. But then I find myself thinking of the Skoda Fabia when I look at the back of the five-door model.

This sincere flattery of VW isn't only skin deep. Although my conversation with one of Fiat's chassis engineers unearthed the fact that both the Golf and the Focus were benchmarked when developing the Stilo, the sharper-edged handling of the Ford is not evident.

I found this out quickly and unequivocally once I had to negotiate a corner. Even in the sportiest model, the three-door one with the five-cylinder, 2.4-litre 170bhp engine and Selespeed semi-auto transmission with paddles under the steering wheel and the drive-by-wire throttle, even in that, the body leant over too much and the front wheels squealed too early, reminding me of the Golf's marshmallow ride and dull handling. If I back off the gas, nothing much happens to the tail. Which I guess is a good thing, but I prefer a chassis with sharper responses. This feels stodgy and slow to respond. I'm round the corner with not a lot of feel from the electric power steering, and I'm ready to accelerate.

One thing I do like about this particular car is the improved Selespeed gearbox. It's not an auto as such but a robotised manual. That is, it uses mechanical aids to work the clutch and engage the ratios. When this system was first encountered in an Alfa Romeo 156, it was OK but ultimately unconvincing, despite its cool throttle blipping on the downchanges. Now it has a better clutch coupling for a faster, smoother action, it's actuated with F1-style paddles and still has that blipping thing.

The upside of my being down on the handling is that the Stilo's cushioned ride is an accomplished nerve-soother. It comfortably evens out the oddities of a road's surface. Much like the Golf does, strangely enough.

You've heard the adage that things happen in threes. It just so happens that I've driven three Stilos (Stili?). The 2.4 job, a 130bhp 1.8-litre petrol and a five-door powered by the 110bhp, 1.9-litre JTD diesel engine.

The 1.8-litre model felt a bit short of power and refinement, but came with a five-speed manual 'box whose shift action was crisp and most unlike old Fiat gearboxes. When the Stilo goes into full production, there will be two extra engine options: an 80bhp, 1.2-litre (connected to a six-speed 'box) and a 103bhp, 1.6-litre engine - both petrol-powered.

It has to be said that the JTD engine is a great little mill, brimming with torque. It's perfect for a car this size and shows that an economical family runabout can offer some entertainment other than what's on the stereo.

Unlike the Brava/Bravo situation, both three- and five-door variants will have the same name yet are actually different platforms. The five-door offers slighty better rear headroom, though both are roomy enough in the back for a couple of average-sized adults. And the boots are a good size, too.

The Stilo will also come in three trim levels. In ascending order of equipment and desirability: Active, Dynamic and Abarth.

Prices won't be announced for some time but I suspect that in terms of price and equipment, the Stilo will differ from the Golf considerably - this time in the Stilo's favour.

Colin Ryan

VERDICT Lacking in Italian flair but a big improvement over the car it replaces.