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New Palio diesel ready
Production of the new Palio diesel, powered by the 1.3-litre Multijet common-rail power plant has commenced at the company’s new Ranjangaon factory. Fiat is targeting sales of 6,000 units annually for this car. The Multijet engine has been mate
d to the gearbox from the original 1.9-litre diesel Palio, with the suspension and brakes being carried over from that car as well.
We had a brief drive in this model, and the Palio’s inherent strengths such as the big-car feel and taut body control remain intact. The steering, though heavy, has great feel, and the gearbox shifts precisely, but requires a bit of effort. The diesel Palio resembles the current Stile petrol version except for a ‘1.3 Multijet’ badge on the rear hatch. Significantly, it sports the new Fiat logo with a maroon background, that has replaced the earlier blue Fiat logo globally. On the inside, the twin-tone beige and charcoal grey plastics remain.
Fiat will be counting on this car to boost sales of the Palio, which have been languishing at around 2,500 units annually. Naturally, pricing is key, and the Palio Stile diesel will be going up against the very competent Swift diesel, which is powered by the same 1.3-litre Multijet engine.
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