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New Fiat 500 TwinAir sets new mpg standards

IF you’re fans of the Fiat 500 – and we are here at Business Car Manager – then there’s a new model that’s bound to appeal.

It’s the new TwinAir 500.

This new turbocharged two-cylinder petrol engine might sound like a throwback to the original Fiat 500, but the technology is anything but. There’s fuel economy of 68.9mpg – over 70mpg on the semi-auto Dualogic version – and CO2 emissions of 95g/km.

This not only makes the Fiat 500 TwinAir the lowest emission standard petrol engine, but provides plenty of business benefits, too.

Benefit in kind company car taxation is 10% over the next three tax years (unlike similar low emission diesels which suffer a 3% surcharge taking BIK to 13%) and, with emissions below 110g/km, the car also qualifies for 100% first year writing down allowances.

In other words, you can drive a well-equipped, fuel-efficient, desirable city car for just L240 company car tax

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30 November 1999

Fiat 500 TwinAir

IF you’re fans of the Fiat 500 – and we are here at Business Car Manager – then there’s a new model that’s bound to appeal.

It’s the new TwinAir 500.

This new turbocharged two-cylinder petrol engine might sound like a throwback to the original Fiat 500, but the technology is anything but. There’s fuel economy of 68.9mpg – over 70mpg on the semi-auto Dualogic version – and CO2 emissions of 95g/km.

Nearly 70mpg and sub-100g/km CO2 emissions for the Fiat 500 TwinAir

This not only makes the Fiat 500 TwinAir the lowest emission standard petrol engine, but provides plenty of business benefits, too.

Benefit in kind company car taxation is 10% over the next three tax years (unlike similar low emission diesels which suffer a 3% surcharge taking BIK to 13%) and, with emissions below 110g/km, the car also qualifies for 100% first year writing down allowances.

In other words, you can drive a well-equipped, fuel-efficient, desirable city car for just £240 company car tax – a year! And for businesses, there’s low running costs, low contract hire rates (below £200 per month) – and if you purchase, the attraction of 100% FYA on Corporation Tax.

How does the engine tech work?

TwinAir is downsizing super extreme. There are only two cylinders, but performance is enhanced by a turbocharger to 85bhp, while torque – the engine’s pulling power – is an impressive 102Nm.

TwinAir, despite its associations with the original 500’s air cooled engine, is conventionally water-cooled. Instead, its performance efficiency is managed by a new electro-hydraulic valve management system. This controls the air flowing into the engine through the inlet valves rather than the throttle valve. Fiat says by rigorously controlling the combustion process, pumping losses of around 10% can be eliminated and pollution minimised.

Further fuel-saving technology includes start-stop tech, a dashboard-mounted ECO button for city driving conditions (reduces the amount of torque available) and optimum gearshift indicator.

However, the new TwinAir Fiat is more expensive than the standard 1.2 four-cylinder model. But over three years, superior running costs are likely to give the TwinAir model the edge (according to forecaster CAP, the TwinAir costs 3.06ppm to the 1.2 model’s 3.64ppm over three years and 60,000 miles).

The new TwinAir engine is available in both the three-door hatch, and the 500C convertible model.

The 85bhp engine will be joined shortly by a non-turbo 65bhp and a turbocharged 105bhp version. TwinAir prices start from £10,665 in Pop specification.

More on the Fiat 500 TwinAir

There’s additional commentary on the new Fiat 500 TwinAir in the Editor’s Blog New TwinAir Fiat 500.

 

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Ralph Morton

Ralph Morton

Ralph Morton is an award-winning journalist and the founder of Business Car Manager (now renamed Business Motoring). Ralph writes extensively about the car and van leasing industry as well as wider fleet and company car issues. A former editor of What Car?, Ralph is a vastly experienced writer and editor and has been writing about the automotive sector for over 35 years.

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