23/09/2008 - Fiat Fiorino Scoops International Van of the Year

Fiat's new Fiorino, which is set to arrive in Australia next year, has been named the International Van of the Year 2009 - with 112 points out of a possible 140 - by a jury consisting of journalists from 20 European countries, all specialists in the commercial vehicles sector.

The award for the Fiorino comes hard on the heels of the Fiat Scudo, which debuted in Australia this year, taking the 2008 title.

The prestigious trophy was awarded to Franco Miniero, representing Fiat Professional, during a ceremony at the 62nd International Show in Hanover, the biggest exhibition in Europe for commercial and industrial vehicles.

The award recognises the many important features in the Fiat Fiorino, created to meet the needs of those who require a compact van which is cheap to run, nimble in traffic and handy in parking manoeuvres.

The new Fiorino is intended to redefine the standards of the smallest van segment and play a leading role in the light commercial vehicles market. The jury of the International Van of the Year particularly liked the fact that the Fiorino is creating a new market segment. Over the last few decades, light commercial vehicles have evolved in their load capacity, leaving a gap at the lower end of the range.

Thanks to Fiorino, customers in this segment have the opportunity to buy a vehicle "made-to-measure" for their work and activities. With a load-carrying capacity of 610 and 660 kg, volume of 2.5 cubic metres, internal length of 1.5 metres (which become 2.8 m3 and 2.5 metres with the passenger seat folded down), the Fiorino fully meets these requirements.

According to the jury, the new Fiat Fiorino is a truly innovative product in terms of its dimensions, style, safety content and environmental friendliness. This well designed van is very practical and excellent value for money; its economical features met the jury's most important criterion of merit, i.e. the capacity of a vehicle to offer an efficient contribution to goods transport by road. 

Born out of the industrial collaboration between Fiat Group Automobiles and PSA, Fiorino is manufactured at the Tofas factory in Bursa (Turkey) and is set to be sold in 80 countries around the world.

Distinguished by an original and dynamic style, the Fiat Fiorino is 3.86 metres long, 1.72 high and 1.71 wide; its compact external dimensions with which any city centre can be negotiated with ease, are also enhanced by a turning circle of just 9.95 metres.

Fiat Fiorino offers a complete range of versions and features: vans for goods transport; Combi for mixed transport of people and goods; Adventure versions with raised ground clearance, and shortly also with a special drive system for use in rural areas and on low-grip surfaces; robotised 6-speed gearbox; and innovative safety systems, such as ESP. Fiat Fiorino will subsequently also be available either with electric power or a compressed natural gas (CNG) engine.

Safe and reliable, the Fiorino also offers excellent dynamic behaviour, whatever the use or type of journey. This is achieved by the two power units which are a pleasure to drive, reliable and environmentally friendly, and also offer very low running costs.