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Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Fiat at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show: The New Fiat Freemont



The new Fiat Freemont will be making its debut at the 2011 Geneva International Motor Show, March 3rd thru the 13th. The Freemont is built on the base of the Dodge Journey and is significant for being the first Fiat vehicle to come out of the partnership with the Chrysler Group. It will be produced in Toluca, Mexico, where the Fiat 500 is produced for the US market.



According to Fiat, the Freemont is "...an all-purpose vehicle designed to meet the diverse needs of families and those seeking a spacious, comfortable and versatile vehicle to cater for the frenetic pace of everyday life or weekend leisure time".

Roominess and accommodations will be a strong point with the Fiat Freemont. The dimensions are (length of 192.52 in/489 cm, width of 74.01 in/188 cm and height of 67.72 in/ 172 cm) and has the longest wheelbase in its category (113.78 in/289 cm).



The Freemont will seat 7, with standard, third row seating. Access to the third row has been taken care of with doors that open to 90°. The seats of the third row may be folded down with one simple movement to disappear completely below the floor and create a regular load platform. The seats of the second row are fitted higher than those at the front while the third row is raised in relation to the second allowing all occupants maximum visibility.



The Freemont will be very well equipped. There are two equipment packages, both packages will offer 7 seats, triple-zone automatic climate control system, keyless entry system, cruise control, advanced trip computer, tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), fog lights and touchscreen radio with color screen and controls on the steering wheel.



A version with the emphasis on luxury will include 17” alloys, touchscreen radio with 8.4” screen, SD card and DVD reader, Bluetooth system, rear parking sensors, fold-down door mirrors, automatic headlight activation, darkened rear windows and roof bars.



The Freemont has transverse mounted engines and will be offered with front wheel drive and turbo diesel power units (140 HP or 170 HP 2.0L MultiJet) combined with a manual gearbox. Later, the vehicle will also be available in 4x4 versions with 170 HP 2.0L MultiJet and 276 HP 3.6L Pentastar V6 engines, both with automatic transmissions.

With the exception of the 3.6L unit from Chrysler and its automatic transmission, all power units are produced and developed by FPT- Fiat PowerTrain.



Like the new 2011 Dodge Journey, the Freemont's suspension benefits from the collaboration between Fiat and Chrysler engineers. Everyday ride and handling has been improved by re-engineering the suspension, modifying its geometry and redesigning the steering for a more precise feel, greater accuracy and direct response. The goal was to produce a nimble, composed vehicle that is fun to drive.

Additionally, driving comfort and enjoyment is further enhanced by significant improvements to passenger compartment soundproofing.



Safety, which is always a Fiat priority, is well looked after with 7 airbags, anti-lock braking system (ABS) with Brake Assist, Electronic Stability Program (ESP) with Hill-Holder and electronic roll mitigation (ERM) as standard on all vehicles.


Sources: Fiat Group Press and Chrysler Media

5 comments:

Rusty said...

I almost forgot it was even possible to have a stick in an SUV (:

Spektor said...

Where will it be sold?????? I assume not in the US due to the similar Dodge model? It would be nice to get the diesel here in the U.S. in either line.

Ciccio said...

I will be one of the first to buy the freemont.....When will it be here in the US???

Anonymous said...

I hope we get this in the USA, or I want to buy one, and bring it back! This gets almost 37MPG!!! I would love to have this! I really would want a Fiat name plate on my vehicle then a Dodge. Sorry. I know it is the same vehicle overall, but still would rather have a Fiat.

Anonymous said...

If this is coming to the US, then this will be my next vehicle. US is starved for decent diesel vehicles. A manual transmission? I'm in heaven.