FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

13 May 2004

DOUBLE SUCCESS FOR FIAT IN NEW FLEET AWARDS

Fiat Auto’s new Panda supermini has just won the Design of the Year Award in the 2004 Fleet World Honours.

The awards, which took place at a special ceremony on Tuesday 11 May in central London, were judged by a panel of experts representing the leasing industry, fleet managers, residual value guides and Fleet World’s editorial team.

Fleet industry consultant and former IBM Fleet Manager George Emmerson says: “There’s tremendous interest in small cars at the moment, but people seldom want to abandon all trace of style when they make the move to down-size. Fortunately, in the new Panda they have a car that’s not only stylish and chic, it is also competitively priced with a good engine range and impressive build quality – essential characteristics for fleet buyers.”

Fleet World editor Ross Durkin commented: “The new Panda is a super car to look at and was a deserving winner of the award for European Car of the Year 2004. Fleets often see things differently to consumer journalists but in the case of the new Panda there is general agreement all round that this new small car really is something

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Double success for Fiat in new fleet awards…2

special. Small cars sometimes lack personality and character… that’s certainly not the case with the new Panda, which has both in abundance.”

Fiat Auto has also won the award for Best Engine in the 2004 Commercial Fleet World Honours. Commercial Fleet World editor Gibb Grace comments: “The best engine award has been introduced to acknowledge the tremendous efforts that vehicle manufacturers have put into improving diesel engine technology, and the results achieved. It’s fair to say that every manufacturer has a story to tell, but the work done by Fiat to bring the common rail system to fruition as long ago as 1997 deserves recognition. So the award goes to a little 1248 cc twin overhead cam, 16-valve, second generation, common rail engine, developed by the Fiat-GM Powertrain joint venture.

“The 1.3 MultiJet, as it is known, is very compact at just 460 mm long by 500 mm wide and 650 mm tall, making it suitable for small car-derived vans such as Fiat’s Punto Van,” adds Mr Grace. “It meets Euro 4 emissions standards, and is thus very clean, but it is also very frugal. On test with Commercial Fleet World, Punto Van comfortably exceeded 60 mpg. That said, such fuel consumption is not achieved at the expense of performance, as the 1.3 MultiJet develops 70 PS and has a peak torque of 170 Nm – both of which would have been typical of a 2.0 litre diesel of 10 years ago, making for an enjoyable drive.”

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For further information please contact:

PETER NEWTON Public Relations Director

or

Puneet Joshi Press Officer

Fiat Auto (UK) Limited

Tel: 01753 511431 Fax: 01753 516871

E-mail addresses: /

This press release and picture is also available on www.newspress.co.uk

Further information can also be obtained on www.fiatautopress.com

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