CARS OF THE WORLD

Fiat Pulse 2022.

Fiat Pulse 2022. Fiat is preparing the Pulse crossover: fewer competitors, a turbo engine and only front-wheel drive.

The new Italian brand has finally chosen a name. The new SUV will enter the Brazilian car market in September-October 2021.

The Fiat brand is currently part of the newly formed auto giant Stellantis, which emerged from the merger of the Italian-American concern FCA and the French group PSA.

Information that Fiat is preparing a new crossover for South America received official confirmation in 2020: before that, pictures of test samples in camouflage film appeared on the Web.

Previously, the SUV was known under the internal designation Progetto 363 (that is, Project 363), but now it has a name.

Recall that the brand name of the new Fiat was chosen by fans of the brand — at the beginning of last year, an online voting was opened.

Then the company offered three options to choose from: Pulse, Domo and Tuo. Now the results have been summed up: as a result, the name Pulse was chosen (in translation «pulse»).

This model was developed in the Brazilian division of the brand, in the same country Stellantis intends to establish the production of a compact crossover.

As we reported earlier, Fiat noted that Pulse is based on the new MLA platform, but, according to our Brazilian colleagues, the Fiat Argo hatchback, which has been produced here since 2017, was actually taken as the basis for the SUV.

Probably, the «cart» of the hatch (it was assigned the index MP-1) was modernized, however, it is not yet clear what exactly has changed.

The dimensions of the SUV are also not disclosed. According to unofficial data, the distance between the axles of the new item is 2532 mm, which is 11 mm more than that of the Argo.

For comparison, the Honda WR-V has a wheelbase of 2,555 mm, while the Volkswagen Nivus has a wheelbase of 2,566 mm.

The company showed several new pictures of the future novelty, they confirm that the Fiat Pulse has its own, different from the Argo exterior design.

So, the crossover received original bumpers and head optics (in top versions, the headlights and lights are LED), a different radiator grill.

The model also has an unpainted plastic body kit, and roof rails are located on the roof.

The salon has not yet been shown. Little is known about the equipment list: it includes modern electronic driver assistants.

It is expected that the SUV, in particular, got the adaptive cruise control. Four airbags and a multimedia system with support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are also expected.

The crossover will receive a Flex turbo engine under the hood — traditionally for Brazil, it is «powered» by both gasoline and ethanol.

There are no official details about him yet. It is possible that Pulse will be equipped with a 1.0-liter «turbo-engine» with a maximum power of 125-130 hp.

What kind of gearbox it will go with is still unknown, the media suggest that it could be a six-speed «automatic» or CVT.

Basic versions could be equipped with a four-cylinder «aspirated» Firefly with a volume of 1.3 liters (101 hp for gasoline, 109 hp for ethanol) from Argo, this engine will supposedly be equipped with a five-speed «mechanics» and a variator.

Most likely, the new crossover of the Italian brand has only front-wheel drive.

The new product will enter the Brazilian car market in September-October 2021.

By the way, Fiat Pulse will be the first “traditional” SUV of the brand in this country, as the 500X is not represented there.

Next year, another Fiat crossover will appear in South America: most likely, it will be a coupe-like SUV.