Italians, turbochargers and petrol may sound like a great recipe for any petrolhead, but from a commercial point of view, will it grab a hold of its fair market share? That is exactly the question FIAT have been pondering and now, to complement their FIRE-engined petrol model, the turbo-petrol Linea T-Jet is back!
The FIAT Linea T-Jet, when it was first introduced, was a very exciting prospect for many petrolheads and potential petrol car buyers alike. But the lack of after-sales service and dealer facilities made many think twice. The Linea T-Jet died an untimely death. But now, it has resurrected, and why not? The company’s Indian arm has been on an aggressive revamping spree: new dealers in more cities, a longer warranty, 24×7 customer care line and better spare stocking are only the beginning. FIAT has plans to apply their global standards here and it is sure to win customers. On another note, the sales of petrol cars has seen a slight rise of late, so maybe this is just the move FIAT had to make at this point. Many will remember the old Palio 1.6. It was a beloved Indian hot hatchback for many and still is to this day. They weren’t really for their fuel economy and probably never will be, but when you offer 100+ PS in a lightweight, fun-to-drive car, there will always be takers.
Of course, this isn’t a hatchback, this is their sedan we’re talking about. And FIAT have indeed re-introduced the car with the 1.4-litre, turbocharged, four-cylinder petrol engine. It makes 114 PS at 5,000 rpm and 207 Nm of torque from as low as 2,200 rpm, while the ARAI-claimed fuel efficiency is 15.7 km/l. Those numbers should be good enough for many. There are three variants available for the Linea T-Jet – the Active, priced at Rs 7.6 lakh; the Dynamic from Rs 8.4 lakh; and the Emotion from 8.6 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).
It’s always good for a manufacturer to have an offering which more customers demand. While the 90-PS Linea petrol may not be everyone’s cup of tea, the new Linea T-Jet will be popular with those who like a good shot of black coffee.
