The Fiat Marea (Type 185) is a small family car available as a saloon and an estate, produced by the Italian automaker Fiat. Launched in September 1996, the Marea models were essentially different body styles of Fiat's hatchback offerings, the Bravo and Brava. The Marea replaced the earlier Tipo based Fiat Tempra, as well as the larger Croma.
| Fiat Marea | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Fiat |
| Also called | Fiat Marengo (panel van) |
| Production | 1996–2002 (Italy) 1998–2007 (Brazil) 1996–2007 (Turkey) |
| Assembly | Italy: Turin, Mirafiori Italy: Cassino Plant, Piedimonte San Germano Brazil: Betim, Minas Gerais Turkey: Bursa (Tofaş) Poland: Tychy[1] |
| Designer |
|
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Small family car (C) |
| Body style | 4-door saloon 5-door estate |
| Layout | Front-engine, front-wheel-drive |
| Platform | Fiat C1 |
| Related | |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,540 mm (100.0 in) |
| Length | 4,391 mm (172.9 in) (saloon) 4,490 mm (176.8 in) (estate) |
| Width | 1,740 mm (68.5 in) |
| Height | 1,420 mm (55.9 in) (saloon) 1,535 mm (60.4 in) (estate) |
| Curb weight | 1,085–1,385 kg (2,392–3,053 lb) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Fiat Tempra Fiat Croma |
| Successor | Fiat Linea (for saloon) Fiat Stilo Multiwagon (for estate) |
While the Fiat Stilo Multiwagon was the successor of the wagon version, the Marea Weekend, the Fiat Linea replaced the saloon version in 2007. The car became officially available from 11 September 1996.
Production and markets
edit
The Marea was originally manufactured in Fiat's Cassino and Mirafiori plants in Italy.[3] Later the Marea also superseded the Tempra in Brazilian (Betim) and Turkish (in Bursa, with Tofaş) plants,[4] which make vehicles mostly for local and other developing markets.[citation needed]
In Europe, production and sales of the Marea ceased in August 2002, one year after the Bravo and Brava were replaced with the Fiat Stilo. The Marea Weekend was replaced by the Stilo Multiwagon unveiled in January 2003, while the saloon's successor, the Fiat Linea, was unveiled in 2007.
Nevertheless, the Marea (in both body styles) was still manufactured in Turkey and Brazil for local (and other Latin American) markets. The Brazilian version was facelifted in 2001, when it gained a redesigned rear end with taillights taken from the Lancia Lybra.[5][6]
For 2006, the Marea was mildly revised again, gaining a new rear end, and a new grille, similar in style to other current Fiat models.[7] In mid 2007, Brazilian production of the Marea and Marea Weekend ceased.
Engines
editThe Marea petrol and JTD engines 1.6 L, 1.8 L and 2.0 L petrol and 1.9 L were sourced from the Brava and Bravo, and a 2.0 20v turbo option from the Fiat Coupé was also available. For a short time there was also a 2.4 turbodiesel available, dropped in 2001, which has become sought after. A BiPower 1.6 L dual fuel engine was later added to the range. It can run on either petrol or compressed natural gas.
- 1.2 L I4 16v 1,242 cc 86 PS (63 kW; 85 hp) - select markets, such as Greece and Portugal
- 1.4 L I4 12v 1,370 cc 80 PS (59 kW; 79 hp) - select markets, such as Greece and Portugal
- 1.6 L I4 16v 1,581 cc 103 PS (76 kW; 102 hp)
- 1.6 L I4 16v 1,581 cc 99 PS (73 kW; 98 hp)
- 1.8 L I4 16v 1,747 cc 114 PS (84 kW; 112 hp)
- 2.0 L I5 20v 1,998 cc 155 PS (114 kW; 153 hp)
- 2.0 L I5 20v turbo 1,998 cc 182 PS (134 kW; 180 hp)
- 1.9 turbodiesel I4 8v 75 PS (55 kW; 74 hp)
- 1.9 turbodiesel I4 8v 100 PS (74 kW; 99 hp)
- 1.9 common rail (JTD) turbodiesel I4 8v 105 PS (77 kW; 104 hp)
- 1.9 common rail (JTD) turbodiesel I4 8v 110 PS (81 kW; 108 hp)
- 2.4 turbodiesel 2,387 cc I5 10v 126 PS (93 kW; 124 hp)
- 2.4 common rail (JTD) turbodiesel 2,387 cc I5 10v 132 PS (97 kW; 130 hp)
Brazil
edit
The Brazilian-built Fiat Marea was available in sedan and estate body styles and arrived at dealerships in June 1998.[8] It was originally launched with two trim levels: the mid-level ELX and the high-level HLX. The Marea Weekend estate was imported from Italy in small numbers until local production commenced in September 1998.[9]
A 142 bhp (106 kW) 2.0L petrol engine was standard, although a lower output version producing 127 bhp (95 kW) was launched later the same year for the base-trim SX model. This was done to reduce Brazilian excise taxes on industrial products (IPI) from 30% to 25% for that model.[9] A sporty Turbo trim with a 2.0L petrol engine producing 182 bhp (136 kW) was also made available. Retail prices went from 27.582 BRL for a base SX model up to 41.748 BRL for a Turbo model.[9] No diesel engines were available for the Brazilian markets, as local legislation prohibits diesel-powered cars.[10][11]
In 2000, the 2.0L engine was replaced with a 2.4L 160 bhp (120 kW) engine for the ELX and HLX trims, and with a 1.8L 132 bhp (98 kW) engine for the SX trim.[12]
The following year, the Brazilian-market Marea received a facelift, with a new front grille and new tail lights borrowed from the Lancia Lybra.[13][14] A four-speed automatic transmission also became available.[15]
For the 2005 model year, in an attempt to address declining sales, the Marea received a minor facelift and a new entry-level engine option was offered, an Argentine-built 1.6L engine producing 106 bhp (79 kW), being the only engine that was not manufactured in Italy.[16]
A total of 54,781 units were built in Brazil until the end of its production in November 2007.[17]
References
edit- ^ 10 million vehicles produced in the former FSM and Fiat Auto Poland factories
- ^ "Fiat Marea & Marea Weekend – Creative synergy". autodesignmagazine.com. 20 August 1996. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
- ^ "Press release". PR Newswire UK. Retrieved 6 June 2006.
- ^ "Fiat Marea". Global Autoindex. Archived from the original on 19 October 2007. Retrieved 6 June 2006.
- ^ "Comparativo Sedãs Médios". Revista Quatro Rodas. February 2005. Archived from the original on 18 June 2006. Retrieved 3 August 2006.
- ^ "Comparativo Completo". Best Cars. 15 January 2002. Retrieved 3 August 2006.
- ^ "Novo Marea 2006" (in Portuguese). Fiat Brazil. Archived from the original on 29 May 2006. Retrieved 6 June 2006.
- ^ "Folha de S.Paulo - Lançamento: Marea chega para brigar com o Vectra (com foto) - 24/05/98". www1.folha.uol.com.br. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
- ^ a b c "Folha de S.Paulo - Marea: O máximo o mínimo - 14/02/99". www1.folha.uol.com.br (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 12 October 2021. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
- ^ "Porque não temos automóveis movidos a diesel no Brasil" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 18 October 2014.
- ^ "A proibição Carro Diesel no Brasil" [The prohibition of diesel cars in Brazil]. Aprove Diesel (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 3 December 2014.
- ^ "Fiat lança Marea com motor 2.4 20V - Diário do Grande ABC - Notícias e informações do Grande ABC: automóveis". Jornal Diário do Grande ABC (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 12 October 2021.
- ^ Londrina, Folha de. "Fiat Marea 2002 traz como mudança a nova traseira". Folha de Londrina (in Portuguese). Retrieved 12 October 2021.
- ^ "Best Cars Web Site - Avaliação". www.bestcars.com.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 12 October 2021.
- ^ Londrina, Folha de. "Fiat Marea ganha câmbio automático como opcional". Folha de Londrina (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 12 October 2021.
- ^ "Fiat relança Marea com leves mudanças na parte estética". Gazeta Digital (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 12 October 2021.
- ^ "Teste: último Fiat Marea tinha motor do Brava e estava longe de ser bomba". Quatro Rodas (in Brazilian Portuguese). 13 December 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
External links
edit
Media related to Fiat Marea at Wikimedia Commons