Power, efficiency, equipment up for Fiat Ducato van

FIAT’S Ducato van has received engine and equipment upgrades for 2012, with a more efficient yet more powerful Euro 5 compliant 2.3-litre diesel powerplant in two states of tune that replaces the outgoing 2.3-litre and 3.0-litre units.

A six-speed automated manual transmission dubbed MTA, previously only available paired with the 3.0-litre engine, is now available across the Ducato range and expected to attract more buyers.

The Italian brand is also including a TomTom portable satellite-navigation unit as standard equipment, which attaches to a built-in dash-top cradle and integrates with Fiat’s Blue&Me system to provide touch-screen access for systems such as Bluetooth telephone and trip computer functions.

In 96kW/320Nm tune, the 2.3-litre MultiJet engine, used on all body styles except the extra-long wheelbase, produces eight per cent more power than the 88kW unit it replaces (although the torque figure remains the same) while fuel consumption is claimed to drop by nine per cent.

With the wick turned up to 109kW and 350Nm, the 2.3-litre unit cannot match the 115.5kW and 400Nm of the old 3.0-litre but the smaller displacement and 40kg lower weight help fuel consumption plummet by a claimed 19 per cent.

Other changes for 2012 include an interior refresh featuring improved fabrics and seat adjustment, a larger glare-reducing hood for the instrument panel and a gear-shift indicator that advises of the most efficient time to switch cogs.

There is also a redesigned glovebox lid with sturdier lock mechanism, a clip for securing papers, a lockable central cubby large enough to store a laptop and a refrigerated compartment designed to accommodate a 1.5-litre bottle.

Although the line-up still opens with the medium wheelbase/low roof variant at $39,990 driveaway, a range reshuffle has resulted in the addition of Fiat’s MTA automated-manual transmission as a $3000 option on the medium wheelbase/low roof and cab-chassis variants, plus price changes across the rest of the range.

Now only available with the 96kW 2.3-litre engine instead of the 3.0-litre, the price of medium wheelbase/medium roof variants with the automated manual transmission drops $4005 to $45,990, although the price of the manual version has increased by $1000 to $42,990.

The price of a manual long wheelbase/medium roof variant increases $1000 to $45,990, with the automated manual – which also loses the 3.0-litre in favour of the 96kW 2.3-litre – down $1500 to $49,090.

Extra-long wheelbase/medium roof variants with the manual transmission are down $400, with the MTA transmission version down $1000, to $52,890.

The manual cab-chassis variant is up $200 to $44,990 while the newly-available MTA transmission adds $3000 to that price. All Ducato pricing is driveaway, with the only available options being metallic paint ($950) and a bench seat ($975).

The medium wheelbase/low roof variant has a cargo capacity of 10 cubic metres and a 1.612-tonne payload, while the medium roof version increases volume to 11.5 cubic metres, with a 2.009-tonne payload.

Long wheelbase/medium roof versions expand interior capacity to 13 cubic metres with a 1.959-tonne payload, while the extra-long wheelbase/medium roof version offers 15 cubic metres and a 1.914-tonne payload.

Fiat sold 893 Ducato vans in Australia last year, up 4.2 per cent on 2010, contributing to an overall 13.3 per cent gain for the brand, although much of this success can be attributed to the introduction of hot Abarth versions its retro-styled 500 car.

Fiat Ducato pricing(driveaway):
Medium wheelbase/low roof	$39,990 (no change)
Medium wheelbase/lowroof (a)	$42,990 (new)
Medium wheelbase/mediumroof	$42,990 (+$1000)
Medium wheelbase/mediumroof (a)	$45,990 (-$4005)
Long wheelbase/mediumroof	$45,990 (+$1000)
Long wheelbase/mediumroof (a)	$49,090 (-$1500)
Extra longwheelbase/medium roof	$49,590 (-$400)
Extra longwheelbase/medium roof (a)	$52,890 (-$1000)
Cab chassis	$44,990 (+$200)
Cab chassis (a)	$47,990 (new)