[motorworks]

What has fiat come to!
Selling engines to PAL as it cannot make money in India by selling cars! The rio does not deserve the MJD! Give it to Honda and let them plonk it in the brio & Jazz please!

[srishiva]

Wasn't there a Kia Rio some time ago which looked similar. Is this in anyway related to that? Looks a similar.

I have hunch that people in India dont like small things pretending like big ones. A SUV is one of them.

[georgev]

Originally Posted by srishiva

Wasn't there a Kia Rio some time ago which looked similar. Is this in anyway related to that? Looks a similar.

I have hunch that people in India dont like small things pretending like big ones. A SUV is one of them.

KIA Rio is a car , same platform as the Accent.Now this car is natured so much, it beat similar class Europen cars in the looks dept

[nikhil_d1106]

Premier has confirmed that the Fiat 1.3 multijet will indeed be plonked on the Rio. They have an agreement for 28k engines. The RIO will now be BSIV enabling sales even in the metros. Price increase is expected in the range of Rs45k.

[MAS]

Got to read this on IAB

Yet another car will flaunt the magnificent Fiat MultiJet engine in India. Yes, we are talking about the Premier Rio, India’s first SUV for under 5 lakhs. As expected Premier has re-kindled its partnership with Fiat to source the Fiat MultiJet engine for the Rio and Rio+.

Under the agreement, Fiat will supply 28,000 engines to Premier for the next 3 years. The assembled diesel engines from Fiat’s Ranjangaon plant will be supplied to Premier’s factory at Chinchwad, Pune

The old Peugeot engine was an Achilles heel of the Rio. It lacked the punch and the refinement of a modern diesel engine. More importantly, it lacked BSIV compliance which made it unfit to be sold in metros – the Rio’s prime market. The petrol Rio was good but the rising fuel prices made sure it was a laggard in sales.

With the new diesel engine, Rio will get a bump in power from 64.8PS to a 76PS . It will also boost the fuel efficiency from 16 kmpl to 18 kmpl. Knowing that they have a winner in their hands, Premier is busy expanding their dealer network and sales and service network across the country to support the Rio.

Hopefully, Fiat engines will help boost Rio’s sales in the near future. Premier was supposed to launch the Rio Multijet in May, but it seems that the launch has been delayed to the festive season. The Multijet engine will give the Rio a fighting chance against onslaught of competition that is waiting at the doorstep of the Indian automotive scene.

Not sure if this would be enough to push sales of Rio. Fiat, the makers of the 1.3 MJD are unable to sell their cars with such a brand following. I wonder how Premier will manage to sell 28K cars in 2 years?

[zalaps]

Full press release is available at below link:

multi-jetpressrelease

[eq24]

I think this is really good news, I highly doubt it will be the city folk who will be crowding the Premier Showrooms. But when you take the rural and small town populations, who IMHO this product is made for, they will certainly welcome this move.

I have seen Premier dealers in small towns like Saharanpur, Mansa, Sirsa and the like. Even when I spoke with the Premier people at the Auto Expo, he wasn't too concerned with me when he found out I live in Gurgaon. They were on the other hand very enthusiastic to speak with people from non metro locations.

If the ICML Rhino and the Force range can sell well in parts of our country and yes I agree they are commercial/private vehicles, I dont doubt for once if they project this product well it will fetch them numbers.

OT- If I remember correctly the MOD's getaway to that killer pool house in Maharashtra, there was one pic in which GTO mentions the Rio in the distance. Wasnt that place in the middle of nowhere, so if we can see a Rio there then why not else where.

[amtak]

I for one, don't mind getting a Premier badge to my garage. Most of us started off with Premier in the early stages of life. Now that the company is trying hard with whatever budget it has, why not?

[ObsessedByFIAT]

Originally Posted by amtak

I for one, don't mind getting a Premier badge to my garage. Most of us started off with Premier in the early stages of life. Now that the company is trying hard with whatever budget it has, why not?

+1. Though we never owned a Premier Vehicle, but if Rio is coming up with MJD, then I think it would make a very good second car for the family.

It would make a good city car with decent leg room and boot space for that weekend shopping!!

Is there any news in regards with ABS and airbags on the new Rio?

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by ObsessedByFIAT

It would make a good city car with decent leg room and boot space for that weekend shopping!!

The ones i've seen looked on the road far less roomier than an eeco. Not sure where u got your impressions from.

[amtak]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

The ones i've seen looked on the road far less roomier than an eeco. Not sure where u got your impressions from.

+1, It is as spacious or as cramped as previous generation Wagon R.

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

The ones i've seen looked on the road far less roomier than an eeco. Not sure where u got your impressions from.

Not fair.
Quite a few of our SUV 's have lesser room than eeco.
I sat in a td car which someone had called in, the previous one.
Front legroom 's about as much as a santro with seats fully back , rear about as much a santro with the front seats of the santro pulled midway forward.
Ample enough, I thought.

[wanderer4x4]

Had been to the RiO showroom. The top end diesel with the present engine is around 7.62 L ex showroom. So, on road, it will be somewhere close to 8.30 L. Now, with MJD, if it again goes up by at least 40-50 K, then I doubt who will place so much faith in Premier to plonk that kind of money in the RiO? With some talks of Duster/Ecosport seeming pricey at 10-11 lakhs, will there be any taker for the RiO @ around 9 lakhs, MJD or not?
PS: But, I so dearly wish the RiO to succeed. Don't know why...

[Prabal]

Originally Posted by ObsessedByFIAT

Is there any news in regards with ABS and airbags on the new Rio?

ABS option is available even on the current Rio. I'm sure it'll remain on the new iteration as well. And maybe, airbags will be added too. Has anybody noticed Rio's new tv ad campaign? I find it quite nice.

[amtak]

Any news on the same? Is it launched with the MJD...?