[GTO]

Originally Posted by finneyp

GTO, Palio 1.2 has fairly good power (72 BHP), pretty adequate for Indian driving conditions.

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

I think GTO did not mean power in isolation, but when taken with the weight (Power to Weight Ratio).

At best, a Palio 1.2's power can be termed as "sufficient" for daily city use. My comment was more from an enthusiast / highway driving perspective.

[finneyp]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Well, for the weight it lugs around, IMO the Palio1.2 is underpowered.

SB, Please TD a Palio 1.2 and then post your comments here!

Theoretically, all sedans in India are underpowered too, but in reality it is not so!

[sushanthr77]

Finney, No offense meant but I definitely find the 1.2 underpowered with the gear ratios that Fiat has provided. When ever I switch back to the Palio after a Swift D drive, it is hard to adjust for some time.

And do we really need an over-drive on 4th for this car?

[mclaren1885]

Finney, there is a tbhp bangalore drive happening this month. Why don't you join us and we could discuss this topic over a couple of beers? Besides, it would be nice to put a face to your ID. Its about time we met your Italian beauty as well.

[deepakhon]

Originally Posted by sushanthr77

I definitely find the 1.2 underpowered with the gear ratios that Fiat has provided.
And do we really need an over-drive on 4th for this car?

I agree with you fully here. I have been having the 1.2 for close to 4.5 years now and I feel the same.

4th gear is pretty much useless on the highways. It is almost always 3-5 and 5-3 for me.

Again, there is a huge gap between 1 and 2. I guess this set of gear ratios is good for the 1.6 engine, not for 1.2.

[prabuddhadg]

At the risk of going off topic, I will say here that the Fiat 1.6 engine is adequately powered even for the highway. 3rd gear at 4000 rpm is so infectious, I do that twenty times before I get accustomed to it on each highway drive. Compared to that, the 1.2 is definitely underpowered. It does not give you that surge at all. Drive the 1.6 for a while and then try the 1.2. Anyone will agree.

[sushanthr77]

Originally Posted by deepakhon

It is almost always 3-5 and 5-3 for me.

Cool! Looks like we all drive similarly!!!

Originally Posted by deepakhon

Again, there is a huge gap between 1 and 2. I guess this set of gear ratios is good for the 1.6 engine, not for 1.2.

Other than the taller 1st gear, the rest are identical to the 1.6 gearbox

[deepakhon]

I am sorry to be continuing to go off-topic, but this will be my last post on Palio's gear ratios in this thread. I am posting the gear ratios of Palio 1.2, 1.6 and S10 for reference:

1.2 1.6 S10

1st gear 4.273 3.909 3.909
2nd gear 2.158 2.158 2.158
3rd gear 1.345 1.345 1.480
4th gear 0.974 0.974 1.121
5th gear 0.829 0.766 0.829
reverse 4.273 3.909 3.818

[sushanthr77]

Ok. So only the 2nd, 3rd and 4th are similar. I think even these should've been taller.

[finneyp]

Prabudda, we know 1.2 < 1.6, so power of 1.6 (100bhp) cannot be compared with 1.2 (72bhp).
If I buy a car mainly for City driving, I still prefer a 1.2 / 1.3, it has sufficient power to potter around the City & decent power for highways too, I find riskier to drive 100+ kph on Indian highways.

Sushant, the diffence in drivebility of a 1.2 and 1.3 MJD, apart from the Gear ratio is the loads of torque you get to play with in a MJD engine.

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by finneyp

SB, Please TD a Palio 1.2 and then post your comments here!

finney, I think the posts from people who have driven the 1.2 (sushanthr77, deepakhon, prabuddhadg etc) should satisfy you and thus would not require me taking a TD.

And BTW, you need not take every comment about Fiat/Palio in a negative way. I had made it clear that its extra weight is what makes it feel underpowered, which in other ways is a boon, giving it what you would call the tank-like-build.

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by deepakhon

I agree with you fully here. I have been having the 1.2 for close to 4.5 years now and I feel the same.

4th gear is pretty much useless on the highways. It is almost always 3-5 and 5-3 for me.

Again, there is a huge gap between 1 and 2. I guess this set of gear ratios is good for the 1.6 engine, not for 1.2.

I have a Palio 1.2 too and I find the fourth gear quite OK. Offcourse there isnt immediate step up in power if you downshift from 5th to 4th but it isnt that bad. The engine is pretty tractable for a 1.2 litre unit and that is why I say it isnt underpowered. In the city it picks up from 30 kph in 4th gear with the A/C on without a murmur, yes the progress wont be brisk but its more than enough to keep up with the flow of traffic and at times even overtake it. Even on the highway if you drive below 120 kph I find the power alright. As GTO said above... its sufficient for most purposes.

[hellspawn]

I dont see any reason why the palio's engine cant be turbocharged...after all its an internal combustion engine like any other japanese engine..have read about a lot of palios in international forums where they have turbocharged the palio 1.4,1.6,1.8.Even palio 1.3mjds with a bigger turbo,intercooler and an ems.

[iceman7]

It's been close to 2.5 years since we had any updates on this thread. I am assuming a lot has changed/improved/evolved in the tuning market in India from 2008 to 2011.

With that said, I am posing a few questions:

1. Has anyone, over the past few years (2008 - 2011) come across an example of a TC'd 1.2 / 1.6?

2. Has any tuner on the forum or someone you know of experimented doing this?

3. Is this still a doable thing now?

While I agree that with the advent of a slew of Turbo Diesel hatchbacks this is not a practical option, BUT it wouldn't hurt to know. Would it?

[Zenster]

Nice to bump into this thread.

I'd like to KNOW too Since I have the similar (or same) 1.2L engine in my Punto.

Beside TC, I see everyone talking about the comparatively poorer gear ratios in the Fiat 1.2's. Can this not be fixed? I mean what is involved in optimizing the gear ratios and how difficult is it? Is it a limitation due to tech know-how or to owner spending Vitamin-M (i mean is it really expensive to get the ratios set RIGHT) ?