Fiat powerhouse

ITALIAN auto giant Fiat has announced the launch of a significant new powertrain unit to integrate the group’s engine and transmission expertise, to be known as Fiat Powertrain Technologies (FPT).

Designed to provide advanced powertrains to other car-makers – most notably General Motors and its affiliates – as well as for use within the Fiat Group, FPT will operate in 12 countries with 26 plants and 16 research and development centres.

The engines will essentially be small petrol units with up to around 2.5 litres' capacity and turbo-diesels across a wide spectrum of capacities, all of which could be seen in familiar nameplates sold under the Holden brand.

According to Ateco Automotive, which is responsible for importing Fiat vehicles in Australia, these new engines are likely to be more relevant to European-sourced vehicles such as Barina, Astra and Vectra rather than slotting into Australian-built cars such as Commodore.

The new powertrain unit will combine the resources, employees and activities of Fiat Auto Powertrain, Iveco Powertrain, Magneti Marelli Powertrain (including motorsport), Iveco Motoren Forschung and the powertrain research activities of the Fiat Research Centre and Elasis.

Domenico Bordone (left), currently Magneti Marelli CEO, will be appointed CEO of the new company to be headquartered in Turin.

FPT, which is expected to have a considerable future growth potential, will start operating with annual revenues of 6 billion euro, 20 percent of which will come from "non-captive" customers.

It will employ more than 23,000 employees, with 11,000 drawn from Fiat Auto, 7200 from Iveco, 3800 from Magneti Marelli and more than 1000 from the Fiat Research Centre, Iveco Motoren Forschung and Elasis.

With an annual output of more than 2.2 million engines, two million transmissions and an extensive range of both power outputs and applications, Fiat expects FPT to be one of the most significant players in the automotive world.

The new company’s strategy will including developing markets outside the Fiat Group, enhancing centres of technological excellence, integrating engineering capabilities from the product development to the testing phase and having a greater focus on R&D investments for environment-friendly powertrains such as methane, hybrid and fuel-cell.

"This business, which represents a fundamental step in the relaunch of the Fiat Group, will allow us to operate with greater flexibility and to leverage on the huge potential – particularly in the non-captive market – that up to now has been divided into different units," said Fiat Group CEO Sergio Marchionne.

"The integration of activities, products and highly qualified people will allow us to fully express Fiat Group’s great technological and innovation capabilities.

"In Fiat’s history, our competence in mechanics and engines, in particular, has always been undisputed in the whole automotive world. Diesel engines are an example, to name but one.

"In fact, at the new company a group of high-profile technicians who have been working for years on racing engines, including Formula 1, will be devoted to the development and engineering of high-performance engines.

"Thanks to the synergies and efficiencies that will soon be found, Fiat Powertrain Technologies will significantly contribute to the improvement of the profitability of the Group, which, thanks to its new company, will be able to operate across international markets with renewed vigour and strength".