FIAT AT THE 68th GENEVA INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW

At the Geneva International Motor Show, Fiat presents the most recent results of its ongoing commitment to respond to motorists' needs, a commitment that is reflected in the product range, with new models and variations and improvements to existing models. Fiat also illustrates how it contributes to the solution of social problems that are strongly felt today, such as respect for the environment and mobility for the disabled.

The result is a varied, comprehensive range: the Panda, Punto (Europe's best-selling car in 1997), Palio Weekend, Fiat Bravo and Fiat Brava, Marea saloon and Weekend, Coupé, barchetta and the Ulysse people-carrier.

The company's research and development of increasingly 'green' cars with lower fuel consumption is represented by the Punto Economy Power prototype, which consumes just 3.6 litres in 100 km. The output of cars designed to run on alternative fuels is represented by the Marea Bipower, which can run on either petrol or methane.

The attention Fiat pays to the disabled takes the concrete form of the Autonomy Programme, created to make the car more accessible to people with limited mobility. For this reason the Fiat stand includes two versions equipped for the disabled (a Palio Weekend 1.6 Autonomy and a Bravo 1.6 SX Autonomy), alongside 23 particularly representative models from its vast range.

The Fiat products on show include items from the Accessories Line, some of which are exhibited in display cases while others equip three cars: a Palio Weekend 100 16v, a Marea Weekend 2.0 HLX and a Coupé 1.8 16v.
The Geneva Motor Show also inaugurates a new Fiat Auto site on the Internet dedicated to journalists from all over the world. This site makes exhaustive information available about the company, which is one of the first manufacturers to offer a similar facility. All the journalist has to do is key in www.fiatautopress.com, select which of five languages he wishes to use, his name and his password. This gives him access to information and photographs of the cars, as well as information about the company. It will also put him into direct contact with the Fiat Auto Press Office in Turin. But that is not all. He can also search for any other type of information he needs, even not connected to the car, through the links provided on the site with agencies, papers and journals, television networks and clipping services, without having to use search engines.

An Internet station is also installed on the stand, where visitors to the Show can surf through the Fiat world, browsing another site, at the address: www.fiat.com.

FIAT AUTO'S NEW INTERNET SITE

Ever aware of journalists' needs, Fiat Auto has now become one of the first motor manufacturers to provide a journalist-oriented information service on the Internet.

The site is geared up for fast, transparent, comprehensive consultation. To access it you just need to enter the address www.fiatautopress.com, choose the language you wish to use and enter your password (obtainable from the Press Office).

At this point, you are free to browse through press releases on cars produced by all three Group brands. The site contains official, detailed information, and press releases from '97 and '96 can be consulted. Upcoming releases will be added as soon as they are ready. Texts and photographs (some in high resolution colour) can be downloaded. General information about the company is obtainable and users may contact the Fiat Auto press office in Turin directly.

But that is not all. If, for professional reasons or out of pure personal curiosity, you want more information, even if it is not about cars, you can simply click on site icons to link up to dozens of press agencies, newspapers, TV companies, newsgroups and clipping services without needing to use search engines. In a word, the new www.fiatautopress.com site offers journalists an exceptional opportunity to work faster, more comprehensively and more reliably.

But it would not be an Internet site without being subject to constant modification and improvement on the basis of suggestions from users, the aim being to offer a service that responds ever more closely to press needs from all over the world.