Start&Stop Fires Up More Green Awards For Fiat 500

SLOUGH, UNITED KINGDOM – June 9, 2009: Fiat’s prize-winning 500 has received further confirmation of its environmental dominance after taking another top honour at the What Car? Green Awards in London yesterday – this time for its fuel- and money-saving Start&Stop version.

The Green Awards, which took place at City Hall, London in the presence of Mayor Boris Johnson, are designed to highlight and recognise the UK motor industry’s most economical and environmentally-friendly cars.

Fiat’s 500 Start&Stop, which is based on the successful 1.2 Lounge version, benefits from the combined expertise of automotive parts specialist Bosch and Fiat Powertrain Technologies.

Combined with Start&Stop, its efficient engine is not only miserly when it comes to using fuel – consumption can be reduced by up to 12 per cent (urban figures) – but it is even less polluting than its non-Stop&Start sisters, bringing down CO2 emissions from 119 g/km to 113 g/km.

“Not many cars as chic as the 500 are so easy on the environment,” says What Car? magazine. “If the 500’s green credentials make you feel good about yourself, its smart styling will make you feel even better. It’s one of those cars that’s almost guaranteed to give you a warm glow every time you see it parked outside your house.”

“In these tough economic times, motorists are looking for environmentally-friendly cars that can provide fantastically low running costs,” adds Andrew Humberstone, managing director, Fiat Group Automobiles UK. “But these cars must look great too – something we think the 500 offers in a big way. I am delighted that the What Car? judges agree with us.”

Start&Stop works by stopping the engine automatically (without the driver turning the ignition key) whenever traffic conditions bring the car to a complete halt. It restarts it when the driver selects a gear to move off again.

The Fiat 500 Start&Stop costs £9,700 OTR.