Fiat Marea

The Fiat Marea (Type 185) was a small family car available as a saloon and an estate, produced by the Italian automaker Fiat. Launched in September 1996, the Marea models were essentially different body styles of Fiat's hatchback offerings, the Bravo and Brava. The Marea replaced the earlier Tipo based Fiat Tempra, as well as the larger Croma.

Fiat Marea
Overview
ManufacturerFiat
Also calledFiat Marengo (panel van)
Production1996–2002 (Italy)
1998–2007 (Brazil)
AssemblyItaly: Turin, Mirafiori
Italy: Cassino Plant, Piedimonte San Germano
Brazil: Betim, Minas Gerais
Turkey: Bursa (Tofaş)
Poland: Tychy[1]
Body and chassis
ClassSmall family car (C)
Body style4-door saloon
5-door estate
LayoutFront-engine, front-wheel-drive
PlatformFiat C1
Powertrain
Engine
Dimensions
Wheelbase2,540 mm (100.0 in)
Length4,391 mm (172.9 in) (saloon)
4,490 mm (176.8 in) (estate)
Width1,740 mm (68.5 in)
Height1,420 mm (55.9 in) (saloon)
1,535 mm (60.4 in) (estate)
Curb weight1,085–1,385 kg (2,392–3,053 lb)
Chronology
PredecessorFiat Tempra
Fiat Croma
SuccessorFiat Linea (for saloon)
Fiat Stilo Multiwagon (for estate)

While the Fiat Stilo Multiwagon was the successor of the wagon version, the Marea Weekend, the Fiat Linea replaced the saloon version in 2007. The car became officially available from 11 September 1996.

Production and markets
Rear view of the Fiat Marea

The Marea was originally manufactured in Fiat's Cassino and Mirafiori plants in Italy.[2] Later the Marea also superseded the Tempra in Brazilian (Betim) and Turkish (in Bursa, with Tofaş) plants,[3] which make vehicles mostly for local and other developing markets.

In Europe, production and sales of the Marea ceased in August 2002, one year after the Bravo and Brava were replaced with the Fiat Stilo. The Marea Weekend was replaced by the Stilo Multiwagon unveiled in January 2003, while the saloon's successor, the Fiat Linea, was unveiled in 2007.

Nevertheless, the Marea (in both body styles) was still manufactured in Turkey and Brazil for local (and other Latin American) markets. The Brazilian version was facelifted in 2001, when it gained a redesigned rear end with taillights taken from the Lancia Lybra.[4][5]

For 2006, the Marea was mildly revised again, gaining a new rear end, and a new grille, similar in style to other current Fiat models.[6] In mid 2007, Brazilian production of the Marea and Marea Weekend ceased.

Engines

The Marea petrol and JTD engines 1.6 L, 1.8 L and 2.0 L petrol and 1.9 L were sourced from the Brava and Bravo, and a 2.0 20v turbo option from the Fiat Coupé was also available. For a short time there was also a 2.4 turbodiesel available, dropped in 2001, which has become sought after. A BiPower 1.6 L dual fuel engine was later added to the range. It can run on either petrol or compressed natural gas.

  • 1.2 L straight-4 16v 1,242 cc 86 PS (63 kW; 85 hp)
  • 1.4 L straight-4 12v 1,370 cc 80 PS (59 kW; 79 hp)
  • 1.6 L straight-4 16v 1,581 cc 103 PS (76 kW; 102 hp)
  • 1.6 L straight-4 16v 1,581 cc 99 PS (73 kW; 98 hp)
  • 1.8 L straight-4 16v 1,747 cc 114 PS (84 kW; 112 hp)
  • 2.0 L straight-5 20v 1,998 cc 155 PS (114 kW; 153 hp)
  • 2.0 L straight-5 20v turbo 1,998 cc 182 PS (134 kW; 180 hp)
  • 1.9 turbodiesel straight-4 8v 75 PS (55 kW; 74 hp)
  • 1.9 turbodiesel straight-4 8v 100 PS (74 kW; 99 hp)
  • 1.9 common rail (JTD) turbodiesel straight-4 8v 105 PS (77 kW; 104 hp)
  • 1.9 common rail (JTD) turbodiesel straight-4 8v 110 PS (81 kW; 108 hp)
  • 2.4 turbodiesel 2,387 cc straight-5 10v 126 PS (93 kW; 124 hp)
  • 2.4 common rail (JTD) turbodiesel 2,387 cc straight-5 10v 132 PS (97 kW; 130 hp)

Brazil
Fiat Marea Weekend
Rear view of the Fiat Marea Weekend

The Marea was introduced in 1998 onto the Brazilian market with only one engine: the 2.0 20v. Due to Brazilian production taxes the 2.0 20v engine had its electronic fuel injection remapped to limit the engine power to 128 bhp (95 kW) in the Marea SX and ELX models of 1999.

The engine retained its full power (142 bhp) on the more expensive Marea HLX model.

Simply exchanging the SX or ELX fuel injection chip with the HLX chip would bring back the original engine power. Fiat initially claimed it to be untrue explaining that other modifications had been made in the SX/ELX models for cost savings, but this was revealed to be false.

In 2000, the 2.0 20v engine was replaced with the 2.4 20v (160 bhp) engine in the ELX and HLX model, and the SX model started using the 1.8 16v engine (130 bhp).

Later the 2.0 20v engine was dropped and the 1.6 16v (105 bhp) engine was introduced; this engine was the only one produced for model year 2007, when the Marea production has been discontinued. All engines for the Fiat Marea in Brazil were petrol based, with no diesel variants. This is due to federal legislation prohibiting diesel powered passenger vehicles, effective since 1976.[7][8]

There is also a 2.0 20V Turbo (Garrett TB28/10) with 182 bhp, sold from 1999 to 2006.[9]

References
  1. 10 million vehicles produced in the former FSM and Fiat Auto Poland factories
  2. "Press release". PR Newswire UK. Retrieved 6 June 2006.
  3. "Fiat Marea". Global Autoindex. Archived from the original on 19 October 2007. Retrieved 6 June 2006.
  4. "Comparativo Sedãs Médios". Revista Quatro Rodas. February 2005. Archived from the original on 18 June 2006. Retrieved 3 August 2006.
  5. "Comparativo Completo". Best Cars. 15 January 2002. Retrieved 3 August 2006.
  6. "Novo Marea 2006" (in Portuguese). Fiat Brazil. Archived from the original on 29 May 2006. Retrieved 6 June 2006.
  7. "Porque não temos automóveis movidos a diesel no Brasil" (in Portuguese). Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  8. "A Probição Carro Diesel no Brasil" (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 3 December 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
  9. "Grandes Brasileiros: Fiat Marea Turbo". Quatro Rodas (in Portuguese). Retrieved 19 July 2018.

Media related to Fiat Marea at Wikimedia Commons

See also
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