New Fiat Scudo Van Range

Combining a large load capacity with MPV practicality and car-like comfort, performance and handling, the new Fiat Scudo LCV has just gone on sale in the UK.

Over the past 10 years, the European LCV market has grown considerably, rising from some 1,300,000 units in 1995 to over 2 million in 2005. In the UK in 2006, Fiat Auto posted a record 12,895 commercial vehicle sales, resulting in an increased market share which has risen from 3.85% in 2004 to 3.98% – a rising trend for the fifth consecutive year. Showing the strongest sales growth among its European competitors last year, Fiat’s European LCV sales share rose to over 11%.

The new Fiat Scudo replaces an extremely successful model, 350,000 of which have been sold since its launch in 1995. Sales in the Scudo LCV segment have doubled in the last 10 years, and between 2000 and 2006, there has been a 10% increase in Commercial Passenger Vehicle configuration volume. UK sales of Scudo in 2007 are expected to reach almost 5000 units, a 53% increase in volume over the previous year.

New Scudo will be available in 18 versions from launch, priced from £15,884 – £22,688 on-the-road. The 2007 Scudo range encompasses Panel Vans, Platform Cabs as a basis for conversion, and two Commercial Passenger Vehicle variants, the 5/6 or 8/9 seat Combi and the 5/6 seat Panorama Family. The latter can also be requested with a third row seating option. New Scudo features larger dimensions to the length, height and width of a load compartment now offering a maximum volume of 7 m3 and a payload of up to 1200 kg. The new Platform Cab range offers an increased, driver inclusive payload of up to 3000 kg.

Significantly, in addition to a best-in-class load threshold height of just 490 mm, the overall height of Standard Roof versions equipped with Fiat’s innovative pneumatic suspension may be lowered to just 1.9 metres, giving Scudo access to underground and multi-storey car parks normally inaccessible to LCVs of this class.

Moreover, 2007 Scudo has been awarded the highest Thatcham anti-theft rating in its class, both for theft of, and theft from, the vehicle. The new LCV features selective, remote central locking, enabling the driver to enter and leave the cab without affecting the security of the loadspace, and is also available with deadlocks.

The new Scudo LCV range goes on sale in the UK with a choice of three sophisticated MultiJet common rail, direct injection, 16-valve turbodiesel powerplants – a
1.6-litre 90 bhp unit, and 120 bhp and 140 bhp POWER variants of a proven, 2.0 litre engine – guaranteeing strong performance, low running costs, outstanding reliability and a combined fuel consumption figure superior by over 10% to that of rivals.

To reduce NOx emissions, all three engines are fitted with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system, with cooling of exhaust gases by recirculation controlled directly by the engine ECU. The exhaust gas post-treatment system completes gas oxidisation to ensure EURO 4 emission limits are met.

All three powerplants are transverse mounted, providing front-wheel drive through a range of robust, durable, manual gearboxes. The 1.6 litre 90 bhp MultiJet unit is equipped with a sturdy, reliable 5-speed manual transmission, whilst both 2.0 litre 120 bhp and 140 bhp MultiJet engines are mated to 6-speed manual gearboxes.

Panel Van versions of the new Scudo are available in two trim levels at launch –Comfort and Deluxe, whilst Combi, Panorama and Platform Cab variants each boast a single comprehensive standard equipment specification. The entry level specification includes power assisted steering, remote, selectable central locking, ABS anti-lock braking with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), a dual stage driver’s airbag, reach and rake adjustable steering, and a stereo radio/CD player with steering wheel mounted controls.

This extensive equipment package is enhanced by a range of options carefully considered to simplify and enhance life on board, and further improve the working practicality of the new Fiat LCV. These include ESP with ASR, cruise control, rain, dusk and parking sensors, passenger, front side and window airbags and CONNECT – Fiat Auto’s unique communications system, which is the most advanced infotelematic package on the market.

In addition, the working capabilities of the new Scudo range may be further enhanced through pneumatic or self-levelling suspension, a supplementary heater, glazed rear doors with heated screen and wiper, a fixed, full width steel bulkhead, a double front passenger seat, modular second and third row seating, and a unique, loadspace ceiling-mounted storage tunnel of between 2580 mm and 3200 mm in length for the secure transportation of lengthy pipework and timber sections.

Fiat Auto has equipped the new Scudo with class-leading levels of both passive and active safety. The chassis and body have been designed to provide exceptional torsional stiffness yet absorb impact with maximum efficiency. Even though the 2007 Scudo is 283 mm longer and 51 mm wider than its predecessor, the new LCV’s torsional rigidity has been significantly increased, with deformation under stress measured at just 14 mm/degree – substantially less than the 23 mm/degree of its nearest rival. All seats are equipped with generous head restraints and three-point seatbelts, with pre-tensioners and load limiters at the front.

The new Fiat LCV offers the full range of braking, traction control and stability systems available today: ABS anti-lock brakes, complete with electronic brakeforce distribution, ASR to limit wheel slip during acceleration, MSR to modulate brake torque whilst changing down, and a sophisticated ESP to control stability through bends. Vehicles fitted with ESP also benefit from hydraulic brake assistance and a unique Hill Holder function to facilitate smooth hill starts.

In line with all other Fiat vehicles, new Scudo comes to the market with an 8-year anti-perforation and 3-year paintwork warranty. Additionally, all Scudos are covered by the Fiat Vanguard 3-year dealer warranty scheme which covers an extensive range of engine, gearbox, steering, differential and electrical components. Fiat AA Assurance is provided in the vehicle’s first year.

Commensurate with an increase in market share, Fiat Commercial Vehicles has also embarked on a programme of strengthening its network aftersales support. The network now has 11% of its dealerships open 24 hours a day for service and repair work, and a further 10% of the network has flexible and extended opening hours. There are currently 75 specialist Commercial Vehicle dealers in the UK.

DESIGN...

Exterior
Cab aerodynamics plays a fundamental role in maximising Light Commercial Vehicle performance, fuel economy and acoustic comfort. The New Fiat Scudo combines a steeply raked windscreen and bonnet profile, flush mounted side glazing and an aerodynamically efficient roof with aero-acoustically honed door and window seals, whilst maintaining the large frontal cross-section essential for superior passenger room and load compartment volume.

The front view of the new Scudo is characterised by a large, steeply raked windscreen, distinctive, polycarbonate 3-lamp headlight clusters, and a substantial, wraparound front bumper with integral foglamps below a new horizontally latticed grille design bearing the company logo, instantly identifying the Scudo as the latest addition to the Fiat LCV family.

In profile, the sharp, squared-off lines of a load compartment designed to afford the maximum possible practical load volume are enhanced by broad side protection strips, car-style door handles offering ease of use with either hand, flush mounted door guide rails and generously sized, folding door mirrors featuring a double parabola to optimise visibility whilst manoeuvring. Combi versions of new Scudo feature a single, continuous flush glazed side panel, whilst this area is left free of surface detailing on van variants to allow for the easiest possible application of advertising decals.

At the rear, the large bumper underlines a best-in-class load threshold. High visibility, two-tone upright tail lamp clusters frame the rear doors, which may be replaced with an optional, MPV-like top-hinged tailgate.

New Scudo will be available in a range of 10 paint colours, including a new Parthenon Cream, a novel alternative to the traditional White finish.

Cab interior
On-board wellbeing is of paramount importance to the user of a commercial vehicle who spends long hours at the wheel, often under demanding conditions. The combination of a raised driving position, seat and steering wheel adjustability and generous glazing afford the Fiat Scudo driver a comfortable, car-like, ergonomically adaptable driving position allied to excellent visibility.

For the new 2007 Scudo, the designers have painstakingly re-evaluated every aspect of the cab interior to ensure that overall cockpit room, driver and passenger seat position and posture, switchgear and instrumentation ergonomics, storage practicality, and acoustic, climatic and vibrational comfort will readily meet the requirements of an increasingly discerning LCV customer base.

A large 1.68 m2 windscreen allied to an extensive glazed area (over 5.5 m2 on the short wheelbase Combi) creates a light, well lit interior and allows the best possible view of the road ahead. The new, two-tone, modular dashboard offers rational, ergonomic management of instrumentation, switchgear and numerous open and enclosed storage compartments including a lockable, refrigerated glove compartment. A new, elliptical instrument panel is located under a prominent, anti-glare dome, allowing speedometer, rev counter, water temperature and fuel gauges, and a digital trip computer display to be read easily and immediately under all lighting conditions.

Careful consideration has gone into the placement of all centre console functions to offer ease of access with minimal driver distraction, whilst the gear lever’s position at the base of the centre console brings it to within the closest practical proximity of the steering wheel, allowing for quick, accurate changes with minimum physical effort.

New seats, featuring revised styling, padding, structure and floor attachments, have been designed to offer superior lateral and longitudinal (anti-submarining) containment and excellent comfort. The new, cloth upholstered seats feature foam backing for optimum comfort, and are equipped, as standard, with reach and rake and backrest height adjustment. The steering wheel also adjusts for both rake and reach through 40 mm; the combination guaranteeing perfect ergonomic posture and outstanding comfort for the widest possible customer cross-section.

Passenger seats are available as a single unit or a two-seater bench. The bench will comfortably accommodate two people and incorporates a centre console that may be folded down to create a table with a range of practical storage compartments. A convenient, net storage basket is located under the two-seater passenger bench.

The 2007 Scudo cab is equipped with numerous convenient storage compartments, including a lockable, refrigerated glove box, a capacious oddment bin on the passenger-side fascia, twin, retractable cup holders, open or closed oddment pockets under the cup holders, and an open storage compartment under the steering column.

Additionally, new Scudo is fitted with a large, full-width storage tray at the windscreen head, whilst the door panels also incorporate storage bins with an integral bottle holder,

Load compartment
Created on a choice of 3000 mm or 3122 mm wheelbase lengths, interior heights of 1449 mm or 1750 mm and interior lengths of 2254 mm or 2584 mm, the Fiat Scudo

Panel Van’s exceptionally practical load compartment will accommodate a range of driver inclusive payloads of between 1000 kg and 1200 kg, and volume capacities of 5 m3, 6 m3 or 7 m3.

For ease of loadspace access, the load threshold has been lowered to 562 mm. In Scudo versions fitted with optional pneumatic suspension, this height is further reduced to a best-in-class 490 mm. Full-height rear doors give an opening width of 1273 mm and a height of 1272, increasing to 1630 mm in High Roof guise. Two x 924 mm wide sliding side doors featuring new guides for easier operation, are standard equipment.

Every Scudo Panel Van variant boasts a 1600 mm loadspace width, and a best-in-class loading width between rear wheel arches of 1245 mm. Cargo area side panelling and eight load securing hooks are fitted as standard. The hooks, located near structural nodes, feature fastening rings which fold away to avoid obstruction during loading.

The new Scudo is fitted, as standard, with a robust, steel ladder cab/load compartment partition. A solid, sound absorbent partition is also available, with or without a glazed panel. Both partitions meet DIN 75410 safety regulations for the protection of the driver from possible load intrusions into the cab.

In addition, all Panel Van models may be fitted with a unique, loadspace ceiling-mounted storage tunnel of between 2580 mm and 3200 mm in length for the secure transportation of lengthy pipework and timber sections.

In Platform Cab guise, new Scudo is available in long (3122 mm) wheelbase configuration only, and is offered with an optional kit which extends the body width to 2.10 metres, optimising the vehicle’s conversion to a camper or refrigerated van. To further enhance its flexibility, the new Fiat LCV is fitted with a Coachbuilder’s Technical Box (BTC), which features ‘Plug and Play’ logic for the quick, easy connection of electrical circuits.

Compared to the previous generation Scudo, maximum admissible loads have been increased from 1230 kg to 1400 kg on the front axle, and from 1300 kg to 1700 kg on the rear, awarding the new Platform Cab an impressive driver inclusive payload of 3000 kg.

Passenger accommodation
Available in either short wheelbase (3000 mm) 5/6-seater or long wheelbase (3122 mm) 8/9-seater configuration, the new Scudo Combi offers the ultimate in practical, flexible, work-related passenger transportation. The new Combi’s extensive glazing – 5.50 m2 and 5.84 m2 for short and long wheelbase versions respectively – reinforces the MPV-like quality of the passenger accommodation, whilst a stepped, amphitheatre-style layout places the second and third seating tiers 70 mm and 100 mm respectively higher than the front seats for improved passenger visibility. Optional, modular second and third row seating may be reclined, folded flat or removed altogether to increase both the capacity and versatility of the luggage area.

The 5/6 seat Scudo Panorama Family, also available in either short or long wheelbase configuration and with seating for up to nine, combines all the flexible practicality of the Combi passenger area with a range-topping trim and equipment specification including sliding near and offside doors and a top hinged tailgate. Particular attention has been paid to the acoustic and climatic comfort of all passengers, with bespoke lighting and climate control available for every seating tier and an optional luggage cover to the loadspace.

Both Combi and Panorama versions of new Scudo combine superior seating comfort and flexibility with a generous luggage capacity. In five or six (not available on Panorama at launch) seat format this equates to 610 kg or 530 kg payloads respectively, and 328 kg or 249 kg for eight or nine (not available on Panorama at launch) seat variants. In the case of eight or nine seat vehicles with an optional, increased payload, this capacity increases to 455 kg and 375 kg respectively.

NVH
Particular emphasis has been placed on eliminating the transmission of noise vibration and harshness to the cab of the new Fiat Scudo, further enhancing on-board comfort with the quietest possible, vibration-free interior.

Minimisation of NVH remained paramount throughout the development of the chassis and body. The use of high strength steels and the optimisation of structural geometries afford the new Scudo a significant increase in torsional rigidity. Allied to higher body rigidity at vehicle and engine suspension connection points, the engine mounting has been designed to minimise the transmission of vibration, whilst large, flexible front and rear suspension bushes effect a significant reduction in the transmission of vibration and noise from the road surface.

In addition to the new Fiat LCV’s steeply raked windscreen and flush mounted side glazing, the extensive deployment of sound absorbing polyurethane foams and heat expanding membranes to seal panels and structural box sections prevents noise propagation and isolates the cab compartment from the outside world. Further improvement to the Scudo’s outstanding acoustic performance has been achieved through the replacement of the traditional IFF, hand-applied and heat-treated sound deadening material by a unique, spray-applied coating. Automatically applied by robots, this treatment achieves greater efficiency by varying the thickness of the material purely according to localised acoustic requirements

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