Turbo Ducato arrives in April
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• With Fiat and Peugeot Talbot poised to battle it out in the 3.5-tonne gross weight panel van market with their heavyweight SEVEL-built vans, Fiat has announced that it intends to import its 3.5 tonne GVW turbocharged diesel Ducato Maxi from April this year.
Uncertain supplies of the diesel Maxi's 2.5-litre directinjection Sofim engine, however, could force Fiat to use a 60kw (80hp) turbocharged version of it's own 1.9 litre naturally aspirated diesel unit (currently fitted to turbocharged Regatta saloons) in lower weight turbo Ducato models. At present, there are only plans to fit a naturally-aspirated 52kW (70hp) version of the engine to the one tonne Ducato later this year.
The 2.5 DI turbocharged engine for the 3.5-tonne gross weight Ducato is also fitted to the lveco Turbo Daily and the Renault Master. It delivers 69kW (92hp) at 3,800rpm — 27% more power than the naturally aspirated unit currently fitted to the Ducato.
The turbocharged van will be sold against vehicles like the Volkswagen LT 35E Turbo, and the Mercedes 307. Fiat hopes it will appeal to operators specialising in long distance, high speed work like parcels delivery.