(Wed 19 Mar 08)

Fiat has announced the prices of the first car to be fitted with its new 1.6-litre turbo diesel engine, which has been designed to replace the existing 1.9 MultiJet unit.

It's the Bravo that's getting the treatment first. To begin with, there will be four 1.6 MultiJet versions, three of which use the engine in its 105bhp form. The basic car is called the Active, and it costs £13,595; for an extra £300 you get the Active Eco, which has revised ECU settings and aerodynamics, higher gearing and low-resistance tyres.

There's also a Dynamic Eco, which comes with cruise control, a leather-rimmed steering wheel, lumbar's support for the driver's seat, a refrigerated compartment in the front armrest and Fiat's Blue&Me hands-free communication and entertainment system, none of which is available as standard on the Active. The Dynamic Eco costs £14,995.

At the top of the range there's another Dynamic, this time without the Eco bits, and with a 120bhp version of the same engine. That one costs £15,395.

The 105bhp and 120bhp non-Eco cars share the same economy and CO2 figures of 57.6mpg and 129g/km. The Eco models do better still at 62.7mph and 119/gkm, which means a sharp drop in annual car tax (£35 for Band B rather than £120 for Band C, in the 2008-2009 pricing structure) and exemption from the London congestion charge as from this autumn.

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