Punto gets five star safety rating

FIAT Auto’s all-new Grande Punto has been awarded the maximum five-star rating in the Euro NCAP crash tests. This independent consortium has been carrying out crash tests on vehicles since depending on the results. Its assessment groups the new Italian super mini with the best in its class as regards adult occupant protection. The Grande Punto, which goes on sale in the UK early next year, scored 33 out of a possible 37 points for safety. In front-end barrier crash tests, the test car, a three-door Grande Punto 1.2 Dynamic, achieved 14 points or 85 per cent. In the side impact crash test it scored 18 points and 98 percent. Two more points for the seat belt reminder brought Grande Punto’s performance in the separately assessed Euro NCAP categories of child safety and pedestrian protection.

Yugo rides again – as Fiat

The scramble of car manufacturers to get a foothold in the low-wage countr5ies of Eastern Europe has almost come to an end but there is one old Communist factory still ripe for development : Zastava. This was the national car company of Yugoslavia until the break-up of that country and now falls in Serbia. Zastava was established in 1950s to produce Yugo versions of Fiats, which were sold in western markets at rock-bottom prices. That was just as well because the quality was appalling. Recently the factory has been bombed by NATO forces but managed to resume production of the old model Fiat Paunto. The Serbian government made it clear that it was looking for a foreign investor to take over the factory in Kragujevac. Volkswagen showed interest but the Serb’s orginal collaborator Fiat seems more likely to make a deal. On 30 April, Fiat signed a memorandum of understanding with the Serbian government to acquire the Zastava business