| Manufacturer | Fiat Group Chrysler Group LLC |
|---|---|
| Also called | Short wheelbase: C-Evo Long wheelbase: C-Evo Wide or Compact U.S. Wide (CUSW) in North America |
| Production | 2010–present |
| Predecessor | Fiat C-platform |
| Class | Compact car platform |
| Layout | Front-engine, front-wheel drive / four-wheel drive |
| Engine(s) | 1.4L Fire Turbojet I4 petrol 1.4L Fire Turbojet I4 petrol/CNG 1.4L Multiair Turbojet I4 petrol 1.750L DI Turbojet I4 petrol 2.0L GEMA I4 petrol 2.4L GEMA Multiair I4 petrol 1.6L Multijet I4 diesel 2.0L Multijet I4 diesel |
The Compact Platform (also known as C-Evo during the planning stage) has been developed by engineers of the Fiat group for medium and large cars with front wheel drive or four wheel drive. The first application using platform is Alfa Romeo Giulietta unveiled in 2010.[1] Fiat has invested about 100 million euros in the construction of the Compact platform. [2]
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Developed in Turin, Italy, the new Compact platform was designed to be adaptable to future cars of the Fiat group as well as to future Chrysler Group vehicles. The C-Platform (used by Fiat Stilo, Bravo and Lancia Delta) was used as starting point. Fiat engineers developed a new high performance platform that uses only a central part of the floor from the old C-Platform . The frame is made for 84% of high-strength steel (the old C-platform was made for 65% high-strength steel), also 4% of the structure is made of aluminum. The front suspension uses MacPherson Evo struts made of aluminium and is 4 kilograms (8.8 lb) lighter than steel ones (used eg. in Fiat Bravo), the rear suspension uses independent multilink suspension, each consists of 2 lateral links and a prominent longitudinal arm which mounts the hub and spring, it is made of aluminium and is (10 kg (22 lb) lighter than steel ones.[3] Using aluminium the total combined weight saving in suspension bits is 14 kilograms. Both the framework for the rear seats and the magnesium alloy crossmember lost 35 per cent in weight compared with earlier cars.[4]
The platform offers compact transverse engine at the front, front-wheel drive is available but it is also the integral (4WD). The total weight of the platform in the standard version (on the compact models) is 174 kilograms (380 lb).
The long and wide wheelbase version is called C-Evo Wide, [5] or Compact U.S. Wide (CUSW) in North America and will be available on future models of the Chrysler sedans like the Dodge Dart[6] or the next Alfa Romeo Giulia. Thanks to the interchangeable modules the basic platform is suitable for vehicles of differing lengths up to 4.92 metres (16.1 ft). It was designed with dynamic features for a compact platform that could adapt even to sports cars like Alfa Romeo.
The engine range combined with the platform consists of the compact four-cylinder petrol 1.4 Fire, 1.4 Multiair, 1,750 TBi turbocharged and the 2.0 or 2.4 Chrysler GEMA engine and the diesel 1.6 Multijet and 2.0 Multijet. In the future, the Pentastar V6 petrol will be offered also. Fiat and Chrysler plan to build about 1 million vehicles a year by 2014 based on this platform. Eight upcoming Chrysler Group vehicles is planned to be built on Fiat's Compact Wide platform, including the replacement for the Jeep Liberty.[1]