Cleaner engines at Fiat: the 9-speed automatic

Last year a shock wave went through the camper industry: Mercedes introduced not only front-wheel drive but also a 9-speed automatic transmission plus a super clean diesel. Market leader Fiat could of course not be left behind: from model year 2020, the Italians are also completely up to date, including – indeed – a 9-speed automatic transmission.

More than three-quarters of the 125.000 campers built annually in Europe use the Fiat Ducato as a basis - making the Italian car manufacturer by far the market leader in the camper segment, far ahead of manufacturers such as Peugeot, Citroën, Mercedes and Ford. Camper manufacturers not only use the Ducato as a powered vehicle, but also often in combination with the Fiat chassis developed especially for campers.

Euro 6D Temp

Fiat is introducing a completely new Ducato for the 2020 model year. On the outside, what is noticeable is the modified type plate, the large one! – differences are subcutaneous. The most important news concerns the new diesel engine, which is available in four variants, again specially developed for the camper market, just like the previous generation.

Not only to keep up with competitor Mercedes, but especially to comply with the new emission standard 'Euro 6D TEMP' that applies to new diesels from September this year. These emission standards have been harmonized worldwide according to the WLTP standards (Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure): a consequence of the diesel scandal at Volkswagen. Diesel engine emissions may no longer be measured in simulated laboratory situations, but only while driving on the road. How this should be done is laid down in RDE standards (Real Driving Emissions) that car manufacturers must comply with in the test procedures.

AdBlue

The most important change in the Fiat Ducato engines is that the new generation of Multijet2 diesels has AdBlue: a urea solution that is injected into the exhaust gases, which significantly reduces harmful emissions. The AdBlue liquid is contained in a separate 15-litre tank that must be refilled every 10.000 kilometers – simply at the pump, as trucks now do.

The new Fiat diesel is available in four variants, all four of which are based on the 2,3-liter MultiJet2: 120, 140, 160 and 180 hp. The latter two are equipped with a reinforced crankshaft with extra large bearings and special pistons. Fiat has achieved significant fuel savings with all engines and the new engines are also more powerful than their predecessors. For example, we drove the new 120 hp in a semi-integrated camper, which in practice was not inferior to the 130 hp version from the previous generation of Ducatos.

Vending machine

For those who enjoy comfortable driving, the new automatic is great news. Until now, Fiat only had a robotized gearbox (6 gears) that you could 'help' a little by playing with the accelerator pedal - an outdated system from the perspective of developments in the car industry. The new automatic transmission was developed by ZF – market leader in automatic gearboxes and the 9G-Tronic takes driving comfort to a higher level.

The 'Wandler' automatic transmission is a high-quality piece of technology where you hardly feel the shifting moments anymore. Sophisticated software ensures that the automatic transmission shifts at the correct speeds, so that the Fiat engines use less fuel. The 9G-Tronic is available at an additional cost of approximately 3.400 euros (about 1.800 euros more expensive than the old robot automatic) from the 140 hp version and also provides significantly higher torque for the more powerful 160 and 180 hp, up to a maximum of 450Nm. for the 180 hp variant, no less than 12 percent more than its predecessor.

Eco Pack

From model year 2020, all Fiat Ducatos are equipped with an EcoPack to save fuel and further minimize emissions. The EcoPack includes a Start&Stop system, an electronically controlled fuel pump and an ECO switch with three driving modes: Normal, Eco and Power. Eco ensures an energy-efficient way of shifting and in Power mode the computer opts for a fast engine and transmission response for optimal performance - ideal for heavier campers.

Also part of the EcoPack is the smart alternator: it ensures that the engine's starter battery is charged - as soon as it is full, the alternator stops the charging process, again to save fuel. But such a smart alternator is not smart enough to know that a household battery also needs to be charged in the camper - that is why you need a special 'booster' for the camper. With some camper brands this is included - with others it is an additional cost (approximately 350 euros).

Safety systems

Fiat-based campers not only benefit from more powerful and economical engines, but also from a large number of safety systems on board. Not every manufacturer will equip their bus and/or semi-integrated campers with the complete package and in addition, certain systems for integral campers are not even available - for example, some systems use the vehicle's interior mirror, which an integral camper of course does not have. In addition to ABS and ESP, the new Fiat Ducato can be equipped with Brake Assist, an emergency braking system that warns the driver of obstacles and brakes itself if necessary. Lane Assist is also possible: it warns you if you unintentionally leave the lane.

There is also blind spot monitoring that alerts you if a vehicle is driving next to you, but is invisible in your side mirrors. Bus campers can further benefit from a system in which the computer detects crossing traffic behind the car; useful when reversing. And the Fiat Ducato can also be equipped with traffic sign recognition (maximum speed and overtaking prohibitions), automatic high beam (automatically switches off when oncoming traffic), a tire pressure monitoring system and automatic rain and light sensors.

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