[amit_mechengg]

^^ drivers side mirror? we have mirrors on all cars on drivers side here in india

[Klub Class]

Originally Posted by amit_mechengg

^^ drivers side mirror? we have mirrors on all cars on drivers side here in india

The car might have been involved in a small accident and I guess, that explains why the driver side mirror is missing!

Anyway, I'm looking forward for a detailed TD report by CPH!

[vinaydas]

looks like CPH is seriously considering setting up base in India.
Don't forget the people down south also have passion for fiats
This actually struck me.
Since the Indian Fiats(current gen linea and punto) suffer from tall gearing and other limitations which restrict performance.
Maybe modification's (at a modest price ofcourse) can be done to enhance the performance and make it similar to the euro fiat's? (not the usual tuning boxes and the remaps, well could use them as an addition later).
I may be sounding unrealistic here..

[.anshuman]

^^ Indian Fiats suffer from mismatched short gearing, not Tall gearing.

[fiat_tarun]

Just got the Jan issue of Overdrive and in their test of all performance cars under 10L, this is a part of what they had to say about the Linea T-Jet -- "... However, like all Fiat's, the Linea's steering doesn't provide enough feedback and the feel is a bit lifeless..."

Among all the cars sold in India today, Fiat's have one of the best steerings in terms of feedback and is anything but lifeless. This is crazy.

[mb_jg]

Originally Posted by fiat_tarun

Just got the Jan issue of Overdrive and in their test of all performance cars under 10L, this is a part of what they had to say about the Linea T-Jet -- "... However, like all Fiat's, the Linea's steering doesn't provide enough feedback and the feel is a bit lifeless..."

Among all the cars sold in India today, Fiat's have one of the best steerings in terms of feedback and is anything but lifeless. This is crazy.

the test driver must've been totally drunk I assume!! There's nothing that beats the handling of the current Fiat's, period!!!

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by fiat_tarun

Just got the Jan issue of Overdrive and in their test of all performance cars under 10L, this is a part of what they had to say about the Linea T-Jet -- "... However, like all Fiat's, the Linea's steering doesn't provide enough feedback and the feel is a bit lifeless..."

Among all the cars sold in India today, Fiat's have one of the best steerings in terms of feedback and is anything but lifeless. This is crazy.

I would have laughed on this if this was published in some newspaper article or some lifestyle magazine. Overdrive is proper car magazine(AFAIK #2 in sales figures in India), thousands of people take their reviews seriously, they need to hire some genuine petrolheads who know the cars inside out. This is what we get in the name of professional reviews.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

I would have laughed on this if this was published in some newspaper article or some lifestyle magazine. Overdrive is proper car magazine(AFAIK #2 in sales figures in India), thousands of people take their reviews seriously, they need to hire some genuine petrolheads who know the cars inside out. This is what we get in the name of professional reviews.

Exactly! I guess most of them have their own 'favourites'. I have noticed this in one of the youtube video from odmag - one of their senior correspondent reviewing the Linea (when it was launched). He was showing the blue&me feature, called some number and got an engaged tone from the other side. The immediate comment was "well, it doesn't work".
Well, anyway we've Team-BHP

[technologic]

I guess there was no 'life' left in the steering once Chandok drove it on the track. Those demo/test cars are ill treated anyway.

[CPH]

Originally Posted by amit_mechengg

^^ drivers side mirror? we have mirrors on all cars on drivers side here in india

In theory you have, but the test car didn't. Why the dealer would allow a test drive with an incomplete car is beyond me.

Originally Posted by Klub Class

The car might have been involved in a small accident and I guess, that explains why the driver side mirror is missing!

Anyway, I'm looking forward for a detailed TD report by CPH!

The test report will be completed soon. I have to do a bit more testing with it. Driving it for a few km on the crowded roads trying to go as quick as possible through the traffic with a missing mirror is not the experience I expected. The car felt firm. I do like the steering. At least in this car I felt connected to the road. The bottom line is that the Linea T-Jet can do with a lot more power.

Originally Posted by vinaydas

looks like CPH is seriously considering setting up base in India.
Don't forget the people down south also have passion for fiats
This actually struck me.

It is already done (the legal part) and I am soon down South.
Since the Indian Fiats(current gen linea and punto) suffer from tall gearing and other limitations which restrict performance.
Maybe modification's (at a modest price ofcourse) can be done to enhance the performance and make it similar to the euro fiat's? (not the usual tuning boxes and the remaps, well could use them as an addition later).
I may be sounding unrealistic here..

[DrunkenMonk]

Originally Posted by fiat_tarun

Just got the Jan issue of Overdrive and in their test of all performance cars under 10L, this is a part of what they had to say about the Linea T-Jet -- "... However, like all Fiat's, the Linea's steering doesn't provide enough feedback and the feel is a bit lifeless...".

I'm going to stick my neck out in this thread (again), and I hope you all can accept some diversity in opinions expressed here (which is what a forum is all about), and will not ask me to go away. Not all "negative" or critical opinions need be attributed to malicious intent.

I too felt that the steering lacked feel and felt weak. And I've test driven the Linea on five separate occasions, once for an extended distance. I had my heart and my money set on buying it, of-course. But then, all my experience has been with driving a car with one of the heaviest of steering "feels" (Astra), and also with the Swift, which isn't too bad, considering everything.

[CPH]

Originally Posted by DrunkenMonk

I'm going to stick my neck out in this thread (again), and I hope you all can accept some diversity in opinions expressed here (which is what a forum is all about), and will not ask me to go away. Not all "negative" or critical opinions need be attributed to malicious intent.

I too felt that the steering lacked feel and felt weak. And I've test driven the Linea on five separate occasions, once for an extended distance. I had my heart and my money set on buying it, of-course. But then, all my experience has been with driving a car with one of the heaviest of steering "feels" (Astra), and also with the Swift, which isn't too bad, considering everything.

The feel is always subjective. In some countries they like it one way and in others the other way. P eople learn to drive on cars with different feel and they will judge acccordingly.

[Speed Pujari]

The steering of Linea isn't that great at low speeds.
To know the real fun, take the car on curves at say 100 kmph. Or try taking a U turn at 40 kmph.
After trying this stunt on a linea, try doing the same on a swift or a hyundai or city. You'll get to know the difference.

But again I have already mentioned this, the Linea suspension are better to give a grip on curves, but the steering feel is not at all better than the Palio.

[bnzjon]

Got a FIAT branded mug as compliment when i went to test drive the TJet.

[WhiteKnight]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

^^ Indian Fiats suffer from mismatched short gearing, not Tall gearing.

T-Jet has pretty tall fifth gear. That is one major reason I would look at this car when I change the current one. I like a relaxed highway cruiser, rather than one that screams. Couple that with the massive torque early one, guess it meets my requirement.