Few cars for ordinary people at car shows

taking note of by ordinary consumers.
Some vehicles that made their debut at some of these car shows have already come to our part of the world all thanks to Zimoco for the masses and the few selected elite who have the spent to afford these vehicles.

For years we have all known Zimoco for their luxury vehicles as they are the sole distributors of the German giant Mercedes- Benz brand.

They also distribute the Chrysler range which is now under the Fiat group; they have Jeep as well as Smart, GWM and Mitsubishi.

With the acquisition of Chrysler by Fiat, which owns the ever so spunky and speedy Alfa Romeo, Zimoco recently launched the Fiat, Freightliner and Alfa Romeo range and added these three brands to their stable.

Zimbabwe is a virgin market when it comes to the selling of such vehicles so when the vehicles were unveiled it was quite easy to see what market segment each vehicle would fit in.

The Fiat range has a good passenger vehicle selection and a light commercial vehicle selection. The passenger vehicles on show which are readily available right now were the Fiat 500 and the Fiat Punto.

The Fiat 500 is hard to picture on African roads (with its miniature frame on our usually not up to scratch roads) the car, is an entirely different funkified experience. There is actually a hint of sporty flair, in its small compact frame. Point is it’s a spunky vehicle will sure turn heads as you cruise on the streets of Harare.

It’s a super cute three-door hatch, perfectly suited to city traffic and the tight confines of urban living, thanks to its short length.

The interior makes an attempt at being cool and mostly succeeds. Funky seating upholstery, body-coloured trim, and an inspiring dash give the Spark a contemporary look.

The front seating position is perfectly satisfactory, and with medium-size adults up there, rear-seat passengers will have to be short and light weight.

With fuel prices going up, small and spunkier cars like the Fiats are bound to take a big chunk of the market since they cost less and are cheaper to maintain.

Inevitably, the Fiat 500 will be compared to the Mini Cooper, both of which now cheerfully occupy the lower stratum of the new car industry.

Perky and cute, with bug-eyed headlamps and a Cheshire cat-like grin, the two beg for nicknames.
Fiat is one of the earliest and grandest names in car industry, dating from the establishment of Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino (“FIAT”) in 1899.

The 500s is a dinky 1.4-litre four-cylinder that puts out a modest 101 horsepower and 98 lb-ft. of torque.

That doesn’t sound like much because, well, it isn’t much, but the 500 tips the scales at a reasonable 2 400lbs, give or take depending on which transmission you choose — a basic five-speed stick or a six-speed automatic.

The 500 offers a pretty decent ride and control on both rutted blacktop and wavy concrete.
For those who feel this is a tad too small, you can go for the Punto, with more room but equally the same capabilities.

There is a good selection of their light commercial range also which on show in their Third Street showroom which will fit perfectly in your fleet. They are more fitting for those who have a courier business or as a delivery vehicle for your day to day small deliveries.

The most interesting bit about their styling is the array of colours which all their vehicles come in.
Who said you have to be bored driving a light commercial vehicle? The various colours will make the experience more fun.

Now to the bit which will need you buckled up, the Alfa Romeo range.
What will be available to us in Zimbabwe are the more executive 159, which is a compact executive car that is produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo.

The 159 was introduced in production form at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show as a replacement for the successful Alfa Romeo 156.

The 159 uses the GM/Fiat Premium platform, shared with the Alfa Romeo Brera and Spider production cars, and with the Kamal and Visconti concept cars. The 159 placed third in the 2006 European Car of the Year awards. The 159 was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro in collaboration with the Alfa Centro Stile.

The nose features a traditional Alfa Romeo V-shaped grille and bonnet, and cylindrical head light clusters. A high waistline broadens until it reaches the rear “C” pillar.

Several exterior design cues were intended to make the car appear larger. The interior also features styling treatments familiar from earlier cars, including the 156, such as deeply recessed instruments which are angled towards the driver.

Alfa Romeo intended for the 159 to compete more directly with BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi by using higher quality interior materials, however, it has been said that Alfa Romeo misjudged their brand’s positioning relative to the more well-known German luxury car makers.

For those who do not fancy this size vehicle, the Mito and the Giulietta are another addition to the Alfa Romeo range which will be on sale at Zimoco in the next few months. These are smaller, more fuel economical and priced lower too.

The Mito looks stunning, has some fine engines and should hang onto its value well. As with any Alfa Romeo, much of the Giulietta’s appeal lies in its distinctive styling.

Look beyond that, and it’s competent, but not class-leading.
It’s neither the roomiest small family hatch, nor the best to drive, but it’s available with some fine engines and its quirky cabin design is a break from the norm.
The Alfa Romeo Giulietta looks great and is available with some fine engines.
Most versions are well priced and equipped, and running costs should be low.

For the Freightliner which is all commercial . . . Ma Gonyet as we know them locally” those I’m not licensed to drive and cannot tell you much but fact is they are new and a perfect addition to your commercial fleet.

There you have it, a whole new addition with all after sales support from Zimoco.

Fact D. Jeke is a motoring enthusiast who has attended car shows, rallies and has written for various publications in the region for the last decade. She can be contacted via email on [email protected] or Torque with Fact Jeke on Facebook.