Refreshed 2012 Fiat Punto: Same Car No Longer Grande

 For 2012 the Fiat Punto is getting a refreshed front end and dropping the Grande and Evo monikers. All versions of the car will now just be Puntos. The refreshed car gets Fiat's Twinair Turbo engine and an updated version of the 1.3 Multijet diesel. 

The refreshed Punto gets a totally new front end for 2012. It features a body color front bumper with a larger bottom opening and smaller top opening compared to last year's car. The direction indicators have been moved from the headlights to adjacent to the front bumper. Around the back, the tail lights have been redesigned and appear larger. The Punto identification has been moved from a small placard in the bottom right corner of the hatch to a much larger spelling of 'Punto' located centrally just under the Fiat logo. 

The interior also gets some changes. The instruments are now housed in two pods for the tachometer and speedometer with a digital display in the center. Fiat says it is using brand new fabrics for the seats and door inserts. Unfortunately, the Punto's new interior did not do a good job of implementing the Blue&Me navigation system. It is housed on a stalk coming off of the center air vents that looks like it was done as an afterthought. 

There are two new engine options for the refreshed Punto. It is available with the 900cc Twinair Turbo making 85hp that Fiat is incorporating into many of its new, small cars. The engine comes with a six-speed manual. It produces 98g/km of CO2. The other new engine is the revised 1.3 Multijet diesel. It uses Intelligent Alternator, which optimizies battery charging, and Intelligent Flow, which optimizies the cooling circuit and has a variable displacement oil pump. Combined these technologies allow the Punto to produce 90g/km of CO2 and 85hp.

The Punto will be available in three trim levels: Pop, Easy and Lounge. There will also be one trim specific to the Twinair model available with the Verde Lime paint color. 

The refreshed Punto will debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Fiat did not announce prices for the new model.