I’ve been looking to buy a Tipo estate and the 2021 Life’s that are on Autotrader for 8k-ish look very tempting. My question is what is that engine really like in the real world? As my username suggests I’ve had a Panda 100HP for 9 years so don’t really need or am used to a lot of power, but the Panda only weighs 970 kg so for most of the time (and because I live in London) it’s fine. Does the extra weight of the Tipo mean it feels painfully slow or is there some fun (however small) to be had? I only do 5-6k miles a year but do go to Scotland fairly regularly and would also use it for weekend camping trips. Would it be up to the job?
Thanks in advance for any replies.
The 1.0 GSE/FireFly (whatever you want to call it) is actually a pretty capable little engine. Yes on paper it’s a cylinder down compared to the 1.4 Fire units but it has 190 nm from 1500 RPM, so it behaves more like diesel on that front. It doesn’t need thrashing. It’s not slow, the gearing is reasonably well judged with it just having 5 speeds. At 70mph it’s below 3k rpm.
At first when I got mine with 13k on the clock I was a little unsure, but in the year I’ve had it, it feels like the engine has “loosened up” considerably. You can tell it has very little internal friction due to the fact down hill, it will do virtually no engine braking like older engines would. It’s a pretty free spinning, smooth and generally vibration free 3 pot engine.
As far as consumption is concerned it’s on par if not better than my old 1.2 8v panda. On a very gentle motorway run at 60 mph and more air in the tyres I see regularly over 65mpg. Overall average somewhere between 50-53mpg. For being a 3 cylinder engine this is very good (they aren’t known to be efficient).
Definitely there is a noticeable step up in complexity compared to earlier engines with the 1.0 GSE here having a turbo, MulitAir unit and a liquid cooled air intake system. This engine is chain driven (best way). It has (on paper) a novel design of water pump driven directly by a gear, that in turn is driven by the chain and is encased within the aluminium casing on the side of the engine. Brazilian versions with their adoption of the GSE engine earlier serve as example that this is a little bit of a weak spot on the engine (but at least it’s very easy to change). Critical here is the 9k oil interval and specific grade of oil to ensure longevity of the chain and MultiAir unit. I’d best describe it as a simple complex engine if that makes sense? It’s not where near as horrible as other makers versions of 3 cylinder engines (ahem Ford & PSA).
The gearbox is a proven unit out of the 500 abarth and 1.3 diesel units also get it. Just be kind to the DMF as they are north of £500 quid for this engine.
As for the rest of the package, the ride and handling are average/competent at best. Watch out for leaky shocks and broken springs. My N/S rear shock is leaking at only 33k. The interior is built to a price but generally rattle free.
These cars come with some useful kit on Life/Cross models such as adaptive cruise, climate control, LED headlights, reverse cam & parking sensors.
For the money they make a lot of sense, hence why I bought one! Spare parts may be an issue in time with how few are actually on the roads (especially Cross models like mine). The engine is the most modern part of package, and I can’t see why it wouldn’t be reliable.
I would have no issue in recommending one. Go for a test drive, for that kind of money you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
