Survey enhances Fiat's green status
 30/04/08  

The lowest emitting cars sold in Europe in 2007 were from Fiat according to JATO, the automotive sector analysis group.

Fiat, with a wide range of small cars, scored an average emissions rating of 137.3g/km of CO2 according to the survey which studied the range and type of cars sold across Europe by the leading car companies.

The research JATO carried out only analyses the top ten brands in Europe by sales, so it is not a completely definitive list of all car brands in Europe.

JATO’s research shows Fiat ahead of second placed Peugeot.

The French manufacturer achieved an average CO2 rating of 141.9 g/km last year across its range.

Peugeot’s PSA partner, fellow French brand Citroën placed third with a rating of 142.2 g/km while Peugeot/Citroen’s fiercest rival, the French Renault brand, was fourth with 146.4 g/km while Toyota, scoring 148.8 g/km, completed the top five places in the European league.

Ford (149.1 g/km), General Motors Opel/Vauxhall (152.9 g/km), Volkswagen (161.7 g/km), BMW (176.7 g/km) and Mercedes (188.4 g/km) rounded out the top ten.

“The entire industry has made incredible advances in reducing CO2 emissions,” according to Nasir Shah, Global Business Development Director at JATO.

“Clearly, it’s the manufacturers with product portfolios dominated by small cars that will perform the best. Given the product range of both BMW and Mercedes, their respective performances are particularly impressive.”

Other surveys have also found that Fiat and Peugeot are performing well in terms of CO2 emissions but Toyota must be pleased with the findings of this survey as other similar reports have been more critical of the efforts made by Japanese companies to reduce the CO2 of the vehicles they produce.

In Toyota’s case the strong performance of the Aygo, Yaris and Prius in the European market has been attributed to the company’s good showing.

By Brian Twomey—Taken from www.motornet.ie