Ducato and Scudo head for the great outdoors

Four Ducatos and a Scudo will provide a breath of fresh air on the Fiat Professional stand at this year’s National Boat, Caravan & Outdoor Show 2008.

A pair of ‘Back-to-Back’ Ducato chassis cabs, along with LWB 2.3-litre and a MWB 3.0-litre chassis cabs, adapted for use as motorhomes, will be the focal points of Fiat Professional’s stand. A five-seat Fiat Scudo Panorama Family will also feature.

The event, at Birmingham’s NEC, is one of the most important outdoor leisure shows of the year, and is a valuable showcase for Fiat Professional, the commercial vehicle arm of Fiat Group Automobiles SpA, especially as Ducato is the most widely used chassis on the motorhome market.

One of the Ducatos on Fiat’s stand, the 3.0-litre 160bhp MultiJet MWB, features the new generation of robotised gearbox, called Comfort-Matic. The transmission, which became available just last month, helps the vehicle’s engine combine excellent performance with low fuel consumption, and offers the choice of both manual and automatic transmission.

The driver can opt for straight auto mode, but can also elect to use the gearbox like a sequential manual, but without a clutch pedal. Comfort-Matic transmission also gives the driver:

Uphill-Downhill Mode: selecting the right ratio for each incline;
Warm Up Mode: emission reduction for cold starts;
Brake Assistance Mode: supporting deceleration;

Kick Down Mode: rapid acceleration for overtaking: “Where would outdoor enthusiasts be without great motorhomes?” says Gerry Clarke, director, Fiat Professional UK. “The National Boat, Caravan & Outdoor Show is a major event and, as first choice chassis for many of the UK’s motorhome manufacturers, we’re looking forward to being there.”