CAUGHT: 2022 Fiat Tipo 1.5-liter Turbo Mild-Hybrid:

Since its original launch, the Fiat Tipo has become one of the most admired vehicles in its segment across Europe. FIAT has sold almost three-quarters of a million units since its introduction, with sales continuing to grow each year since. The Tipo continues to be an important part of the FIAT Europe lineup, with 70% of its sales coming from outside the Italian market. So with the Tipo receiving its first mid-cycle-action (MCA) or refresh this year, there seems to be a lot more promise for the C-segment offering.

But with the FIAT brand’s recent announcement to go all-electric by the end of the decade, we are now starting to see parts of the electrification project hit the road. GabetzSPYUnit happened to catch a pair of 2021 Fiat Tipo Hatchback testers out testing on public roads with what appears to be the first mild-hybrid (mHEV) application for the nameplate.

It’s no secret that the FCA side of Stellantis has been hard at work developing a new turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-four-cylinder. We have seen several test vehicles out testing the engine over the past several months. However, this is the first time we have seen the new 1.5-liter under the hood of a FIAT product.

Last year, we learned more about the updates to the GSE family thanks to the Unione Italiana Lavoratori Metalmeccanici (UILM), the Italian metalworkers union. In updated contracts, the UILM said that the Stellantis plant in Termoli would produce 1.0-liter and new 1.5-liter versions of its GSE engine family in both naturally aspirated and hybrid variants. It came almost a year after we first discussed the possibility of a new 1.5-liter engine.

Stellantis is working with the German supplier, Getrag to supply a 7-speed, wet dual-clutch, mild-hybrid transmission. According to sources close to MoparInsiders.com, the transmission could be an updated version of Getrag’s 7DCT300 transmission. This transmission is expected to have an integrated electric motor capable of 15 to 25 kW of power on a 48-volt mild-hybrid system with the possibility of running on just electric power alone.

One of the most impressive features of the current 7DCT300 transmission is its low weight of just under 200 lbs. The 7DCT300 transmission also has small engines in mind, like the 1.5-liter GSE engine when we discussed it back in October 2018. The lightweight combination could offer more performance from Stellantis global small car portfolio.

2022 Fiat Tipo 1.5-liter Tester Image Gallery:

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