2009 Fiat 500 will get a Bosch Engine Start/Stop system

The iconic Fiat 500 super-mini will soon be selling with an engine start/stop system. Designed by Bosch, the fuel-saving device will control 500's 1.2-liter 65hp engine, shutting it off whenever the car halts and then reigniting it when accelerator is pressed.

The system in question is basically a heavy-duty version of an ordinary starter motor, which is now enhanced with some advanced electronic technology and a number of sensors monitoring the vehicle's accelerator, brake and clutch positions. When the a car stops say, at a traffic light, its ICE engine is immediately shut-off to reduce idling and waste of fuel. When the driver releases the clutch pedal to put the car into gear, the engine gets back to work so he or she can easily resume driving.

In its press release, Bosch says that the automatic start/stop system may increase 500's fuel efficiency by up to five percent in the NEDC and about eight percent in its urban component.

It's still not clear whether the Fiat 500 with an engine start/stop system will be more expensive than the base model with the same engine.

See also: Fiat 500 may get a hybrid version