Abstract: A motor vehicle comprising side doors, a bonnet and a boot lid, power-operated key-cylinder-less locks associated with all the side doors, a power-operated lock associated with the boot lid, a key-cylinder lock associated with the bonnet, and an electronic control system configured to sense operation of the key-cylinder lock by means of a mechanical key and, upon determining a specific operation of the key-cylinder lock by means of a mechanical key, responsively unlock one or more of the power-operated key-cylinder-less locks.

Abstract: A floor-panel structure for a vehicle includes a front body subassembly, a front floor structure, including a central longitudinal tunnel, two lateral longitudinal beams, connected to the floor structure and the body subassembly, and two intermediate longitudinal beams, which connect the floor structure to the body subassembly and extend in areas between the lateral longitudinal beams and central longitudinal tunnel. The lateral longitudinal beams each include a sheet-metal profile element having an open cross section, a front portion reinforced for withstanding relatively high axial loads, and a remaining portion that is more ductile than said front portion so as to be more liable to collapse. Each lateral longitudinal beam is constituted by a single sheet element of steel, and said reinforced front portion is constituted by a hardened portion obtained by subjecting only the front portion to a thermal treatment using high-frequency induction heating.

Abstract: A motor vehicle has a front engine compartment housing a powertrain unit and at least one side-member on which a safety device is mounted; the safety device is configured so as to move said powertrain unit sideways during an impact, towards the opposite side to that which is subject to the impact; the safety device is provided with a beam having a first end, spaced from a terminal portion of the side-member towards the outside of the engine compartment, and a second end fixed to the side-member at an intermediate portion next to the powertrain unit; the safety device is further provided with a pin, which is fixed with respect to the second end of the beam and projects from said second end through a hole of the intermediate portion towards the powertrain unit.

Abstract: A motor vehicle comprising side doors, a bonnet and a boot lid, power-operated key-cylinder-less locks associated with all the side doors, a power-operated lock associated with the boot lid, a key-cylinder lock associated with the bonnet, and an electronic control system configured to sense operation of the key-cylinder lock by means of a mechanical key and, upon determining a specific operation of the key-cylinder lock by means of a mechanical key, responsively unlock one or more of the power-operated key-cylinder-less locks.

Abstract: A rear-seat assembly, comprising a backrest, a transverse pin for articulation of the backrest, and a pair of brackets fixed by welding to respective rear wheelhouses. Each bracket comprises a fixing plate and a central bracket body, which are constituted by two separate components of sheet metal having different thicknesses and fixed together by welding. The fixing plate has front and rear surfaces contacting an inner surface portion of the wheelhouse, and the central bracket body is substantially C-shaped with a central wall and two side walls, which are bent with respect to the central wall and have respective front edges welded to the fixing plate front surface. The central wall has an opening for insertion and blocking of one end of the transverse pin having an internal edge that is not bent, with a thickness equal to the thickness of the central bracket body.

Abstract: A motor vehicle comprising side doors, a bonnet and a boot lid, power-operated key-cylinder-less locks associated with all the side doors, a power-operated lock associated with the boot lid, a key-cylinder lock associated with the bonnet, and an electronic control system configured to sense operation of the key-cylinder lock by means of a mechanical key and, upon determining a specific operation of the key-cylinder lock by means of a mechanical key, responsively unlock one or more of the power-operated key-cylinder-less locks.

Abstract: A floor-panel structure for a vehicle includes a front body subassembly, a front floor structure, including a central longitudinal tunnel, two lateral longitudinal beams, connected to the floor structure and the body subassembly, and two intermediate longitudinal beams, which connect the floor structure to the body subassembly and extend in areas between the lateral longitudinal beams and central longitudinal tunnel. The lateral longitudinal beams each include a sheet-metal profile element having an open cross section, a front portion reinforced for withstanding relatively high axial loads, and a remaining portion that is more ductile than said front portion so as to be more liable to collapse. Each lateral longitudinal beam is constituted by a single sheet element of steel, and said reinforced front portion is constituted by a hardened portion obtained by subjecting only the front portion to a thermal treatment using high-frequency induction heating.

Abstract: A motor vehicle has a front engine compartment housing a powertrain unit and at least one side-member on which a safety device is mounted; the safety device is configured so as to move said powertrain unit sideways during an impact, towards the opposite side to that which is subject to the impact; the safety device is provided with a beam having a first end, spaced from a terminal portion of the side-member towards the outside of the engine compartment, and a second end fixed to the side-member at an intermediate portion next to the powertrain unit; the safety device is further provided with a pin, which is fixed with respect to the second end of the beam and projects from said second end through a hole of the intermediate portion towards the powertrain unit.

Abstract: A motor-vehicle floor panel structure comprises a front body sub-unit, a central floor sub-unit, and a rear body sub-unit. The central floor sub-unit comprises a front floor structure including a central longitudinal tunnel, a pair of lateral longitudinal beams, connected to the front floor structure and to the front body sub-unit and two intermediate longitudinal beams which connect the central floor sub-unit to the front body sub-unit and which extend at intermediate areas between the lateral longitudinal beams and the central tunnel. The intermediate longitudinal beams are connected to the upper surface of the front floor structure and have portions which extend in a cantilever fashion from the front edge of the front floor structure and which are connected to said front body sub-unit.

Abstract: A rear-seat assembly, comprising a backrest, a transverse pin for articulation of the backrest, and a pair of brackets fixed by welding to respective rear wheelhouses. Each bracket comprises a fixing plate and a central bracket body, which are constituted by two separate components of sheet metal having different thicknesses and fixed together by welding. The fixing plate has front and rear surfaces contacting an inner surface portion of the wheelhouse, and the central bracket body is substantially C-shaped with a central wall and two side walls, which are bent with respect to the central wall and have respective front edges welded to the fixing plate front surface. The central wall has an opening for insertion and blocking of one end of the transverse pin having an internal edge that is not bent, with a thickness equal to the thickness of the central bracket body.

Abstract: An end structure of a motor vehicle body has two longitudinal struts which extend along respective axes have respective ends, on which respective attachment plates are fitted; the attachment plates have respective walls, which are ring-shaped about longitudinal axes and defined frontally by respective faces having substantially vertical and flat resting zones; two supporting plates rest respectively on these resting zones and are fixed to the walls and to two buffering elements, which are substantially coaxial to the struts; the two attachment plates further have respective tabs, which are radiused to said walls at an inner annular perimeter thereof and end with respective edges, which are longitudinally aligned with the supporting plates.

Abstract: A motor vehicle comprising side doors, a bonnet and a boot lid, power-operated key-cylinder-less locks associated with all the side doors, a power-operated lock associated with the boot lid, a key-cylinder lock associated with the bonnet, and an electronic control system configured to sense operation of the key-cylinder lock by means of a mechanical key and, upon determining a specific operation of the key-cylinder lock by means of a mechanical key, responsively unlock one or more of the power-operated key-cylinder-less locks.

Abstract: A motor-vehicle floor panel structure includes a front body sub-unit, a central floor sub-unit, and a rear body sub-unit. The central floor sub-unit has a front floor structure including a central longitudinal tunnel, a lateral longitudinal beams, connected to the front floor structure and to the front body sub-unit and two intermediate longitudinal beams which connect the central floor sub-unit to the front body sub-unit and which extend at intermediate areas between the lateral longitudinal beams and the central tunnel. The intermediate longitudinal beams are connected to the front floor structure and have portions extending in a cantilever fashion from the front edge of the front floor structure and which are connected to said front body sub-unit.

Abstract: An end structure of a motor vehicle body has two longitudinal struts which extend along respective axes have respective ends, on which respective attachment plates are fitted; the attachment plates have respective walls, which are ring-shaped about longitudinal axes and defined frontally by respective faces having substantially vertical and flat resting zones; two supporting plates rest respectively on these resting zones and are fixed to the walls and to two buffering elements, which are substantially coaxial to the struts; the two attachment plates further have respective tabs, which are radiused to said walls at an inner annular perimeter thereof and end with respective edges, which are longitudinally aligned with the supporting plates.

Abstract: A motor vehicle body is provided with a substantially vertical wall, which separates a lower zone of the passenger compartment from the engine compartment, and with a structure for receiving and draining water; such a structure protrudes forward into the engine compartment from an upper end of the substantially vertical wall and has an upper crosspiece shaped so as to define a manifold for receiving water; the upper crosspiece has a perforated intermediate portion and two opposite end portions provided with respective openings for draining water into drain passages; the structure further has a reinforcing crosspiece, which is arranged underneath the perforated intermediate portion for receiving some of the water and is shaped so as to define a channel which is elongated in the transversal direction so as to divert the water sideways and outwards.

Abstract: A motor vehicle has an engine compartment accommodating a powertrain and at least one strut, which is substantially parallel to an advancing longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle; the motor vehicle has a safety device configured so as to move the powertrain sideways during an impact, towards the side opposite to the one concerned by the impact; the safety device is provided with a beam having a first end, distanced from an end portion of the strut towards the outside of the engine compartment, and a second end fixed to the strut in a position which is horizontally beside the powertrain; the safety device is also provided with a restraining member fixed to the strut and having a protruding portion arranged behind a wall of the beam.

Abstract: A motor vehicle body is provided with a substantially vertical wall, which separates a lower zone of the passenger compartment from the engine compartment, and with a structure for receiving and draining water; such a structure protrudes forward into the engine compartment from an upper end of the substantially vertical wall and has an upper crosspiece shaped so as to define a manifold for receiving water; the upper crosspiece has a perforated intermediate portion and two opposite end portions provided with respective openings for draining water into drain passages; the structure further has a reinforcing crosspiece, which is arranged underneath the perforated intermediate portion for receiving some of the water and is shaped so as to define a channel which is elongated in the transversal direction so as to divert the water sideways and outwards.

Abstract: A motor-vehicle front structure includes a pair of longitudinal struts having front-ends to which two strut plates are secured. A front cross-member is located forwardly of the strut plates and has ends with two rearwardly facing crash-box plates connected to the front cross-member by two crash-box structures. The crash-box plates are connected to a lower auxiliary cross-member by two respective supports. A front-end unit for supporting one or more auxiliary motor-vehicle components has an upper cross-member and a lower cross-member. The crash-box plates are connected directly to the strut plates. The upper and lower cross-members of the front-end unit are made of elements which are separated from each other. The upper cross-member is connected directly to the crash-box plates, whereas the lower cross-member is connected directly to the supports, through which it is connected to the crash-box plates.

Abstract: A motor-vehicle front structure includes a pair of longitudinal struts having front-ends to which two strut plates are secured. A front cross-member is located forwardly of the strut plates and has ends with two rearwardly facing crash-box plates connected to the front cross-member by two crash-box structures. The crash-box plates are connected to a lower auxiliary cross-member by two respective supports. A front-end unit for supporting one or more auxiliary motor-vehicle components has an upper cross-member and a lower cross-member. The crash-box plates are connected directly to the strut plates. The upper and lower cross-members of the front-end unit are made of elements which are separated from each other. The upper cross-member is connected directly to the crash-box plates, whereas the lower cross-member is connected directly to the supports, through which it is connected to the crash-box plates.

Abstract: A connecting device has a nut and a guard adapted to cover the end of a threaded stem which, in use, protrudes from the nut; the guard forms part of a plate, which is obtained in one piece and has a base which carries the nut.