Spy Shots: Fiat Punto Abarth
The Fiat Punto Abarth -- the tarted up version of the Punto by Fiat's in-house tuning arm -- has been seen on the roads of Turin, and it's hot hot hot. The car looks every bit as good as the concept, perhaps even better, having swapped the white mirrors for red ones.
It will have a turbocharged 1.4-liter engine with 155 HP and a 6-speed manual. However, buyers will be able to request an Abarth tuning kit that gets 180 HP. It will also have a lower, stiffer sport-tuned suspension. Going against other minis like the RenaultSport Clio 197 and Vauxhall Corsa VXR, which outdo it by at least 39 HP in stock form, it will probably need every last horse and suspension tweak to compete with its rivals.
The car premieres at the Frankfurt Auto Show next week. It will run £15,000 in the UK. Why, why, why can't we get these cars here?
[Source: Auto Express]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
TigerMil 5:56PM (9/05/2007)
Why we can't get it?
Ahhh, it's a FIAT. Been there, done that.
And it's $20K USD....too much competition.
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Alex 6:02PM (9/05/2007)
i'm more interested in seeing Alfa Romeo come state-side. This just looks like an Italian GTI.
SPG 7:23PM (9/05/2007)
Fiat did not get a good name in North America last time around what with "fit it again tony" and things alike.
So what about calling it a Suzuki? Suzuki SX2?
P.S. with that black tape this could be anything. Are you sure it's not a Taurus?
I love low effort disguises like that Lambo from the other week that had the tape over the logo on the hood.
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Mattias 1:59AM (9/06/2007)
I guess you Americans have to wait for the Alfa Romeo Junior which will be technically similar, but priced a little bit more upmarket. The Real and the Euro are currently too high for importing these small Fiats from Brazil or Europe.
Since Alfa Romeo is doing top down starting with the 8C and existing Maseriti dealers of course you have to wait two or three years.
SPG 3:37AM (9/06/2007)
Mattias
Americans are great people.
However, I am Canadian.
If you mean North American I do fall into that category.
I stand by my comment and I speak of my own mind and not as a sheep in the herd.
Do not refer to me as "you Americans".
Thanks a heap.
You spite your people.
SPG
Andrew 10:52AM (9/06/2007)
What's more funny, SPG, is that the Brazilians have exactly the same problem with automatically being lumped in with the Spanish-speaking peoples of South America :)