RE: SOTW: Fiat Coupe
Discussion
C.A.R. said:
I think these have aged badly, personally, but they look good in an almost retro way?
I think they've aged very well. Unlike modern sports cars/sports coupes it looks light and nimble as opposed to being heavy, it looks purposeful and tasteful as opposed to silly and stupid.I quite like these.
They look different, but in a good way.
You can definitely see Bangle's trademark design cues on the car.
Not sure if I would be brave enough, but I did buy an Alfa 166 a few years back after being warned of reliability issues, and that thing never missed a beat!
Would prob like to experience the Turbo model though...
They look different, but in a good way.
You can definitely see Bangle's trademark design cues on the car.
Not sure if I would be brave enough, but I did buy an Alfa 166 a few years back after being warned of reliability issues, and that thing never missed a beat!
Would prob like to experience the Turbo model though...
..... think I would need that 5 pot though just for the sound 
I have always sssooooo wanted one of these. Bangle may not be popular with beemer boys but where else will you find french tail lights, headlights inspired by a (hot) womans backside and that interior!!!?? Got a Punto Sporting at the moment and fear that is as close as I'm going to get but make no mistake, all of us here saying "wish I'd bought / wish I'd never sold" WILL regret it in 10 - 15 years as these have been described as future classsics for at least 5 fives years and soon the good ones will climb in value beyond reach of most of us.
Advice? - get one, NOW!
Advice? - get one, NOW!
Lovely, lovely, lovely. Still looks red rather than the more usual faded pink too. For me it has to be a 20VT also, monster fun, lovely sound. Looked at one a couple of years back in dark metallic green with tan leather, not sure if it was a factory colour but it was a gorgeous combo.
carinaman said:
JohnGoodridge said:
Like. Have been scouring classifieds of all flavours for a shed qualifying Alfa 147, but now I'm not so sure.
Remember falling for a red one of these at a dealership about the time Autocar had one on the cover with a Ferarri 550 and the title 'Same heart, different beat'. Can't buy publicity like that can you?
Very tempted.
It was CAR Magazine. Remember falling for a red one of these at a dealership about the time Autocar had one on the cover with a Ferarri 550 and the title 'Same heart, different beat'. Can't buy publicity like that can you?
Very tempted.
Perhaps you can buy publicity like that. They gave one away as a competition prize and I think it was won by a woman that was a professional competition enterer, using Competitors Companion I think.
I had a Portofino blue 20VT and it was a nightmare, engine had been run low on oil by the previous owner, my attempts at additional boost probably didn't help matters 
Problem was for me I couldn't really afford it at the time so it used to fill me with dread just walking up to it, knowing it would be losing oil pressure in traffic and using loads of the stuff.
I had a bad experience yet a guy at work hammered one daily and it took the abuse until he crashed it, at high speed and walked away largely unscathed, prstty robust car by all accounts.
I still love the look of them but am not allowed another as it caused conflict when I bought the first one, I would say get one with cloth seats as the leather ones in are hopeless in the normal turbo, you slide around, the turning circle is hopeless.
They are pretty fast, mine was running 260/270 bhp or so and I had a sensible dice with a Ferrari 360 and it was struggling to be honest, it got past and was pulling away but needed the speeds to be high, off roundabouts the Fiat matched it pretty well, lot of racket coming from the Ferrari,I think the low down torque flattered it, the Ferrari didnt get chance to get into its stride, when it did it was a lot quicker but that was one frustrated 360 driver.
Problem was for me I couldn't really afford it at the time so it used to fill me with dread just walking up to it, knowing it would be losing oil pressure in traffic and using loads of the stuff.
I had a bad experience yet a guy at work hammered one daily and it took the abuse until he crashed it, at high speed and walked away largely unscathed, prstty robust car by all accounts.
I still love the look of them but am not allowed another as it caused conflict when I bought the first one, I would say get one with cloth seats as the leather ones in are hopeless in the normal turbo, you slide around, the turning circle is hopeless.
They are pretty fast, mine was running 260/270 bhp or so and I had a sensible dice with a Ferrari 360 and it was struggling to be honest, it got past and was pulling away but needed the speeds to be high, off roundabouts the Fiat matched it pretty well, lot of racket coming from the Ferrari,I think the low down torque flattered it, the Ferrari didnt get chance to get into its stride, when it did it was a lot quicker but that was one frustrated 360 driver.
I break these cars for a part time living (fcup2007 Purveyor of pre-cherished Fiat Coupe Used Parts excellence: Parts SO good, you don't need a guarantee0
Love the magic 3rd gear,interior, big Brembo's, noise from the 220 bhp 5 cylinder turbo, and surprisingly good mpg, A fantastic performance car bargain, great shedding for the performance GT buyer.
Ownership expierance further enhanced by an excellent knowledgeable and friendly owners forum at fccuk.org, populated by very helpful guys like Barnacle and the Yoda/Guru type known as Joe at....
http://www.fiatcoupespecialist.com/index.htmle
£2k buys a minter, and well worth the extra outlay over a shed, although if you buy this one, I know a great Ebay supplier of reasonably priced parts, always ready to offer a discount to the PH owner
0 Love the magic 3rd gear,interior, big Brembo's, noise from the 220 bhp 5 cylinder turbo, and surprisingly good mpg, A fantastic performance car bargain, great shedding for the performance GT buyer.
Ownership expierance further enhanced by an excellent knowledgeable and friendly owners forum at fccuk.org, populated by very helpful guys like Barnacle and the Yoda/Guru type known as Joe at....
http://www.fiatcoupespecialist.com/index.htmle
£2k buys a minter, and well worth the extra outlay over a shed, although if you buy this one, I know a great Ebay supplier of reasonably priced parts, always ready to offer a discount to the PH owner
I know I shouldn't love these, but I do.
I believe there's a notable character difference between the 16V Turbo and the 20V Turbo in that the 20-valver feels more like a GT to drive while the 16-valver veers more towards feeling a bit integrale-like (albeit 2wd!) - a bit livelier and nimbler. Feels slightly less nose-heavy too but the biggest downside is that the 20-valver is way thriftier on fuel all round, whether in town or on the open road, according to the original Autocar road tests of both.
All the above is 2nd hand info btw. Never owned one personally but a friend fed back after comparison-driving both. Looks better balanced with its 16" alloys - exactly the same design as the n/a 16V's 15" ones but all Fiat Coupes look undershod on 15-inchers.
This one does look great in its unfaded red, has been photographed well and owned by an enthusiast so reckon it's a good buy. Much overlooked car.
All the above is 2nd hand info btw. Never owned one personally but a friend fed back after comparison-driving both. Looks better balanced with its 16" alloys - exactly the same design as the n/a 16V's 15" ones but all Fiat Coupes look undershod on 15-inchers.
This one does look great in its unfaded red, has been photographed well and owned by an enthusiast so reckon it's a good buy. Much overlooked car.
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