RE: Fiat Coupe: You (Didn't) Know You Want To
Discussion
smaybury said:
Why the riveting f&*% would anybody wish to try and put 500bhp through those front wheels?
Don't knock it until you try it. Mine is putting down somewhere between 450 and 480 bhp, depending on whose dyno you believe (gave 502bhp briefly on one dyno run before it was pulled back for safety). It'll do a standing quarter in under 12.4, 0-100 in around 9, 60-100 in about 4, Standing mile in under 30, with a terminal of over 180. Traction really isn't an issue in the dry, other than in 1st gear. After destroy a couple of standard diffs, I had a Quaife fitted. After out-dragging an RS6 at Bruntingthorpe, the Audi driver asked for a passenger ride and was staggered at how well it gripped and corneredHow many RWD cars with 450+ bhp and no traction control do you know that can put down all their power in the low gears?
As for prices - they are now starting to firm up for the very best Coupes. I work at an Italian car specialist at the weekends and we've recently sold a gorgeous low-mileage 20VT Plus for around £8k, although it was one of the best we've seen for a long time.
There's still some proper money-pits around though, as they're not a car you can just own and drive - they need to be looked after. Anything at Shed money is likely to cost the same again within fairly short order - cambelt, clutch, turbo, brakes, suspension - all are likely to be tired if original. Forget the urban myth of "engine out for cambelt" though - most specialists can do it in-situ for around £400
Future classic, for sure, but plenty more sheds to go to the scrappy before its only the good ones left.
FWIW, I've always maintained that the four-pots will hit classic status first. Less than 100 16VTs left and not many more 16V n/a
It's been 10 years since I owned my last 20VT but still enjoy visiting fccuk, a very friendly forum. Great memories from the first one I owned which got me into trackdays and a taste of sprinting too. Upgraditus hit my credit cards hard! I would either buy a completely standard 20VT or a fully modded, forged 400bhp+ version and go racing.
http://racelife.co.uk/Fiat%20Coupe%2020VT%20no.1.h...
http://racelife.co.uk/Fiat%20Coupe%2020VT%20no.1.h...
Bizarrely, my friend and I were discussing the merits of the Coupe Turbo last week.
He bought one off one of the Facebook car selling groups, it had North of 350bhp and cost.....£1100
It was a staggering car, in blinding condition. And for throwaway money.
Mind you, he and I both pick up performance cars on the cheap (my current two are a 226bhp Octavia vRS, and an Audi (B5) A4 1.8T quattro sport.
He keeps saying he shouldn't have sold it, and is on the look out fo another, which bearing in mind some of the cars he's owned (Mitsubishi GTO, Toyota Supra Turbo etc) speaks volumes.
He bought one off one of the Facebook car selling groups, it had North of 350bhp and cost.....£1100
It was a staggering car, in blinding condition. And for throwaway money.
Mind you, he and I both pick up performance cars on the cheap (my current two are a 226bhp Octavia vRS, and an Audi (B5) A4 1.8T quattro sport.
He keeps saying he shouldn't have sold it, and is on the look out fo another, which bearing in mind some of the cars he's owned (Mitsubishi GTO, Toyota Supra Turbo etc) speaks volumes.
These are properly quick and stylish cars. I like the simplicity of various elements too. For example you can see the head light bulb hanging out of the light assembly when you lift the bonnet. But on the downside I found it impossible to find a truly mint example. The interiors are now horridly scratched and feature odd sticky surfaces, which let down the whole car.
I had one of these brand new back in the day 98 s plate limited edition, red with titanium alloys and mirrors etc 6 speed box and push button starter . at the time only gti 6 and Astons had 6 speed boxes push button starters even rarer, alloys and trim in contrasting colours was virtually un heard of at the time , I still have the exlusive jacket it came with number 23 / 200 that were made ... fiat said this was to be the only model to be like this but went on to release the final edition which you guessed it had all those things , collectability, rarity exclusivity all gone in an instant.
the car was and still is a head turner , front tyres were a regular purchase , and the build quality not brilliant was delivered with broken mirror and gear knob fell off on arrival back to my drive after 3 miles / 5 mins of driving and wash bottle leaked , fiat dealership ... cant think of the words to describe them took nearly a year to get the right red and black gear knob delivered and replaced , chopped it in for a jag in the end ... at the time fiat delears had been told not to take them back because of turbo problems and warranty repair costs being so high if the turbo went
any way yes there are not many around and the ones ive seen are all modified versions with silly bits added on and big exhausts , this car didn't deserve to die out like this...... would buy my one back but I suspect its been made it coke cans by now
the car was and still is a head turner , front tyres were a regular purchase , and the build quality not brilliant was delivered with broken mirror and gear knob fell off on arrival back to my drive after 3 miles / 5 mins of driving and wash bottle leaked , fiat dealership ... cant think of the words to describe them took nearly a year to get the right red and black gear knob delivered and replaced , chopped it in for a jag in the end ... at the time fiat delears had been told not to take them back because of turbo problems and warranty repair costs being so high if the turbo went
any way yes there are not many around and the ones ive seen are all modified versions with silly bits added on and big exhausts , this car didn't deserve to die out like this...... would buy my one back but I suspect its been made it coke cans by now
NelsonP said:
I remember the first time I saw one of these in 1994. The styling blew me away. Remember this was 4 years before the Audi TT launched and contemporary cars looked, well, how can I say this, er, boxy and boring.
I agree. Back then the only cars I loved the look of were the supra or 993. Then this came out and looked sensational. As did the GTV. Then of course the TT joined in, bringing style to more normal budgets. 
Mate ran one of these for many years - it's only issue was a small but persistant oil leak which was never really cured and an expensive taste for clutches (3 in 5 years/90K miles - only 1 done under warranty). He only got rid after someone t-boned it and the (insurance company mandated) repair was a f
king shambles of mismatched color/overspray and left the car driving 'weirdly'.
Before that tt was a lovely thing to drive - tonnes of power, lovely noise, comfy interior which is pleasant to sit in.
Stock seats aren't the most supportive (the run out with the stick-on extra gear got Recaros tho?) and it's not a car you can drive slowly because 'the noise' is beckoning, constantly.
As for more power - I found myself doing 140 (leptons) once - maybe you don't need more power eh?
king shambles of mismatched color/overspray and left the car driving 'weirdly'.Before that tt was a lovely thing to drive - tonnes of power, lovely noise, comfy interior which is pleasant to sit in.
Stock seats aren't the most supportive (the run out with the stick-on extra gear got Recaros tho?) and it's not a car you can drive slowly because 'the noise' is beckoning, constantly.
As for more power - I found myself doing 140 (leptons) once - maybe you don't need more power eh?
405dogvan said:
As for more power - I found myself doing 140 (leptons) once - maybe you don't need that because it's already a car which teases you into MORE MORE MORE anyway...
In the late 90s I think CAR Magazine had one for their Performance Car of The Year circuit thrash about. They compared it to a 911 in terms of performance. That video of the Scottish driving day out video reminded me of that as it showed a Coupe in front of a white Boxster.carinaman said:
Qussz said:
Is this the Fiat from the Leon video the other week?
It was an Ibiza.The one where the Coupe was in the distance looking great in comparison to the lard arsed Boxster?
carinaman said:
405dogvan said:
As for more power - I found myself doing 140 (leptons) once - maybe you don't need that because it's already a car which teases you into MORE MORE MORE anyway...
In the late 90s I think CAR Magazine had one for their Performance Car of The Year circuit thrash about. They compared it to a 911 in terms of performance. That video of the Scottish driving day out video reminded me of that as it showed a Coupe in front of a white Boxster.It's 0-60 was 6.5secs (some people bettered that) - not many cars bettered that in the 90s - they really do pull too, there's no noticeable falloff until you're doing silly speeds.
I drove one back-to-back (on different occasions) with an Accord Type-R (handled better but WAY slower) and a Mk1 TT225 (a remarkably similar car but once you're off-the-line the TT felt slower)
Not bad for a Tipo then ;0
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