SOTW: Fiat Coupe
Fiat Coupe 16v Turbo
Shed of the week focuses today on one of the most controversial designs of recent years – the Fiat Coupe.
The Coupe was a Chris Bangle project during his tenure at FIAT. On this evidence, we should have known really that his plans for BMW would be anything but hum drum.
Even today, this angular coupe looks like little else on the road, from its buxom headlamp covers to the squared off tail. Love or loathe Bangle’s work, there’s no denying his designs are distinctive. It’s said that Mr B considered being a Methodist minister before following a career in car design, and if you’re ever fortunate enough to witness one of his sermons on design, his inspirations and his beloved sketch books, then he’d probably have made his mark in that world too.
As a mainstream coupe with front wheel drive and parts bin engineering, the FIAT Coupe didn’t have the most promising of births as a drivers’ car. Nevertheless, it always did well in group tests of the time, and never more so when powered by the warbling in-line ‘five’ cylinder turbo engine that usually gave it a healthy performance advantage compared to its rivals. Sadly, Shed can’t afford such motive force, and has to settle for the original four pot complete with turbo, although it’s far from slow.
So what we have here is an old FIAT that’s described as requiring TLC, complete with the potential horrors of a two litre turbo engine, all for the measly price of a grand? Not even Shed can realistically recommend shelling out under such circumstances. Nevertheless, doesn’t mean we don’t salute this most original of 1990s coupes…
Advert: fiat coupe turbo-16v turbo, 106k, loads of history inc hand books. Full elec pack, sunroof, 2 owners from new (I’m 2nd owner), full lthr. Full head rebuild inc new valves/gaskets/re-skim (done by previous owner), completely standard. Tax- august2007/mot- sept 2007. 4 tyres, (no sound system!). Bad bits: dent on drivers door; couple of other minor bits but generally sound;coil packs gone need replacing drives like its misfiring, no time to repair! hence price: £1000 no offers
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C20448
If I hadn't bought another car literally hours before I saw this ad I would be handing the cash over right now.
Main thing to keep an eye out for is cambelt changes - this particular car has suffered the consequences of the cambelt going and therefore the valves being bent, head needing reworking...so long as it's been well done (recently) and that the rest of the history is both available and comprehensive, this might not be too bad a purchase for a grand!
Also I think the 16vT responds better to tuning than the 20vT again, IIRC
Main thing to keep an eye out for is cambelt changes - this particular car has suffered the consequences of the cambelt going and therefore the valves being bent, head needing reworking...so long as it's been well done (recently) and that the rest of the history is both available and comprehensive, this might not be too bad a purchase for a grand!
Also I think the 16vT responds better to tuning than the 20vT again, IIRC
Yes, 16VTs were originally regarded as more tunable up until 3 or 4 years ago, when things have progressed nicely for the 20 valve engines. A number of 20VTs are running reliably at 350 and even 400+ BHP, take a look out for the team at TOTB. Last year they got some good results in the FWD class.
I've had two 20VTs over a period of three years and would gladly have another if I didn't need a cheaper to run track car (just bought a Caterham).
Certainly many of them are so cheap to buy now, as a result they fall into the hands of those who don't appreciate they won't cost peanuts to run. That's not to say they cost loads to run, with a good few specialists about (cambelt changes less than £400 leaving the engine in).
If you can give them a bit of care I think a mid mileage 20VT is a bargain.
And ill have the celica supra as a side order please.
Some nutter wanting 1500 on autotrader for a 20v Turbo with a knackered engine and at least £1500 of repairs.
Given their age I personally wouldn't fork this kind of money for one. I'd save up a get a Corrado.
Although the Supra's interesting!
Really like the Celica Supra though, just the correct side of the chest-wig and medallion wagon which was the mk3 (still good though).
Back to the Celica Supra, get a slightly tweaked 1UZ-FE in there (it does fit I believe) and you will never go in a straight line again.... :-D Ditto the noise...
Back to the Celica Supra, get a slightly tweaked 1UZ-FE in there (it does fit I believe) and you will never go in a straight line again.... :-D Ditto the noise...
Regards,
Mark
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