RE: Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo Plus(es) | Spotted
Discussion
Initial it was "How much ? !!!"
then you weight up what you get for 8k and 20k respectively in other marques and it doesnt seem so bad, especially where a ropey one could be an utter money pit.
I had one and it was quick is, but I never though of them as all that capable in terms of handling and the leather seats were a bit slippy and didnt hold you in.
A mate has his mums plain 16 valve one in yellow, I had a go of it, proper timewarp car but it just felt quite old and bit slow, I think that was more me expecting turbo type thrust and being used to more modern stuff, think he wants shut of it due to a slightly wonky gearbox and the fact he has another car, gearbox sorted it would be perfect, looks new.
then you weight up what you get for 8k and 20k respectively in other marques and it doesnt seem so bad, especially where a ropey one could be an utter money pit.
I had one and it was quick is, but I never though of them as all that capable in terms of handling and the leather seats were a bit slippy and didnt hold you in.
A mate has his mums plain 16 valve one in yellow, I had a go of it, proper timewarp car but it just felt quite old and bit slow, I think that was more me expecting turbo type thrust and being used to more modern stuff, think he wants shut of it due to a slightly wonky gearbox and the fact he has another car, gearbox sorted it would be perfect, looks new.
OnTheEdge said:
up_shift said:
Nerdherder said:
I chose an Alfa GTV over the Fiat, Fiat is a nice drive though.
If it was between the two? The Alfa Would take my money too.. especially in 3.5 guise with quad tail pipes...
Still have a hankering for a Busso though.
Had 2, both in sprint blue. Performance for the money is brilliant, tuning potential everywhere.
I wouldn't bother with the lower milage car. The higher one has been well looked after, and the import would need a belt change, seeing how old the original would be.
Save the money and buy a track car and trailer.
Very tempted the sell my Clio 182 and put the money towards another coupe. Any buyers?
I wouldn't bother with the lower milage car. The higher one has been well looked after, and the import would need a belt change, seeing how old the original would be.
Save the money and buy a track car and trailer.
Very tempted the sell my Clio 182 and put the money towards another coupe. Any buyers?
OnTheEdge said:
up_shift said:
Nerdherder said:
I chose an Alfa GTV over the Fiat, Fiat is a nice drive though.
If it was between the two? The Alfa Would take my money too.. especially in 3.5 guise with quad tail pipes...I chose the Fiat - very late Turbo plus - over an Alfa GTV6. It was a company car and although I did want the Alfa, I didn’t want it enough to pay the extra tax.
Looking back I should have bought it from the firm rather than let them sell it but I didn’t - then or now - have the space. X11TBA is still on the road and looks to be being looked after so all well.
Meridius said:
Surprised the 5 cylinder turbo from these wasnt used elsewhere or hasnt even ended up in more engine swaps, powerful, potential and sound great. Imagine if you could get one into an old Alfa 75 or GTV6 for a retro RWD turbo beast.
Would love to have a Fiat 131 Abarth replica with the 5 cyl lump in.I have heard that one has been shoehorned into a Punto Turbo GT and I know one has been dropped into a Fiat Tipo 16V...well, It's now a 20V
Meridius said:
Surprised the 5 cylinder turbo from these wasnt used elsewhere or hasnt even ended up in more engine swaps, powerful, potential and sound great. Imagine if you could get one into an old Alfa 75 or GTV6 for a retro RWD turbo beast.
Quite a few have made it, successfully, into Alfa 155s.I had a mate with a V6 GTV, I'd always liked them & thought they looked great. I went in it and was disappointed. It felt very nose heavy and his one had a stupid whistle from the windows.
I had a Coupe Plus and thought it was great! Everything felt nice and well screwed together. The seats (non air bag) Recaro's were lovely. There were no rattles or anything like that and it went well. I'd quite like another one at some point.
I had a Coupe Plus and thought it was great! Everything felt nice and well screwed together. The seats (non air bag) Recaro's were lovely. There were no rattles or anything like that and it went well. I'd quite like another one at some point.
Being an ex-Coupe-owner I'm not at all surprised by the lack of rust etc on the high-milage car.
I did nearly double that I think, and one of the last trips was Sweden-Spa-Nurburgring-Paris(motorshow 2014)-Sweden without any hickup, as usual. This was tuned to ca 340bhp.
Needless to say it's the best car I've had, with the right mods superior to the cousin Alfa GTV V6 it shares it's underpinnings with.
Space for 4 with luggage, bulletproof mechanics correctly serviced, frugal and cheap to drive (bar the insurance).
I now drive a Bmw Z4M Coupe (S54) but it's nowhere near as fast or fun.
Some pics of it: https://www.garaget.org/?car=1476
I did nearly double that I think, and one of the last trips was Sweden-Spa-Nurburgring-Paris(motorshow 2014)-Sweden without any hickup, as usual. This was tuned to ca 340bhp.
Needless to say it's the best car I've had, with the right mods superior to the cousin Alfa GTV V6 it shares it's underpinnings with.
Space for 4 with luggage, bulletproof mechanics correctly serviced, frugal and cheap to drive (bar the insurance).
I now drive a Bmw Z4M Coupe (S54) but it's nowhere near as fast or fun.
Some pics of it: https://www.garaget.org/?car=1476
Edited by Pereldh on Tuesday 4th June 17:31
I wasn't a massive fan of Chris Bangle with his BMW designs but I have always found these to be to my taste in a quirky kind of way. I've always really liked the engine in these too.
I'm not sure I'd buy either if I'm honest though. £20k buys you a lot of used car and the cheaper one will probably bring you a world of pain.
I'm not sure I'd buy either if I'm honest though. £20k buys you a lot of used car and the cheaper one will probably bring you a world of pain.
I have both the GTV V6 with Q2 and Coupe 20v Turbo; had the Coupe 15 years now and absolutely love it, basically standard spec, circa 2K miles per annum with an annual 10w60 oil changes, aux belts every 3-4 years, main every 7 years; the car has been totally reliable and on it's original turbo at 110K miles, in fact mine is the one featured on the PH Hero linked in the article. If the £8K one has been maintained and cherished mechanically and aesthetically (common hidden rust issues addressed) there should be no pain in ownership.
Edited by Flanners on Tuesday 4th June 19:44
Edited by Flanners on Tuesday 4th June 20:01
Had a normally aspirated one of these from new. Much better than the Rover 220 coupe that it replaced. Always felt a bit anemic though. Wish I'd had the money for a turbo. Replaced it with an Alfa GTV which was so much better but still lacked poke. Solved that with a GTV 6 - awesome car and the best engine I have ever sat behind (or in front of)
I have a sprint blue Fiat Coupe 1998 20VT and a Fiat Coupe 1995 16v Turbo one of the first sold in this country The 16v turbo has been off the road since 2003 A women owned it and was going to take it to Jamaica but in the end did not so it sat for 15 years off the road . I had to pull the head on it as the balance and timing belts were broken . None of the valve were bent Its got no rust and a solid body Rust is an issue as the early cars are will be 24 years old This is my 8th coupe I love these cars Great vaue for money and i would suggest you grab one now as prices are on the rise . I also have a Strada Abarth 130TC and Fiat Mirafiori Sport . No more cars for me i live in London and dont have any more room
Edited by abarth130tc on Tuesday 4th June 20:26
The turbo lag on this thing was hilarious. Pull away from the lights, old lady in a micra edges ahead and....then....whooosh,next snapped back mental acceleration and...... change gear (old lady now firmly in rear view mirror) . Loved my one, some @rse crashed into me and wrote it off 😫
Lovely cars.
I bought a 2 year old one in 2000 and kept it for the next 14 years before selling it at the lowest point in the depreciation curve.
Nothing major ever went wrong with it, just minor niggles and wishbone bushes.
As others have said it had proper 'old school' turbo lag, an addictive engine sound, and a 3rd gear which was good from about 25mph up to 110.
I bought a 2 year old one in 2000 and kept it for the next 14 years before selling it at the lowest point in the depreciation curve.
Nothing major ever went wrong with it, just minor niggles and wishbone bushes.
As others have said it had proper 'old school' turbo lag, an addictive engine sound, and a 3rd gear which was good from about 25mph up to 110.
I had 3 20v Turbos and a Gtv 3.0 V6
Both cars are fantastic but although related are very different drives. Fiat feels frenetic and very very rapid once off the mark. GTV more linear, composed and a bit less exciting.
However, GTV was very reliable and I ran it for 3 years with no faults. I had 3 Fiats because the first two blew their engines.
As usual I sold them all at the bottom of the market...
GTV sold with 80k and FSH for just £2000 back in 2009
Broken coupes for £500 and the last working one for £1,200
Both cars are fantastic but although related are very different drives. Fiat feels frenetic and very very rapid once off the mark. GTV more linear, composed and a bit less exciting.
However, GTV was very reliable and I ran it for 3 years with no faults. I had 3 Fiats because the first two blew their engines.
As usual I sold them all at the bottom of the market...
GTV sold with 80k and FSH for just £2000 back in 2009
Broken coupes for £500 and the last working one for £1,200
Edited by mrpenks on Wednesday 5th June 06:45
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