Friday 6th August 2010

Driven: Abarth Punto Evo

We take the latest Scorpion to sheep country

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Racing stripes, don't you love 'em? OK, perhaps not - it's a personal thing, but I can't pretend I haven't got a soft spot for old-school 'go-faster' graphics like those on Fiat's new Abarth Punto Evo.

Fiat's been plugging away in the UK with its sporty brand for a little while now, and has around 20 Abarth specialist dealers on its books. The new Abarth version of the recently facelifted Punto Evo is the latest model to adorn the forecourts, and we got a taste of what the car has to offer on a recent visit to Yorkshire.

£16,500 gets you a sporty-looking hatchback with a Garrett turbocharged version of Fiat's 1.4 MultiAir engine. That means it has an electro-hydraulic valvetrain, and it makes 165bhp with - more importantly - 185lb ft of torque from just 2,250rpm, which adds up to 0-60 in 7.9secs, and a top speed of 133mph.

The hardware also includes a six-speed manual transmission, 20 percent stiffer front springs and over-sized front and rear anti-roll bars, as well a set of Brembo discs all round. ECU software includes a Sport setting (operated by a centre console-mounted 'Manettino') that weights up the electric power steering, sharpens throttle response, and switches-in the ESP-based Torque Transfer Control system. Oh, and a start-stop system helps deliver an impressive 47.1mpg combined.

On the visuals front, aside from those stripes and Abarth Scorpion badges everywhere (gotta love them too!), you're offered body-colour side skirts, a nose-job, a roof spoiler, twin tailpipes and a set of really cracking alloy wheels designed to look like the pincers on the scorpion badge. (Obvious once it's been pointed out...) Inside the cabin gets a slightly too-busy Jaeger instrument pack, a flat-bottomed wheel, metal pedals and sporty seats with contrasting stitching. Yep, so there's a lot of 'show', but what about the 'go'?

It's good fun actually, in spite of the low-ish power output. There's a 185-ishbhp Esseesse upgrade on the way soon, but if you can't wait you'll find the engine's torquey character in the lower rev ranges mean you can still make swift progress without overstraining things. The suspension worked well over the Yorkshire Moors (or was it the Dales? I'm never sure...), offering nice supple body control without being too stiff, and in Sport mode the steering offered a useful amount of weightiness - if nothing like the feel sporty hatches offered 'when we was a lad'.

Amusingly, our hosts introduced us to the little known (round these parts at least!) Teesside Autodrome, which is a fantastic '6/10ths' scale race-track of the sort you'd dream of building in the back garden if somebody hadn't just replanted all the flower beds. (Actually you'd need a properly big garden, but the real thing is definitely worth a visit. It's a narrow road course, so not much good for racing unless you're into Karts, and with a particularly tricky uphill series of hairpins that's almost impossible to nail.)

On the track, the Abarth proved a hoot, responding magnificently to my unfortunate inability to drive any hatchback round a circuit in the right gear or on the right line. I know it's wrong - I just can't help myself. When the engine's not bouncing off the limiter in too low a gear and the wheels aren't scrabbling for grip mid-corner it just seems like you're not really trying...

In the interests of research, a less frenetic couple of laps showed the TTC system to be proficient in neatly reducing understeer, and an ESP system that (in Sport mode at least) offers a semi-relaxed feel to lift-off shenanigans, while still keeping things safe.

Overall, it's definitely not as edgy a confection as the (significantly more powerful) Renaultsport Clio 200, and is a little less rewarding when going for it as a result.

But as an everyday driver, the Abarth's torque characteristics and a little extra comfort and refinement on the road might just make it the more 'liveable' option. Assuming you can get on with the stripes, of course.

 

[tfeb]

good review.

I have raced a Teesside a few times in the British 24hr Karting endurance. Great circuit for karts.

[JB!]

looks fugly.

pereferred the old punto.

[noclue]

Brings back fond memories of my old 130TC Strada, funny that managed the same 0-60, but it was 2.0ltr and made of foil lol (holey foil at that!).

[Agoogy]

By far better looking....without the re-vamp.

[Rochester TVR]

In that price range its up againtst some stiff competition.. as mentioned the Clio Renaultsport 200 Cup.

I know which I would buy (I did last week).

But then maybe an 8 day old Fiat wouldn't be on the back of an AA lorry as we speak! Grrr!

Edited by Rochester TVR on Friday 6th August 13:59

[Frimley111R]

Agoogy said:

By far better looking....without the re-vamp.

+ 1. This car looked great and now just looked heavily over styled. Pass!

[Frimley111R]

Rochester TVR said:

In that price range its up againtst some stiff competition.. as mentioned the Clio Renaultsport 200 Cup.

I know which I would buy (I did last week).

But then maybe an 8 day old Fiat wouldn't be on the back of an AA lorry as we speak! Grrr!

Edited by Rochester TVR on Friday 6th August 13:59

Might as well have stuck with the TVR

[stuckmojo]

The previous model looked so much better than this.

[Antj]

idon't think it can be compared to front runners such as the clio cup or mini cooepr s r corsa VXR

i think it automatically falls into the second tier of hot hatches which puts up against the Ibiza Cupra, Skoda Fabia VRS and the Alfa Mito.

Unfortunately the two offerings from Vag have it licked and if you just want a punchy practical everyday driver how can it compete with the 1.4TSi with 7 speed DSG. Sorry but like all the halo Puntos it will jsut be another slow seller. The last good punto was the Punto GT, unfortunatley they have forgot this and witht he mk2 they went even worse and dropped the heavy 1.7 engine in it. Good car but nothing special.

sorry fiat, stick to everyday cars and leave the hot hatches to those who do it best.

[noclue]

Fiat have a great history of hot hatches! Most magazines don't rate the 7 speed box on the TSI engined cars, although I agree this is the competiton it should be compared to rather than the hardcore track hot hatches like the RS 200.

Antj said:

idon't think it can be compared to front runners such as the clio cup or mini cooepr s r corsa VXR

i think it automatically falls into the second tier of hot hatches which puts up against the Ibiza Cupra, Skoda Fabia VRS and the Alfa Mito.

Unfortunately the two offerings from Vag have it licked and if you just want a punchy practical everyday driver how can it compete with the 1.4TSi with 7 speed DSG. Sorry but like all the halo Puntos it will jsut be another slow seller. The last good punto was the Punto GT, unfortunatley they have forgot this and witht he mk2 they went even worse and dropped the heavy 1.7 engine in it. Good car but nothing special.

sorry fiat, stick to everyday cars and leave the hot hatches to those who do it best.

Edited by noclue on Friday 6th August 14:55

[nickpan]

Halfords should sell this car.

[BallsOfTitanium]

tfeb said:

I have raced a Teesside a few times in the British 24hr Karting endurance. Great circuit for karts.

+1 Got lap record (although they didn't see me spin right across infield to other side of circuit) Did i say anything.... Course not

[nadirv8]

Go Garrett, best turbos in the world

[Tin Hat]

Perhaps a little heavy on the 'stars and stripes' but purely based on looks, the Punto is the pick of hatches for me. Should be relatively rare on the road aswell - Not a compliment that you could give a Mini or 500, and should lack the hairdresser image that they attract.

47.1 is pretty good economy, my MK1 Cooper S drank fuel at an unbelievable rate.

[Oddball RS]

Antj said:

idon't think it can be compared to front runners such as the clio cup or mini cooepr s r corsa VXR

i think it automatically falls into the second tier of hot hatches which puts up against the Ibiza Cupra, Skoda Fabia VRS and the Alfa Mito.

Unfortunately the two offerings from Vag have it licked and if you just want a punchy practical everyday driver how can it compete with the 1.4TSi with 7 speed DSG. Sorry but like all the halo Puntos it will jsut be another slow seller. The last good punto was the Punto GT, unfortunatley they have forgot this and witht he mk2 they went even worse and dropped the heavy 1.7 engine in it. Good car but nothing special.

sorry fiat, stick to everyday cars and leave the hot hatches to those who do it best.

Each to his own, but i completely disagree, Fiat do great small cars that are great bases for hot hatches, but they are an aquired taste, VAG group cars are boring in general and i don't care if they have a 58 speed DSG gearbox, small cars should be manual and fun, as for the Mini, well i've never know anyone get near BMW type mpg figures, and tbh they are a little like a fashion accessory aren't they. I think it could be a fun car, yes the previous model did look much better and yes they are too expensive at list price. (And Abarth dealers do need to realise they are not doing people a favour by selling them a car)

[anonymous-user]

Antj said:

idon't think it can be compared to front runners such as the clio cup or mini cooepr s r corsa VXR

i think it automatically falls into the second tier of hot hatches which puts up against the Ibiza Cupra, Skoda Fabia VRS and the Alfa Mito.

Unfortunately the two offerings from Vag have it licked and if you just want a punchy practical everyday driver how can it compete with the 1.4TSi with 7 speed DSG. Sorry but like all the halo Puntos it will jsut be another slow seller. The last good punto was the Punto GT, unfortunatley they have forgot this and witht he mk2 they went even worse and dropped the heavy 1.7 engine in it. Good car but nothing special.

sorry fiat, stick to everyday cars and leave the hot hatches to those who do it best.

The Ibiza and Polo get very average write ups! I agree that the Clio will be a much better drive bit in Cup spec it is very low on kit! Some people want a car that thrills but also has a nice interior and is comforatble, whilst offering a bit of style! I see this as a perfectly good rival to cars like the DS3 Racing, Mito Cloverleaf, Clio Gordini and Ibiza Bocenegra.

[carinaman]

It's a mostrosity of a facelift.

The best thing about the Punto Grande Evolution was the silver spacemen suits worn for that MotoGP race last year.

[kavanagh]

I like.

I adored my old 57 plate 1.2 i ran for 18 months so i would love to be in a position to own one of these BUT after saying that i only paid 3.5k for my punto with 3.5k on the clock so if this was MUCH cheaper i would take a punt.

I havent driven any of its competitors so i cant say if its better or worse but i still love the punto.

[ian mcwilliams]

Wifey's got a bright orange Punto Sporting - she loves it, though you sit up very high and of course she always has the steering on 'city' which means absolutely no feel!

My son Simon, races at the Teeside 24hr Kart race so cheer him on this year folks!

[fastcars_hardy]

with the fiat 500 and now this i think fiat are making some really good cars.