RE: Fiat Barchetta: Spotted
Discussion
Stuart70 said:
Where is Pericoloso for this one?
Not sure that he should provide all of the rationale for the Barchetta, but you could not ask much more of anyone to go adventuring in a small sports car....
Forza pericoloso, forza Barchetta
My thoughts too. Not sure that he should provide all of the rationale for the Barchetta, but you could not ask much more of anyone to go adventuring in a small sports car....
Forza pericoloso, forza Barchetta
I'd buy one on the strength of his posts & experiences.
It’s an interesting and unique little car for £5k
Different class to mx5 or mr2, much more special funny little thing with v cute looks especially lights
Would turn heads and get questions from public at petrol stations no doubt, like how my Smart Branud Roadster did
The fact it’s lhd only adds to the appeal
Different class to mx5 or mr2, much more special funny little thing with v cute looks especially lights
Would turn heads and get questions from public at petrol stations no doubt, like how my Smart Branud Roadster did
The fact it’s lhd only adds to the appeal
BricktopST205 said:
0-60 in 8.9 seconds and 130BHP. Honestly have no idea why you would have one of these over an MK2 MX5 sport let alone an MK3 MR2. I would more than likely entertain an MGF Trophy above one as well.
Hell though it is Italian and has flair though right? There is a reason these sold in such few numbers.
I've no idea where they got the acceleration times for this as I seem to remember that Car or Performance Car magazine getting the 0 - 60 in 7.8 back in the mid/late 90's. Then again, this car is for the enjoyment of driving, not full blown acceleration runs.Hell though it is Italian and has flair though right? There is a reason these sold in such few numbers.
I worked in the parts department at Fiat when these were being sold new and they sold quite a few even though they were only LHD. Again it seems Fiat may have shot themselves in the foot as they probably thought that they wouldn't sell well in RHD. Shame really.
There's an orange one with steelies close to Highgate and I think they owner has had it since new.
WJNB said:
Sorry but with the best will in the world I'm unable to think of a single reason to buy one. My feelings when launched & now. In fact if I was given one I'd give it away. An awful Fiat thing.
i do wonder if peoples opinion would be different if they had put an Alfa badge on the nose?carinaman said:
BricktopST205 said:
I was simply stating how bad the GTV spider was compared to its contemporaries at the time but more than made up for it with that soundtrack of the busso. I was just vouching my opinion on how a Fiat/Alfa can have its USP and be a viable alternative to say the Boxster/S2000 but int Barchetta's case I see none.
It's cool. I like them both. From what I've read I reckon the 12 valve V6 916 Spider would be quite something.
TheJimi said:
Stuart70 said:
Where is Pericoloso for this one?
Not sure that he should provide all of the rationale for the Barchetta, but you could not ask much more of anyone to go adventuring in a small sports car....
Forza pericoloso, forza Barchetta
My thoughts too. Not sure that he should provide all of the rationale for the Barchetta, but you could not ask much more of anyone to go adventuring in a small sports car....
Forza pericoloso, forza Barchetta
I'd buy one on the strength of his posts & experiences.
The 5795 pounds in the article is by no means the highest price for one of these ,the place where I bought mine in 2012 will
now only retail the very best cars ,with very low ,under 10,000 miles ,on the clock and approaching 10K pounds.
These cars were originally ,before they went bust ,made by Maggiora in a factory away from Turin ,previously used by Lancia
to complete the final Integrale Evos.
They were better built than your average FIAT and mine has survived 22 years and 142000 miles so far and counting.
So they're not RWD and Brits have to sit on the wrong side ,so what ?
pic from 2019 road trip 2 .
Deleted my original reply as it was all over the joint.
Owned one of these in the early noughties. Fabulous but under-rated (and now mostly forgotten) sports car, like the Lancia Montecarlo it replaced in my fleet.
I never considered the rather nondescript MX-5 because it was too common, too dull, too obvious, too boring - a modern-day MGB. The Barchetta was (and is) different and rare and the FWD never marred the driving experience. Like any good Italian car it just begged to be driven like you'd nicked it.
I'd have another if I had the garage space, especially if a superb one is only £6k. Perhaps, one day these will be worth a lot more - just as original 124 Spiders suddenly seem to be loads of money.
I never considered the rather nondescript MX-5 because it was too common, too dull, too obvious, too boring - a modern-day MGB. The Barchetta was (and is) different and rare and the FWD never marred the driving experience. Like any good Italian car it just begged to be driven like you'd nicked it.
I'd have another if I had the garage space, especially if a superb one is only £6k. Perhaps, one day these will be worth a lot more - just as original 124 Spiders suddenly seem to be loads of money.
It seems a bit like a spunkwork project, I wanted one badly when they came out the attention to detail ( like the sunken door handles) the filler cap and instrument pinnacle all bespoke it even had a special advertising pack - I owned a Barchetta shaped cd with cheesy Italian summer hits of the year it came out...
I don’t know why they did not replace it it did not even sell bad on the continent ( think of a lot of the typical customers are not on ph, have grown up on hatches and don’t care or even know which end is driven ) and the one I text drove was driving well for FWD
As well as the delta a drive....
The next car for the heart fiat made was the 500 over a decade later the decade in between they wanted to find a niche to find out that they could not compete with Germany on quality not with the Far East ( on price and quality) and in trying so hard for either they lost all style, italianita and all which made that niche and where quietly overtaken by Peugeot and Renault and nearly went under...
Glad they trying to pull back now and think the new 124 works ( looks better in metal than on pics and sounds awesome)
I don’t know why they did not replace it it did not even sell bad on the continent ( think of a lot of the typical customers are not on ph, have grown up on hatches and don’t care or even know which end is driven ) and the one I text drove was driving well for FWD
As well as the delta a drive....
The next car for the heart fiat made was the 500 over a decade later the decade in between they wanted to find a niche to find out that they could not compete with Germany on quality not with the Far East ( on price and quality) and in trying so hard for either they lost all style, italianita and all which made that niche and where quietly overtaken by Peugeot and Renault and nearly went under...
Glad they trying to pull back now and think the new 124 works ( looks better in metal than on pics and sounds awesome)
BricktopST205 said:
You could have just gone down the Lotus Elan M100 route if that is what you wanted. Also all of your reasons are opinionated and not fact.
MK2 MX5 was also pretty, light, nimble, turned heads, cheap to buy. Also benefited from a correct drivetrain for a open top sports car. Some came with an LSD, 6 speed close ratio box, more powerful engine. Also more importantly had the steering wheel on the correct side.
MGF Trophy 160. Lovely engine, big 4 pot brake setup and mid engine RWD layout. A bit on the softer side but great for a British road blast.
MK3 MR2 which in my opinion is the best of the bunch. Basically a poor mans Elise with a engaging chassis and economical and peppy engine. Only let down by baggage space.
Alfa GTV6 spider i totally get a car like that as it has its USP of the busso V6. Please tell me the Barchettas USP which isn't opinion apart from being LHD only? They could have at least put a 2.0 TS in it or something.
How is 'light, rare and cheap to buy' opinionated rather than fact?MK2 MX5 was also pretty, light, nimble, turned heads, cheap to buy. Also benefited from a correct drivetrain for a open top sports car. Some came with an LSD, 6 speed close ratio box, more powerful engine. Also more importantly had the steering wheel on the correct side.
MGF Trophy 160. Lovely engine, big 4 pot brake setup and mid engine RWD layout. A bit on the softer side but great for a British road blast.
MK3 MR2 which in my opinion is the best of the bunch. Basically a poor mans Elise with a engaging chassis and economical and peppy engine. Only let down by baggage space.
Alfa GTV6 spider i totally get a car like that as it has its USP of the busso V6. Please tell me the Barchettas USP which isn't opinion apart from being LHD only? They could have at least put a 2.0 TS in it or something.
Edited by BricktopST205 on Monday 22 April 11:11
Water Fairy said:
BricktopST205 said:
You could have just gone down the Lotus Elan M100 route if that is what you wanted. Also all of your reasons are opinionated and not fact.
MK2 MX5 was also pretty, light, nimble, turned heads, cheap to buy. Also benefited from a correct drivetrain for a open top sports car. Some came with an LSD, 6 speed close ratio box, more powerful engine. Also more importantly had the steering wheel on the correct side.
MGF Trophy 160. Lovely engine, big 4 pot brake setup and mid engine RWD layout. A bit on the softer side but great for a British road blast.
MK3 MR2 which in my opinion is the best of the bunch. Basically a poor mans Elise with a engaging chassis and economical and peppy engine. Only let down by baggage space.
Alfa GTV6 spider i totally get a car like that as it has its USP of the busso V6. Please tell me the Barchettas USP which isn't opinion apart from being LHD only? They could have at least put a 2.0 TS in it or something.
How is 'light, rare and cheap to buy' opinionated rather than fact?MK2 MX5 was also pretty, light, nimble, turned heads, cheap to buy. Also benefited from a correct drivetrain for a open top sports car. Some came with an LSD, 6 speed close ratio box, more powerful engine. Also more importantly had the steering wheel on the correct side.
MGF Trophy 160. Lovely engine, big 4 pot brake setup and mid engine RWD layout. A bit on the softer side but great for a British road blast.
MK3 MR2 which in my opinion is the best of the bunch. Basically a poor mans Elise with a engaging chassis and economical and peppy engine. Only let down by baggage space.
Alfa GTV6 spider i totally get a car like that as it has its USP of the busso V6. Please tell me the Barchettas USP which isn't opinion apart from being LHD only? They could have at least put a 2.0 TS in it or something.
Edited by BricktopST205 on Monday 22 April 11:11
Mine was an early one, drove beautifully and was the most reliable car we've ever owned.
Only the arrival of babies forced its sale. I enjoyed my time in it and wouldn't mind another one, although if we as a family were seriously in the market for a cabrio it would have to be a 4-seater....
Anyway, I digress. The Barchetta is a hand-built Italian roadster with a cracking little VVT engine, for absolute peanuts. They sold boat loads of them here in Germany (pun intended) and there are still loads about.
The steel wheels are a nice design but rust horribly. I put 17” rims on mine which wrecked the ride.
Only the arrival of babies forced its sale. I enjoyed my time in it and wouldn't mind another one, although if we as a family were seriously in the market for a cabrio it would have to be a 4-seater....
Anyway, I digress. The Barchetta is a hand-built Italian roadster with a cracking little VVT engine, for absolute peanuts. They sold boat loads of them here in Germany (pun intended) and there are still loads about.
The steel wheels are a nice design but rust horribly. I put 17” rims on mine which wrecked the ride.
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