Fiat Barchetta: Spotted
Don't left the southpaw steering wheel entirely put you off - the Barchetta was pretty, cheap and fairly cheerful
Worse, everyone knows it to be a Punto underneath, and it seems no greater sin can be committed against sports car purists than to base a car on a small family hatchback of uncertain dynamic manners and lowly fiscal worth.
In fact the Punto was rather good in its day, its very earliest days maybe, as those old enough to remember will testify. Not as good as the Uno was before it, but good nonetheless. It was attractively styled, its engines had the usual hint of bravura, and its suspension and road behaviour were at least as sophisticated as its contemporaries.
If it lacked the chassis fluidity of the MX-5, the MR2 and others, the Barchetta made up for it in brio. To punt(o) down a winding road on a summer's day with the wind in your hair and the sun on the back of your neck is a rare pleasure. As well as that its alloy door handles are a work of art, and as for those rear lights...
This one, from our classifieds, has the virtue of 12 months' worth of MOT and a reasonable price tag of just £2,500, and looks like a clean and well-kept example. Its black wheels and black leather are equally attractive, and with spring soon peeking its welcome head around the gatepost at the end of the driveway, this might be a good time to invest in a little capriccio Italian.
SPECIFICATION - FIAT BARCHETTA
Engine: 1,747cc, 4-cylinder
Transmission: 5-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 130@6,300rpm
Torque (lb ft): 121@4,300rpm
MPG: 33.6
CO2: N/A
First registered: 2001
Recorded mileage: 168,000kms
Price new: N/A
Price now: £2,500
See the full ad here.
Mark Pearson
Compared to my similar vintage NA MX5, my father's 95 Barchetta is a more modern, more sophisticated car with a much better engine. I'm not sure which i would choose presented one of each in similar condition though...
This one looks like its been well looked after but has lived outside and is beginning to need a little TLC as a 17 year old car.
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.
DTR did convert some to RHD.
Edited to add, they converted 8 in total apparently. http://www.dtrsports.com/aboutus.asp
About the "LHD only" thing....
Do contraptions similar to this mirror system or this camera system provide some relief?
I'm not hoping for a review of the preceding two products; I mention them simply as examples of what's possible (apart from driver skill, alone).
I'll just repeat what I keep saying.
Best car I've owned and I've had a few.......
Sellers ad little misleading ,these aren't a "limited run model" .FIAT churned out about 58000 of them going by VIN numbers.
I was out in mine when this thread started.....
Oh and 2500 for this car looks like a bargain ,if it has no issues ,snap it up someone.
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