| First Drive | Balocco Test Track, Italy | Fiat Grande Punto Abarth |
The highly successful Grande Punto will be the first Fiat to undergo a transformation under the newly launched Abarth brand this year. It's the first of four Abarth models due to be launched in 2008 and though the UK and Ireland are not likely to be overrun by standalone Abarth dealerships, the Grande Punto Abarth should do well, even given the high standard of the competition in the junior hot hatch segment.
In the Metal
Despite a significant number of new body parts, the new Grande Punto Abarth is actually relatively restrained. In white, it's hard to ignore the red mirrors and side stripes, though the black detailing found in the headlights, wheelarches and roof spoiler is less obvious. The dark 17-inch alloys give the Punto a more aggressive appearance, complemented by new bumpers front and rear, along with beefier side sills. There's no doubt it looks the part and will certainly appeal to enthusiasts.
The theme is carried through to the inside, where Abarth's scorpion badge is prominently displayed on the thick-rimmed three-spoke steering wheel and on the unique dashboard finish. Other changes include a pair of supportive sports seats up front and a promising 'Boost Sport' button in the centre of the dashboard.
What you get for your Money
Fiat has long traded on value for money and the Abarth brand looks to follow the theme. Official prices have yet to be announced, but it is thought that the Grande Punto Abarth will cost in the region of £13,000 in the UK and €24,000 in Ireland. That's a significant saving over other junior hot hatches such as the
MINI Cooper,
Suzuki Swift Sport and
Peugeot 207 GT, yet the Abarth outperforms all of those. The level of standard equipment should be impressive too.
Driving it
Unfortunately, our only time behind the wheel was on a glass-smooth test track, but it did at least indicate that the Grande Punto Abarth will appeal to keen drivers. The steering is sharp and accurate, resulting in pleasingly brisk turn in. The rear end mostly follows suit, though can be cajoled out a few degrees on lift off. Mostly though it's a tidy and safe handling car, and reflecting the likely ownership by younger drivers, Fiat fits ESP stability control as standard and it cannot be switched off. Traction control is switchable though, but we found that, even on a streaming wet track, it's a quick witted system.
Acceleration is brisk enough, though to get the car's full performance you need to press that 'Boost Sport' button, as it unleashes the full engine output, increasing torque from 152lb.ft at 5,000rpm to 170lb.ft at a more useful 3,000rpm. The engine note encourages swift progress too and the Brembo brakes had no difficulty with our fast laps of the track. It was far from a conclusive test, but encouraging all the same.
Worth Noting
Abarth buyers wanting a little more will have the option of an 'esseesse' kit. Standing for Super-Sport, changes include a 178bhp tune of the same 1.4-litre turbocharged engine, the updates also releasing about 200lb.ft of torque. The esseesse feels much tauter than the regular Abarth too thanks to a further lower kit and larger alloys. The test car also featured a free flow exhaust, which apparently passes drive-by legislation despite its JWRC soundtrack. At the time of writing, the full specification of the esseesse had yet to be finalised, though Fiat expected it to add about £3,600 to the asking price, taking it into close contact with the likes of the
MINI Cooper S and
Honda Civic Type R.
Summary
If the new Grande Punto is anything to go by, it looks like the relaunch of the Abarth brand will indeed be much more than a cynical marketing exercise. The first new car to bear the scorpion badge shows signs of being quite a focused junior hot hatch that falls somewhere between the current crop of 'warm' hatches - such as the MINI Cooper - and the full-on 200bhp family hot hatches. Not only that; if Fiat can keep the price to the projected level, then buyers should be tempted in droves.
