GTP Cool Wall: 1995-2005 Fiat Barchetta

  • Thread starter Wiegert
  • 26 comments
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1995-2005 Fiat Barchetta

  • Total voters
    96
  • Poll closed .
Wiegert

Wiegert

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United Kingdom
United Kingdom
1995-2005 Fiat Barchetta nominated by @ThrasherDBS

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Body Style: 2-door roadster
Engine: 1.8L I4
Power: 130 hp
Torque: 121 ft-lbs
Weight: 1056 kg
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Drivetrain: Front-engine, front-wheel drive
Additional Information: The Barchetta (or "little boat" in Italian) was made with help from coachbuilder Maggiora, which went bankrupt during production, which led to a production pause from May 2002 to 2004. It was based off of the Fiat Punto's chassis, and was the first production Fiat to use an engine with variable camshaft timing.​

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I hadn't realised these were released all the way back in 1995, the design as aged quite well to my eye. I do really like these, and I think they're significantly cooler than something like an NB MX-5 as they're pretty, a little unusual, and generally not trying too hard to be anything they aren't. Solid cool.
 
Pretty, prettier in the flesh then in pix, but out classed by all the other roadsters that came out in that era. Meh.
 
It's cool. It doesn't ooze presence and style but it's not devoid of them either, it's a baby sportscar in the right sense of the word. Not Sub-Zero but a solid Cool, specially considering the turbo version.
 
It should be illegal to put Front Wheel Drive on these types of cars. It seems far too pedestrian for me. Also, boat in Italian? You've got to be kidding me, it's not an Amphicar god dammit. Uncool.
 
It just seems like an Econobox turned convertible, the styling isn't interesting enough as well.

meh.
 
A convertible Punto that doesn't rust away by just looking at it. Rare Italian brilliance.
 
Regarded to drive sweetly, more stylish than those underpinnings have any right to be and cheap enough to not scream try hard. If you were on the Sorrentine Coast, this is the kind of simple pleasure car that would seem sub zero. As it is, a medium cool for the rest of the world.
 
Moan about the drivetrain if you feel like it makes a great difference in something of this calibre, I believe this is a true gem in the '90s book of sports cars. Oodles of character for something so humble. An MX-5 might outmatch it in many respects on the road but style and the sense of occasion lie firmly in the Fiat's corner.

Sub Zero. By a whisker.
 
The only flaw I can see with the Barchetta is the fact that the car is FWD. Also, the reason it looks like a boat is because Barchetta is Italian for "little boat", which I think is a neat name.

Cool.
 
I know it was in Gran Turismo, but that's it. Never bought one neitehr so, while it's very unknown to me, and not as good as the Coupé, that's an unfortunate SU vote.
 
Wouldn't look out of place around where I live, and I consider that a good thing. In a place where everyone is waggling their $75,000+ SUV as a status symbol, this little thing would be a nice, anonymous commuter/weekend car.

Giving it a cool.
 
The interior is amazing, Fiat knew a thing or two about interiors in these "special" 90's cara. It's a funky alternative to the MX-5, worse, but I don't care. Also, saw one yesterday being driven by a girl and there was definitely a bit of Cheerleader Effect happening. Anyhow, a very solid cool.
 
I nearly, nearly bought one of these when they were new. Quite cool when they came out but dropped out of favour over the years. Can actually see them becoming popular again thanks to the quirky styling and cost. What did it for me though was the same issue I had with the Lotus Elan - FWD. You just can get away with that in a two seater sports car. Still cool in my eyes though.
 
I'm wondering if Fiat build this to be a sportscar. Isn't that where the Coupe was for? Even though it was a FWD it handled remarkably well.

I see this as a small boulevard cruiser and not in any way as a (dedicated) sportscar like the Miata or the old British 2 seaters. It's called little boat for crying out loud.
 

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