Fiat BARCHETTA

Fiats Restyled Barchetta May Never Be A Big Seller But It Now Offers Unbelievable Value For Money. Andy Enright Reports

It may not have escaped your attention that the Fiat Barchetta wears its steering wheel on the left. Had Fiat thought it commercially viable to convert the Barchetta to right-hand drive theres little doubt it would be right up there with the MG TF and Mazda MX-5 as one of Britains favourite roadsters. As it stood it was forever destined to languish in the special interest section of the market, a fascinating curio of limited appeal. The latest restyled car adds a decent amount of standard equipment and sees Fiat make swingeing cuts to the asking price.

Whereas the old car campaigned at slightly less than £14,000 the latest Barchetta is available from just £11,995. Thats a full £3,000 less than the cheapest MX-5 and nearly £4,000 shy of the entry level MG TF and although Fiat make little play of the fact, there are some expert UK specialists who will undertake a right-hand drive conversion for the Barchetta for around £3,500. Whichever way you cut this particular cake, the Barchetta leaves you quids in with a generous dollop of exclusivity thrown in to boot. The restyle gets rid of the Barchettas delicately elongated snout in favour of a more aggressive frontal treatment.

Build
Comfort
Depreciation
Economy
Equipment
Handling
Insurance
Performance
Styling
Value

Big air intakes frame the front number plat with front foglights punctuating the grille and there are some more aggressively styled alloy wheels available. The car is mechanically similar to its predecessor but the interior has benefited from a few extras. Theres now a passenger airbag, a CD-based stereo, electrically operated door mirrors and an electric aerial. The steering wheel and gearknob are trimmed in leather.

Although the left hand drive layout may be a little unnerving for more timid drivers, the Barchetta presents few problems. Yes, overtaking on long straights will require a modification of your technique and paying at bridge tolls or car park barriers can be inconvenient without a passenger to help but otherwise the sacrifices youll need to make are surprisingly few. Whats more, the ability to jump in and out from the pavement is safer than entering the roadway and far more convenient. Unfortunately, Fiat have never offered the Barchetta with a wide choice of engines.

In act theres no choice when it comes to engines. The sole available powerplant is the 130bhp 1.8-litre unit once used in the Bravo/Brava hatchback. Luckily, performance from the willing 16-valve unit is zippy.

The Barchetta reaches 62mph from rest in less than nine seconds and flies along up to 124mph. Youd need to spend £17,500 to buy a quicker MG TF.

"Whichever way you cut this particular cake, the Barchetta leaves you quids in"

But thats not the whole story. Just as important as the figures is the willing nature of the Barchettas 1747cc engine. Power is progressive and its the speed with which this machine dispatches acceleration on the move that really impresses. Both the 30-50mph and 50-70mph sprints are covered in a little over five seconds.

Whenever its pushed hard, this engine produces an appealingly raucous engine note to match. Unlike traditional sports cars, the Barchetta is front-wheel-drive and while this may put off the purists, it does nothing to detract from its driving enjoyment. Under the skin, its based on the same platform as the previous generation Fiat Punto, with independent suspension all round, which helps keep the car stable on tight bends. On the road, its very agile and only becomes skittish over the worst of potholes.

Better still, feedback from the chassis and steering is so good that its fun to drive fast or slow. Drivers will also be impressed with the Fiat's rigidity compared with rivals, so there are fewer creaks and rattles than you might be expecting from an Italian car of this kind. The ride on the other hand, is rather hard, and the seats are surprisingly sporting rather than the easy chairs that some roadsters feature. Equipment on the sole manual transmission model offered still isnt what youd describe as lavish but you certainly wont feel short changed. Power steering is a useful feature for parking in tight spaces, and the height adjustable steering wheel allows good access for drivers of all shapes and sizes.

Additional safety is provided by anti-lock brakes and those twin airbags, while security comes via a Fiat CODE immobiliser, central locking and an RDS stereo. While some rivals are of little use for anything but nipping to the shops, the Barchetta is practical, with a boot that's large enough for a couple of weekend bags. The manually operated hood is quick and simple to operate - just flick open two catches to open the hinged metal tonneau on the boot, push the hood back into it and its stored safely and neatly out of sight. Similarly, all the interior controls are light and easy to use, once youve remembered which hand to change gear with, that is. Image is one of the most important factors in the small open-top sports car sector, and this is something Fiats little boat (the meaning of barchetta in Italian) has by the truckload.

It is packed with design details that ought to delight the traditional roadster fan. Barchetta enthusiasts will be heartened to hear that Fiat have stayed with the chromed, pullout door handles (a Pininfarina carry-over from old Fiat roadsters). Fiat advertised the original car with the strapline Who Cares If Its Left Hand Drive? It seems quite a few of you did. Whilst some things havent changed, Fiat have done a good job of subtly updating their dinky drop top and the asking price reads like a misprint.

Itll never challenge the big sellers but new Barchetta has a distinct feel of money well spent about it.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

CAR: Fiat Barchetta
PRICE: £11,995 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 16
CO2 EMISSIONS: 198g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 8.9s /Max Speed 124mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 24.5mpg (constant 56mph) 43.7mpg (constant 75mph) 33.8mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin airbags, anti-lock brakes
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height mm 3912/1803/1245