I have recently started doing quite a bit of work for several other clubs recently.
(Traitor i know)
And it seems no matter big the petrol head is,there's always the same question....
When they see the 7-8 coupes on site that's usually around.Dead or alive.

WHATS THAT

And i find myself quoting yet again the history of the Coupe.And Fiat

Now i can forgive the odd person not knowing what the Fiat coupe is...
But i must of had 30-40 different people this year all ask.
So is it a well kept secret.
I mean there's still plenty around.

Is it just us who know about them?

When most people see my car.....they think I am loaded
They have no idea about the coupe.....some even think it is a ferrari or another Italian expensive supercar.
Let them carry on believing I say

I like it when somebody asks me what car I drive and when I tell them they just politely nod their head, with absolutely no idea what car it actually is.

Well put JKD,
its a confusing one.
I think alot revert to the older Coupe of the 1970's

Don't forget the coupé was Fait's most expensive production car, ever. Accounting for inflation, even the most expensive current model is cheaper.

It *is* an expensive Italian car...

JBT it's only the grey few of us that were privileged to witness the great 124 coupe [of the late 60's too]

Don't think one person has recognised mine in 9 years of ownership bar one exception, a neighbour I didn't know I had keen to tell me not only about his 1984 Porsche 944 but to compliment the designer of my wee 2-toner which he correctly and unprompted described as a



you've guessed it an apiarist's necessity


Also that it was known on its introduction as the poor man's ferrari.

I had a 124 booked in about 3 months ago for a service and a clutch..
Didn't realise it was the older generation one until he showed up.
I wondered why the chap didn't seem to know what i was talking about when i said was it a 16 vt or a 20vt.
It had about 10 faults on it,which were soooooo easy to sort.
1 wire going to each component....Or near enough.

I was out in mine a few weeks ago and there was a chap asking what it was..
It was actually his wife who beat me to it by saying that's a Fiat Coupe.
I was very impressed,and he was a bit embarrassed.
She explained that she owned one as a fleet hire car when they first came out.

That said i think Fiat fleet leased nearly all of them as most say Fiat fleet Uk on the log book.
There weren't many that were purchased from factory by private individuals.
But they were very overpriced at the time given there competition,and Fiats reputation.

I lost count of the amount of times people asked me "what car is that?". I also remember pulling up outside a chippy in my first Coupé, a silver 20vt probably about 8 years ago, and the guy in the chippy asking me "who I played for"

I don't think Alsager Town was the answer he expected

OK thats made up my mind - the rear F/I/A/T badge is coming off. No-one recognises the front slashes one //// either.
Kind of like that

I've just had an AA Windscreen bloke out to replace the screens of both the Spider and Coupe.

As he stood at the end of the drive, next to the Coupe, and looking at the Spider parked behind it, he said, 'So you've got 2 Alfa's the same then'.

This guy works with cars all day every day.

I have an import document and original invoice for my one and it wasn't far off 20k. I dont think anyone in there right mind paid full price (apart from Barnacle )

Maybe he thinks that's what AA stands for....

Another Alfa?

There are a few still around who bought new, I think. Not many, though. And it's still cost me less than three grand a year.

Well not being funny but if you can manage owning a coupe more more than a year then your not exactly short of cash lol

I was asked what mine was about 3 years ago at AMC in Chelmsford.

By a mechanic working there. Yup its an Alfa and Fiat dealer.....

Sorted that for you, Mario!

Hook,line and sinker

I've come across a few people who know the cars, but also an overwhelming majority of polite-nod-and-smilers.

I like that line about it being the most expensive production car Fiat ever made.
By the way the old 124 Coupe was what inspired me to get my first red 20v. It's definatly the spiritual successor. The 124 also had a touch of the little Ferrari about it. Everyone refers to it as the 124 Coupe although it was badged '124 Sport'!!

Right that's it....this is ridiculous...
We are having quite alot of building work done next door to us and one of the lads came over and said blimey you have got some Renault's in haven't you?
Renault's??????????????
The amount of coupes on site does usually attract quite alot of conversation from random passers by from week to week.
Now apparently deeper in the conversation he said they look alot like the Alpine A110's......

I mean come on....

look at it.....just look at it....

It is only a personal opinion, but I think the Fiat Coupe was one of the design cues behind the Laguna Coupe.



I'm also wondering how the Fiat Dino isn't the most expensive Fiat ever made?

i think that looks more like the 407 coupe than the Fiat personally.
I think the Nissan 300Zxtt front looks quite similar to the coupe.
In fact the flat lights that it has would imo look rather nice in the coupes bonnet.

I think it looks quite nice where the 407 is a bit more (well more one of those jobs where the harder they tried the worse it got) but I can see your point with the enormous grille etc.

Er, because I forgot it. But the principle's there...

NOOOOOOO It IS a Fiat

F I A T
F I A T

And thats a FACT !
Don't be scared..say it out loud..Fiat.
No need to be embarrassed.

Too true...
De badged means ashamed.......
No one debadges a Ferrari

Yeah but it does'nt say Ferrari on the back, they just have the chrome prancing horse, which looks the nuts!

Instead of a faded, washed out blue badge, bit different.
But I see where your coming from...

Well as no one knows what they are,maybe we ought to organise a group buy on Ferrari badges....

Or the Abarth scorpion badges.

Ooooh, you're venturing into taboo territory there fellas!

It wasn't so long ago when that sorta talk could get you publicly