What would you say is the single, most essential mod (style or performance) for a Coop?

For me, a lowered ride height is an absolute must.

The standard ride height just doesn't suit the car at all - it looks too high and the space between the wheel arches and tyres really takes away from the overall sleekness of the car.

A flea map, end of story. Not one single thing you can do has anywhere near as much effect for such modest outlay. A G-Tech is good, but not in the same league.

I'll never have a lowered car again. There are speed cushions everywhere in Prestazzle and life was a right misery in my last (lowered) Coupé. I can barely tell the difference in looks now but my life is significantly improved. Also being fat my man-boobs would wobble after every cushion, I've been spared that indignity now! It also means that my car has that low "sporty" look just by me being in it

LE/Plus kit, makes a huge difference to the car, makes it look much more sporty and modern instead of just straight black sills. Also just suits the lines of the car so well.

For me it would be either:

1) HIDs
2) Upgraded brake pads

In fact, I would go so far as to say that these two are absolutely essential.

Strut brace. End of story.

Under dash carpet panels. Not only do these make the interior look finished by closing off that ugly gap under the dashboard but the the panels stiffen up the chassis so improve the handling, they gain you 30bhp by preventing air passing between the diver and passenger foot wells and improve mpg!

Win win I'd say

+1 I was going to take my strut brace off to paint it after giving it a trial run to see if it improved the handling. 6 years later and it's still its original red colour as I don't really want to go back to driving the Coupé without it while it's drying lol as it made such a big improvement IMHO.

Baz

What he said.

The kit makes a massive difference, and was the one deciding factor in bringing my missus around to being a coupe family.

So I bought us a VIS and an LE kit from Mariusz. One year on, the sills are still in the shed

Brooklands is my deadline.

Wait until winter and then you'll realise that HID headlights are the only MUST HAVE mod.

Wouldn't have a lowered stiffened Coupe again, just not worth it with our roads, for a track day car yes however.

Strut brace

Better brakes

HID's are good.

I dont like the LE kit, just colour coded is better, Or you could buy a black Coupe

A quality S/S exhaust is the first must have modification for the sound alone.

Surprised no one has mentioned an Abarth badge

Tourqueitalia decals


Seriously, DECENT front tyres.

There are a few items like that I want to add but they are not mods, just maintenance.

Breakdown cover!!

You can't improve on perfection, and I don't want to adorn my car will all manner of additional plastic add-ons and badges in the rather tacky way Fiat did with the run-out models, however UK plates look too big for the front bumper, so a cut down front numberplate gets my vote.

A nice bank balance and company fuel card

No longer having a coop and looking back I would say the biggest differences between my current car adn the coop are:

Handling - so that strut brace is proably a must.
Brakes - so a brake upgrade would be good (why are coop brakes so poor? bloody big brembos they should be brill)
Lights - coop headlights are pathetic (I had to keep checking that mine were on)- So HID lights are probably a must too.

A modern headunit with ipod control. It makes the world of difference, even with the factory fitted OEM speakers.

Uprated CHOD?

a bullet proof engine

Barnacle Widget. Without doubt the most cost effective, money saving, paranoia reducing and best diagnostic tool you can have for the coupe. Plus it looks bloomin cool (Well done Neil again)

Fluffy dice, obviously

or if you are Proccy a mini-fridge for your pies

or purple bucket seats
wider ones.. of course

A wooden broom handle, for propping the bonnet open when the struts fail. Mine came with a choice of two from the previous owner.

If those were run out adornments, it's a shame they didn't start running the Coupe out in 1996..the skirts stop the Coupe looking like a frog riding on a skateboard.

6 speed gearbox. Nothing else to say on the matter.

Flea map.Even a custom map and chip has made the world of difference to the performance and fuel consumption of my coupe compaired to Gills standard coupe. Mine seems to just breath better and pushes on nicely.