We all know the Coop is special because it looks, sounds and performs several levels above its price tag - whether now as an old shed or when it was a new model.

In fact it seems during the 90s a lot of normal manufacturers had some truly fantastic sports cars in their stables - Toyota Supra, Mazda RX7 and the like.

So say if Fiat did set out to make a bona fide Coop successor now, with 'Fiat' and 'Coupe' badges on it, and not a 'spiritual' one, (such as how the Nissan GT-R is a spiritual successor to the Nissan Skyline) how exactly would or could they market it? Would it compete against the successors (if there are any) of the original Coop's competition? Would they pit it against totally new competition? Would it sell at a price tag equivalent to that of the original? More importantly would Fiat even make it a truly special car?

I mean look at the old Honda NSX - their attempt at a supercar. Then look at the new Honda NSX concept - Honda's second attempt at a supercar, and it shows.

Problem is, the Coop wasn't a supercar, it just happened to kind of luckily look a bit like one.

It seems back then that Fiat said to themselves, 'You know what? Let's make a really great car!' whereas now I think they would say, 'Let's make sure it doesn't look better than any of the Alfas.'

More like Alfa fulfills the role in Fiat now, when the Coupe was commissioned Alfa wasn't fully integrated. If it helps, the GTV was always similar and then the GT and Brera continued that lineage. There's been a bit of a leap to the 4C, but I'd argue it's not THAT expensive at £45k...

Fiat are not going to do a full fat, hard charging, rip snorting super car scarer any time soon, if ever. Not while they still own Alfa, Maserati and Ferrari

I wonder though. If Fiat concentrate their supercars in the premier league markes they own, then Alfa panders to the lower budget, maybe there is a gap for something different.

As manufacturers move into Eco set ups and hybrids, what if Fiat was to make an interesting dual turbo & supercharged or electric hydrid motor with Coupe lines.

I agree though that they will tend to centralize effort on the existing range, and there may not be the demand for a Coupe.

Ultimately the Coupe shape is dominated by Alfa. Fiat are concentrating on what they do best - small cars'like the Panda, Grand Punto and 500.

if fiat used the lancia ECV engine .... scale it down and put it in a small sports car to show what they can do i think it would sell ... the alfa 4c would be a good start for the engine then put it in a 2 door punto to kill the corsa VXR and even the fiat 500 big version to kill the mini cooper

Well, if I am honest here. I do not want a successor. It will not have all the essentials that the current coupe has........ Would we buy one??........ Probably not cause we are all infatuated with the cars we currently have!!
Why tarnish perfection with a failed newer model?

the coupe can be replaced .... but fiat have to be smooth in how they do it engine first ... in different versions of cars with varying power then up the power then put it in a 2 door coupe possible carbon fibre or a mix of ali and carbon to keep the weight down ... possible 4C hybrid

sell the engine first

No. If Abarth makes a lot of money, then they might for a flagship there to reflect on the hothatches, but I'm pretty certain the Fiat brand will not do anything like that for the next 10 years.

When fiat made cars in the 1980s and 90s it would be the quickest cars out there.Examples of this strada 130tc abarth quicker than its competition golf gti, escort xr3i uno turbo faster than most hot hatches of its time with the exception of a r5 gtt, punto gt one of the quickest hot hathbacks out there and the coupe 20vt fastest front wheel production car for years.Fast modern fiats now are 500 abarth and punto abarth fun cars but no where near fastest cars out there pretty poor if you ask me performance wise.Fiat seem content on producing fun cars now so I cant see them doing another coupe and if they did I bet it would be a disappointment compared to what was once the fastest fwd production car in Europe.It is my opinion that the fiat coupe 20vt is the last great car fiat made

I personally think Fiat would struggle in this day and age especially in the UK marketing such a car, they just do not have that brand image anymore that people recognize. Its right what has already been said they are just known for their quirky city small cars now and the fashionable 500.

It's different for us lot in the know and we appreciate it, but in general every joe bloggs out there doesn't even realise just how good the Fiat Coupe was even when it was about in bigger numbers, it was more remembered by the general population for being expensive and unreliable. Little did they know if properly maintained its pretty much bulletproof. I also personally think it was a bit too ahead of its time back then .... But thats what its turned out to be its an enthusiasts car now something that is increasingly rare in the modern car world that are designed by committees even supercars

Their only chance of success would be using the Abarth brand as mentioned.

But I think for Fiat its a bygone era great shame, but it has left us with this 90's Iconic Car that looks perfectly at home on the roads this age

Another car I wish they could resurrect is the old Fiat Dino again what a car Alfa's territory now

There were rumours of an Abarth coupe at one stage which seem to have disappeared. Such a car would make sense to me as it would fill a huge gap in Fiat group's range. Alfa don't have anything remotely sporty other than the 4c - they just have two slightly odd hatchbacks

Many (myself included) did not put their hard earner cash into a Coupe when it was new, as Fiat's image was one of high depreciation and poor reliability.
If they produced another coupe, then the media would need to tell everyone how good the first one was, otherwise it would be a dead duck in terms of sales? Could Fiat compete with the quality of Audi or even BMW?
Don't get me wrong, I love the coupe, but now it is a car which offers so much bang for the buck, you feel it is worth investing in, whereas the depreciation has already been suffered by others.
I predict the next car of its (coupe) type to really succeed, will arise from the likes of Korean or Chinese manufacture, as there brands want to grow their image and they would see investing in such a car as more worthwhile? More so than an established brand, who by their nature become more consevative?
Maybe Tata will invest in a Jaguar coupe for the masses to be manufactured in India or China????

Not sure I agree there; by the time the coupe came along Fiat had a much-improved reputation built upon (largely) the Punto. They were certainly aware of their rust history, though; the coupe was offered with something like an 8 (12?) -year rust warranty - and to be honest, didn't need it.

How many twenty-year old Fiats can you recall surviving from 1980?

At the time I bought mine (Feb 97) there was a 6 month waiting list, I managed to side step that by buying an ex-Fiat press car at auction only 3 months old and 1700 miles on the clock (still got it too)

And if I remember rightly Dave it looks stunning last time I saw it

Ordered mine in July 95, didn't get it until October...

fiat should bring back the Lancia delta and show what abarth can do

Lancia is Italy only now unfortunately

naa mate crysler are selling them have a look http://www.chrysler.co.uk/ypsilon

Strange. Plenty of garages over here.

When you think about it there aren't many proper coupes out there to buy new at all now, compared to the 90's.


I liked that Disco Volante on Top Gear huge price though

I think there is room in the market for a sub 25K coupe.... But yeah it would come under the Alfa umbrella but that's no bad thing. Alfa are just creating nice looking family cars now....then a MASSIVE gap to their 8C.... Something needs to fill the gap and not just a car from their normal range with a better engine.

Yes your right the 90's were witness to some great cars from Toyota (MR2), Mazda (MX5), Nissan (Skyline & Prelude) that were affordable but I guess manufacturers don't wanna take risks now....plus it has to be fuel efficient and practical....we re stuck with boring and expensive Audi's, VW's...there really isn't ANYTHING that excites me and that wants to make me buy anything new for driving enjoyment.

There is a lack of coupe's full stop and I cannot believe the Hyundia Coupe is still selling!!

Anyway, if you wanna celebrate what we have in a special way, then check out my post here: REVIEW PROJECT

Cheers.

Well maybe we are due something soon from Manufacturers you think even the not so good coupe's sold well in the 90's like Rover 200 coupe's and the Vauxhall Calibra etc there was a lot more variety back then.

You have that GT86/BRZ from Toyota and Subaru, I test drove one last year but it's not what it's all cracked up to be in my opinion from reviews. It's still pretty boring as a road car might be a laugh on track taking it to the limits but it lacks any special charm as a road car IMO.

I tell you one I do actually like the new hot Turbo RCZ from Peugeot, I'm not a huge fan of modern day Pugs but hats off to them they have made something quite bold and different .

I agree with Brilly probably due something from the Koreans soon, it would be awesome if Fiat came up with something but it's like you say companies play the safe game these days don't they.

Don't shoot the messenger!

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/01/13/lancia-ypsilon-italy-cancelled-report/

And they've just stopped selling the Mk.3 Delta in the UK under the Chrysler label......

News to me. Bastards.

It's all about the Alfa 4C for me if I stayed Italian and had a few more ££££ to spend! Like the Coupe it looks more expensive so much more than it actually is and you know it's a car like the Coupe you'll turn around and look at, either that or I'm really bad!

I believe that silly EU laws on safety and emissions have made affordable coupes and hatchbacks hard.

Honda have a new Type R coming thats turbo'd. Having had chats with a salesman friend but it's a new car nothing like the previous Type R brand.

As I've said before the only thing I'm condsidering as a future replacement will be a Prodrive Spec-ed Brera S.......
I know they'll not go/handle or sound like a Coupe but in my eyes they're a match in terms of style/design/Italian etc etc.

If they'd put the 1.7 turbo in the S, that would probably be the car for me. Sadly they didn't.

Unfortunately not as solid mechanically as the Coupe, speaking to my local Alfa specialist about potential Brera purchases a few years ago... they were seeing no end of problems with medium mileage cars (60k+).

Shame as the styling is stunning, but I think I'd have a GT over the Brera. Tried and tested 147/156 underpinnings.