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Which one of your legs would you cut off?
#1657112
23/04/2022 09:47
23/04/2022 09:47
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 416 uk
OnlyItalian
OP
Enjoying the ride
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OP
Enjoying the ride
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 416
uk
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Hi all,
I'm currently the owner of three cars. A VIS, LE141 and a 2002 Impreza STi Prodrive.
A mate pondered a question. "If you could only keep one which would it be?".Tricky one.
The Impreza is truly amazing. Best gear change action I've ever felt, perfect chassis balance and body control, seemingly endless grip, 330bhp. Can turn up at a wet Cadwell Park and be pretty much the fastest thing there with very little skill.
The LE... Rare, unique, fastest car Fiat ever made. We all know why we love our coops.
But in the end, the car I have the most fun in, most often, is the VIS. It's a bit more comfortable than the LE, a lot more than the Impreza and better on fuel. So you want to use it for practical reasons.
So you jump in it, fire it up followed by a little blip. Oh my God, that throttle response! It's almost like a bike engine.
Cruise to your favourite road enjoying the unique, arrogant sound of that straight 5. Sounds amazing even at 2000rpm. Little blips, aided by the throttle response, on every down change.
It's a nice warm day, get those windows down, blat along a flowing B road, right through the rev range. At 5k it's trying to sound like a Gallardo. OK the steering doesn't have the feel of a 156 but it's smooth and direct. The car is totally stable.
Now you understand. Now you're saying, "What a car!", the Pininfarina badge in front of you reminding you you're in something special. This confirmed by glancing looks from anyone you should pass.
So I ended up plumping for the lowest powered, lowest value car of the three, and came to the conclusion the Fiat 20V VIS is the best car I've ever owned. I can't imagine ever selling it.
Most underrated car of all time.
Last edited by OnlyItalian; 23/04/2022 10:08.
"Proud owner of LE141 and a 99 VIS broomie "
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Re: Which one of your legs would you cut off?
[Re: OnlyItalian]
#1657147
24/04/2022 02:10
24/04/2022 02:10
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 238 Sidmouth, Devon
alex1982
Club Member 653
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Club Member 653
Making a profit
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 238
Sidmouth, Devon
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I'm lucky enough to own a VIS and a plus, both are great in their own ways. The plus has caused me a headache at times although now (touches wood) is good as gold. I have owned the VIS for 17 years now and it has been amazing reliability wise only letting me down once with a burst power steering pipe letting the fluid escape all over the road People often ask me why I own basically the same car twice, but my answer is always the same..... they are totally different cars and both cater for which ever mood your are in. The plus is great for that surge of power and on a quiet road, you can have some real fun and reach some silly speeds rather quickly whereas the VIS you have to work for the reward as its nowhere near as powerful as the 20vt, but as said the VIS throttle response is more or less instant and it has a lovely noise. On that note, I did a track day at Castle Combe in the VIS and one of the sessions I did a few laps with a racing driver called Gillian Goldsmith, she was really impressed with the coupe and having never been in one before was impressed with how predictable and neutral the handling was on the limit(even patting the dashboard on the in lap saying "good car") It surprised me at the time, as I thought she was going to slate it having been out previously in the day with a lot newer machinery and from what I heard quite harsh on how these previous cars had been, both RWD and FWD. I agree with the previous comment that the VIS could do with a 6th gear, I think it would make motorway work far more composed and economical and it would make a much better daily if you wanted it for that kind of thing. Anyway, long story short, even though I love them both, the VIS would be the one I'd keep if push came to shove, I think its because I've owned the VIS for so long I'd feel like I was actually cutting off a leg It is close though, the 20vt engine is a peach and I can see why its so highly regarded
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Re: Which one of your legs would you cut off?
[Re: Jeremy]
#1657192
25/04/2022 23:26
25/04/2022 23:26
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,740 Auld Reekie
Edinburgh
Club President, member225
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Club President, member225
Forum veteran
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 16,740
Auld Reekie
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VIS = Variable Intake System It's basically a fly-by-wire setup, so throttle is controlled electronically instead of by cable. It makes for a quite perky pick-up...
BumbleBee carer
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Re: Which one of your legs would you cut off?
[Re: Edinburgh]
#1657193
26/04/2022 11:29
26/04/2022 11:29
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 17,176 FCSS 01684 593187
Countrycruising
Club Rep Europe, member 914
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Club Rep Europe, member 914
Forum veteran
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 17,176
FCSS 01684 593187
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VIS = Variable Intake System It's basically a fly-by-wire setup, so throttle is controlled electronically instead of by cable. It makes for a quite perky pick-up... 7 bhp, which for an N/A does make a difference as we need every horse we can get
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Re: Which one of your legs would you cut off?
[Re: Countrycruising]
#1657210
27/04/2022 09:09
27/04/2022 09:09
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Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 10 Hampshire
Jeremy
Newbie
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Newbie
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 10
Hampshire
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VIS = Variable Intake System It's basically a fly-by-wire setup, so throttle is controlled electronically instead of by cable. It makes for a quite perky pick-up... 7 bhp, which for an N/A does make a difference as we need every horse we can get Thanks all who responded. So are the VIS cars badged as such? When did the change happen? Presumably this is 5 cylinder cars only?
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Re: Which one of your legs would you cut off?
[Re: Jeremy]
#1657211
27/04/2022 09:12
27/04/2022 09:12
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 17,176 FCSS 01684 593187
Countrycruising
Club Rep Europe, member 914
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Club Rep Europe, member 914
Forum veteran
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 17,176
FCSS 01684 593187
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VIS = Variable Intake System It's basically a fly-by-wire setup, so throttle is controlled electronically instead of by cable. It makes for a quite perky pick-up... 7 bhp, which for an N/A does make a difference as we need every horse we can get Thanks all who responded. So are the VIS cars badged as such? When did the change happen? Presumably this is 5 cylinder cars only? VIS model came in to production in 1999, the intake system design was also used on many 4 cylinder Alfa models so not just the 2.0L Coupe.
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Re: Which one of your legs would you cut off?
[Re: OnlyItalian]
#1657311
29/04/2022 08:22
29/04/2022 08:22
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 416 uk
OnlyItalian
OP
Enjoying the ride
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OP
Enjoying the ride
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 416
uk
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And the Punto HGT I think.
"Proud owner of LE141 and a 99 VIS broomie "
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