anyone no the year or date the coupe appearded on top gear, think ive got about every episode in the cupboard, n want to dig it out

1994

thanx fella

Clarkson in a suit and tie - snrk!

I decided I wanted one on the first sight of a picture maybe an inch by an inch and a half in Car magazine in 1993. I was first in the queue when they offered them for test drives over here...

does anyone actually know if they own mark delapina's car on here, he owns a performance garage turbo pacs, it was a black n reg 16v turbo, with alot of mods, think he put a rear spoiler from a 405 or 409 cut down on, he was based in co'durham north east

Here's the vbh-test video: clicky

Isn't it about time you returned it?

Shop 'im!

Overall, this can only be a good thing - who cares if it gets trashed if we get to see the Stig lob one around a track!? Clarkson was a fan in the original review, so you'd hope he would do his best to show them in a good light.

The only problem I have is that Top Gear can never exactly be called "balanced"...there wont be any "better, more expensive examples are available with complete bumpers and no rust" type remarks...Highly likely that many viewers might be left thinking "quick car, but typical FIAT, look at the state of it!"...I can already see Hammond and May creasing up, kicking the bumper, laughing at that exhaust/hole....

Gonna be awesome though!

A few months back my daughter (without my knowledge but she does like hamsters ) applied for two tickets to a TG filming day.

There's a long waiting list but she's been promised tickets within the next two years...

Now wouldn't this be awesome if it was sooner than later and arranged on the Coupé film day

Must remember to park the car well away from the track area..' NO..STIG !! not the silver one..the GREEN one !!
oooh FFFCCUK !'

I didn't get the chance to respond to Porkypauls post last night. But Barnacle puts this into perspective.

The Ferrari 250 GTO (and really any Ferrari for that matter) has no identity with a much wider production Coupe styled Fiat, (The Fiat Coupe).

Ferrari's are generally supercars, or hypercars. And hence there value is likely to remain static, or rise as they become a genuine classic.

In my mind the closest example of how the Coupe might progress in terms of value, would be to look at older Alfa's or older Fiats. (Alfa GT Junior's, Fiat 128 3p's, Fiat 130 Coupe's, etc). Good condition examples are selling for around the £5k area.

So perhaps, in another 10 years time, we may start to see the same increases in the Coupe's. But less face it. £7m is pretty much out there.

I used the ferrari's as examples. Look at fiat 500 prices or original minis values there going sky high.
Any interest in the coupe can only help push the values up. Its also upto us to ask more for the car when we come to sell them, i think what solo italia charges should become the level at what we ask for the car.

Maybe Jeremy bought it as transport for this: Top Gear World Tour ?

The market dictates the price not the sellers. Solo Italia sell for a higher price as the work on the car make sure the cam belt is done and offer warranties. Unless you are willing to do the same you wont be able to charge the same price.

Also the examples you give are 50 years old, the coupe is ~15 years old. Have you seen the price of a 15 year old mini? Not quite the same are they?

**

The example you use are also design icons from that era and as such early examples in good (original) condition always command a high price, with those coming after and in poorer condition less.

So in 20 years time there may be an increase in price but only for the best examples.

Fiat Coupes are no investment for the future and JC driving one into the ground on TG isn't going to change that fact. Yes they'll probably become a future classic but will for any forseeable future be a cheap classic sports coupe that requires a fair amount of expensive maintance. Chances are green taxes will force the values down as people like me decide to off load them at any price in the face of ever increasing running costs(Note I have no intention of doing so any time soon). Unless you are prepared to buy a low milage minter wrap it in cotton wool for twenty years and hope by then such cars are still allowed on the road you aint ever going to make a profit outta one. Gorgeous they may be but with a reputation for high insurance, running and maintance costs they have a limited appeal and will as such always remain at the mercy of a buyers market. Though we all can hope for the wide eyed take my money punter coming along. Suggestions that we ask more than the market is willing to pay will only lead to coupes sitting outside our houses unsold.

I never said that we'd be able to make money out of them when it comes time to sell up (like most other people can't really see this happening for a long long time )- but its nice to know that as long as they are looked after the price isn't gonna keep falling as they will have a certain degree of 'classic' status.

I reckon Clarkson raving about them is only gonna help this.

That however is probably true for 99% of all vehicles out there of a certain age - classic status or not. My 12yr old Suzuki Bandit if I'd looked after it cosmetically (fully serviced runs like a dream, looks like the hack it is) would be worth as much as one half its age if that one was neglected.

But wasn't actually getting at anyone in particular boonman I was like many before me just trying to stress that there are alot more influences on value out there than JC's approval and a double page spread in Classic Cars.

Except the vast majority of them aren't ST220's. They're actually ST TDCi's.

They look identical.

Back to topic.

I was thinking the same thing Dennis! I've seen way more ASBOs than Mondeo ST220's

tbh I though Hammond's book was pretty dire. It went something like:

Chapter 1 - Hammond crashes. Wife takes over the story. Richard looked in terrible condition, but he was wonderful. The kid's were incredibly brave and they're angels.

Chapter 2 - Richard takes over. Mindy (his wife) is incredibly brave and an angel, just like the kids. Wife takes over. Richard is wonderful, he's such a fighter, I knew he was going to make it. The kids are angels.

and so on...

Just been watching the awesome Coupé launch video

Between the mouth watering close-ups and driving sequences perfectly timed to Thin Lizzie's 'boyz are back in town', the following quotes appear on screen:-

'Fiat has dared to be different - it looks absolutely fantastic. It's an absolute stunner'

'An absolute hoot to drive - when the turbo does cut in it rearranges your face better than plastic surgery. Wow!'

(and this refers to the ahem.. slightly slower 16vt model)

Oh yes..and the quotes were made by...




































..TopGear

That is awesome, look forward to it

@Biggers: Thin Lyzzie's soundtrack was used by fiat uk.
I've edited the belgian promo vid and added another great song to that:
see and listen for yourself

I'm wondering if the Top Gear Coupe might've been entered in the "Scumball Rally" It looks very tempting.
http://www.scumball.co.uk/2008/rules.php
"Cars can be worth no more than £1000"

I had a dream last night that I met Jeremy Clarkson!

I'd actually found his address in London, and knocked on his door, he was preparing for a Top Gear shoot, with a couple of make-up people around him. I asked him when he was doing the Coupe shoot. Which he responded by coming out of his house and pointing down the road to another Coupe, looking a bit tired, and worn out, "all ready done".

He went on to say that he hated the car! "Really not that quick", and "really hard, boneshaking suspension". "They look a bit of a dog too". He then said I could drive the Coupe they'd used in the shoot, and him as a passenger, as I'd said I couldn't believe he thought they weren't that quick! He was right, the Coupe he had in my dream drove like a 1.2 - it could barely climb a small incline. So in defense, I said to him he should get in as a passenger in my car, (as you all know it's been recently re-sprayed in 902 black, so looks :#). In my dream, he couldn't get over it being the same car, and when I took him for a drive, he couldn't believe how much better it was.

intercourse knows what that was all about, and where it came from?! I haven't driven the Coupe for a week or so, and haven't watched TG for ages. Maybe it was a preminition, that he's going to absolutely slate the Coupe?

Either way, I've booked in to see my Shrink at 2pm.

Wibble.

No need for a shrink, Clearly you have latent homosexual tendencies and sub consciously enjoy the company of tall middle aged men. The cars representing the usual extension, the drive as foreplay....i hope you woke up before you stuck to the sheets LOL

BJ, IMO a very concise and perceptive analysis of the dream. Have you ever thought of being a shrink?

I think I would have kept that dream to myself

Being a tall middle aged gent, I won't comment on the post above

But Good Job Aleisi




Just watched this. Excellent. I enjoyed the classical music and was just thinking this is good, when it changed tot he on the road stuff an the Queen soundtrack. Excellent choice.

I'm off for a drive now

Really?

Damn! I thought I could have done better than Jeremy Clarkson.

Looks like the new series of TG hasn't got a schedule yet, so not sure if it will be aired in June or later.