What is the most noteworthy Coop fact for you?

For me, it has to be that the 20v turbo was the fastest FWD car in the world when it was released.

That would be an impressive feat for any non-supercar marque, but for Fiat which is mainly associated with small cars, that's almost unbelievable. I probably would have expected something like the Honda Integra of that era to hold that title.

I know that Fiat does have sporty cars in its history and I know that virtually all manufacturers were making standout coupes in the 90s, so obviously Fiat really had to push the envelope. But still, the Coop really seems like an anomaly for Fiat.

Could you ever imagine Fiat, of all people, producing the fastest FWD car in the world today?

Hmm,,

Yes it's likely that fact for me too. Right next to the pininfarina styling.

People sniff at the power output now - but as I have said to a few surprised mates that I have sailed past - it's ALL about how the coupe deploys the power!!

Good question!

Regards

MM

On the 20vt,then it has to be how easy it is to change the oil filter. What an outstanding piece of engineering that must have took a great deal of time and effort to design and place it where it is!

After the power (of the 20vt), the most noteworthy fact for me is how Chris Bangle managed to get his Centro Stile design accepted by Fiat in competition against the rather bland effort from pininfarina (which eventually became the Peugeot 406 Coupe), although of course pininfarina did a good job with the interior, and got to build the thing. For pininfarina it was their 3rd highest production car (after the Fiat 124 Spider and Peugeot 306 cabriolet) and 5th highest in terms of average annual production (after the afore-mentioned Peugeot 406 Coupe, the 124 Spider, the Mitsubish Pajero Pinin and the Ford Street Ka). I probably know all this because I used to own 1 each of their top 3 production cars (not got the 306 cabby any more)

What blows my mind is the design space ulilisation difference between the Coupe and Alfa GTV which shares the same platform. The underbonnet area seems similar but the Coupe is like a tardis inside and has a good size boot; yet the GTV is cramped inside and has tiny boot. Difference is simply unbelievable. Another fact is the over-engineering of the engine such that it can make an extra 50% power reliably and safely.

It's got to be the styling, it's so radical and unique yet so many people still don't know what it is. I've had people argue with me with I tell them it's a Fiat, some think it's a kit car or an Alfa. Agree with Mark about the GTV, the difference is amazing, coop much easier to live with and cheaper on fuel!

I've always thought of the GTV as a small sized car. To me the exterior has always seemed noticeably smaller compared to the Coop.

But what are they actually like in person when parked side by side?

I never owned them both at the same time but the internal space was much smaller in the GTV, boot hopeless and rear seats useless if you have legs.

Is the Coupe 20v turbo still the fastest production fiat
to date?

Thought the Dino Spider might have been there, but its top speed is only 130mph. The Ritmo 130 TC only achieved 121mph and the Uno Turbo is only 127mph. The Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari has a top speed of only 140mph which is still lower than the 20vt.

So the 20vt may be the fastest production fiat to date.

By "fastest" I thought most people were referring to the 0-60mph or 0-100kph (0-62mph) times which were variously reported between 6.0-6.5sec with a top speed of 155mph (IIRC)

In which case the 500 derived Abarth 695 Biposto with a claimed 5.9 sec for 0-62mph is the "fastest" (just)...but with a top speed of 143mph makes the Coupe still the "fastest" (top speed)

(Tributo Ferrari is only 6.9s claimed 0-62mph)

I'd say that 0-60mph would show the 'quickest', but top speed for the 'fastest'

Most noteworthy fact is that the car is a galvinised coachbuilt Fiat.




The GTV looks physically smaller next to the Coupe and positively tiny next to modern cars. The tiny boot/cramped rear in a GTV is due to the rear suspension design which gives it an edge in the handling (as does the strengthened Tipo floor plan), the interior is pretty cramped inside with low headroom, smaller narrow footwells etc.... the GTV is no real world 2+2 unlike the Coupe once your kids are 9+

https://www.automaniac.org/compare/235/13770/alfa-romeo-gtv-3.0-v6-24v-VS-fiat-coup-2.0-20v-turbo

According to the link...


GTV

4285 mm length
1780 mm width
1318 mm height





COOP

4250 mm length
1768 mm width
1355 mm height



So the GTV is longer and wider but the Coop is taller (all differences that are a only a couple of centimetres at most) yet the Coop overall looks bigger?

The fact that I own one........ .

As they should be using a shared platform and yet they are like little and large inside :-)

Well the Coupe -20vt flavour- is certainly faster then a the Albarth - I know as I drove one last year. It was ok. But not Coupe quick - unless there was some special button you needed to press to get it to go faster! MUCH faster!

Wish Fiat would produce more daring cars!

MM

Indeed, the wee Abath roller skate at the top speed would be more difficult to handle than the Coop as well, in my humble view of limited knowledge.....

Maybe it depends on circumstances.

Right now as I haven't had mine for many months it's "missing it" - but becoming strangely hardened to that fact. Otherwise I'd probably break down into pieces

Maybe getting it back early in the New Year it will feel as if it's never been away

But then I'll remind myself of the paint-job, welding (17 days' worth) and refurbed seats...ooh and countless other things!

Hurry up Bee

Slightly off topic, but since Abarth is being mentioned here, how come they never actually touched the Coop?

You'd think Abarth and the Coop were made for one another!

If they had approached it, realistically what do you reckon they would have done with it?

Yes, interesting point...what would they have done...

...perhaps put in the 2.4 engine from the Stilo (as some on here have done) with a larger turbo/intercooler, uprated exhaust to give at least 300bpp, suspension mods (eg: Bilsteins), some different more sporty seats and Abarth badges, perhaps some sporty "red bits" ?

That would have pushed the price up several more £,000 and made it a rather pricey proposition when new, maybe even approaching £30k (20+ years ago, so the equivalent of £45k today?)

But I like that idea!

Abarth and Zender were both approached and asked to design some optional extras for the Coupé, Zender got the green light, how do I know?

I've seen the fitted Abarth body kit in the flesh and it looked horrid

I'd never heard of this little Abarth so I've got hold of the specs and ran the numbers. Top speed came out spot on at 142.4mph but I just can't see this 0-100kph in 5.9s. That's equivalent to a 5.6 0-60mph and that isn't happening with a FWD car on Eagle F1s. I wonder if they did it with some super sticky track day tyres... I can't find a single magazine review of it tested with timing gear.

That said, it does have seem to have exactly the same pace as a 20vT from 400m to 1000m taking 11.6s. It runs out of puff a little later but that is mighty impressive

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/abarth/695-biposto

for £33K I should hope it's fast great fun to 'borrow' for 3 years but not to buy one.

Good thread this.

For me, considering an 20VT and a Abarth 595 in the household. The Coop wins hands down, but for a fast and fun to drive shopping cart, the Abarth 595 wins. It’s a hoot to drive in towns and cities with or without sport mode on. Just a shame the Abarth 124 has been killed off.

I saw her by peering through a window Edinburgh- she's in good hands - and being taken very good care off! It was a real honour to have the chance to even see her through the glass- she was in the super special projects section of FCSS that Joe keeps off limits. Pride of place!!

Fret not! And hope you have her back v soon!

Regards

MM

Here is bumble bee in the colour-co-ordinated "special projects section"

Lol...poor BumbleBee!

lol -

For a moment there I was imagining a correlation between these two