Images of 1.8 16v Special Edition

Some people asked for this. Images of a totally original 1.8 16v Special Edition (aka. Y2K version).

Thanks Gregor!




... added: a moon grey one

Nice to see pics of this rare coupe, i like the center console, and the seats, together as a package it all works well

Don't take fast right-handers in this car. You'd lose an eye with that cross dangling there.

That center console is identical to the one in my Sprinty, I don't know where it came from.

Either Rog or Shippy must have aquired it during their respective ownership - quite rare I believe?, it's not 'rubberised'

I like it too transforms the interior IMO whatever the colour of the car

That cross is, for me, an essential safety feature. Perhaps even more than the spider in the mirror..
It has been proved and tested to avoid accidents, especialy when elderly are involved.
Also I need to get that cross in my 20vt a.s.a.p. in case I (nearly) run into any traffic jams again.

It probably is the same centre console, years ago I organised with Steve @ AA a group buy, Steve bought about a dozen of these silver consoles and various parties purchased them. So you will have the exact same console, the silver special edition console

Cool & there still isn't a mark on it, not even by the DIN aperature

Here is is on a Sprint Blue:



If there are any left I reckon it would stir sufficient interest to get them outed on a group buy

I can get them silvers for €199 instead of the official €299. So around what... £ 170? Don't know if that includes the ashtray surround. Maybe if we have 10 interested I can get the price down. But I guess it's a lot cheaper even to have a bodyshop remove the part and spray it silver.

I shudder at the strain on that poor little engine though. It's the same unit that's in my Barchetta, which is several hundred kilo's lighter!

Same as a 2.0 16v: 139 bhp. It's not s l o w to be honest. Well it is compared to a 350 bhp Coupe of course, but...

And the engine is lighter than a 2.0

less torque though?

2.0

139 @ 6k
180 @ 4,5k
1.250 kg

0-100 in 9.2
top 130 mph


1.8

130 bhp @ 6.3
164 Nm @ 4,3k
1.180 kg

0-100 in 9.2
top 128 mph


So don't think there's much in it and the 1.8 is 70kg lighter (at the front mainly) so would be handling slightly better round the cornies.

I've driven quite a few (as I did all) and I was pretty impressed by the way it changes direction. After all the chassis is up for plenty more bhp and plenty more weight.

As said, it's not a slow car. It's about as fast as a Mk I Golf GTI, well maybe a bit slower but not much In this day and age I find it more fun to drive than the 20vt. With the 1.8 you actually get to go all out in rare ocassions, in the 20vt reaching 4000rpm means it's time to hit the brakes, urgently.
But then again compare the 1.8 to a 2.0 turbo and it seems to be standing still.

i'd imagine its almost identical in performance to the 2.0 16v n/a.

its not staggeringly fast, as you would expect, but by no means a slouch, and in comparison to the five pot, far more willing to rev right through the whole rev range and pull strongly.

its fair to say that given the coupes lardy waistline, the n/a engines do have to work harder than perhaps they should do, but then again - if the coupe was a bit lighter the 200-220bhp of the VT variety would seem even better as well.

What is the BHP of the 2.0 16v UK Coupe?

Depends who you ask. 139-142bhp. More if Flea's been at it...

When you say totally standard does that include the wheels....

Yes it does pfoe.
And there's another special feature only to appear on this Last Edition.
It's related to the wing mirror
Anyone?

Some great photos there.

Brought back memories of the first Coupe (a 1.8) I ever saw which was in May 2000 in the Fiat showroom in Oslo.

Coupes were never offically imported "Downunder" although New Zealand received them.

Heated Mirrors?

A small hint: it's colour related.

Colour coded spider?

there is a little silver bit on the wing mirror?

There's a moon grey SE for sale in Belgium. So that proves they came in more than just black and astral blue.

And more pictures...

@Klaas: the moon grey one on display might not be a proper SE as this lacks the colour coded headlights and mirror tips. To me this looks like one of those late examples wearing bits and pieces of what was available at the time of assembly.
I've got a picture of an ink black SE somewhere. Provide me your email address and I'll send it over to you for investigation
Here's a genuine SE:

Pieter, it's indeed an SE with some things missing, but it has many many things that wouldn't be available through other channels, like the BBS wheels.

Anyway, there's even a late red 6 somewhere that came with the LE rear light surrounds.