I've always reserved a special kind of jealousy for those fortunate enough to afford an exotic Supercar or luxurious Grand Tourer. That feeling of entitlement when seeing a low-riding Ferrari swagger by, driven by someone who's only purpose in life is to garner the praise and adulation a car of this nature merits. They often have no interest in the machine itself, only the looks and accepting nods of approval from passers-by on the pavement, as I said, it's a special kind of jealousy and a dream that one can only yearn to experience. Quite by accident however, I recently stumbled across a budget head-turner available at a fraction of the six figure sum these rare exotics demand, and it comes in the shape of the humble Fiat Coupé.
About a fortnight ago, I went up to work in London on the train and came home, to mixed reception, with a new daily driver. The sale was as urgent as it comes, but I wasn't one to argue as the Fiat Coupé has always been a car I have wholeheartedly admired, chiefly for the fact that it's conception ranks as one of the most interesting genesis stories in automotive history.
Let's set the scene. It's 1990, and the world basks in a global financial recession. The automotive industry is in crisis as the paying punters are now unable to afford new vehicles and once overperforming car manufacturers are starting to feel the strain. One of these companies is Fiat.
Over the course of the 1980's, the Italian Marquee had excelled themselves in the production of cheap and cheerful daily runners like the Tipo and the Panda, but the onset of a financial crisis had priced even these affordable motors beyond the reach of many a keen buyer. Before the crash, Fiat themselves had been eager to dispel their reputation for building erstwhile but inexpensive cars, and were considering developing a Sports Coupe for the 1990's. Once the situation had subsided, the year was 1992 and Fiat's mooted Coupé was still priced well beyond the reach of their target demographic. It was here that the company did a full U-turn on the original proposal.
They would persist with the idea but would construct it the only way Fiat knew how at that time. To ensure that the Coupé would sell in the fragile economic environment, they would build it on the cheap. Turning to legendary Italian design house, Pininfarina, the brief was to design a body that was both eye-catching and cheap to build, which was a thoroughly tricky ask at the best of times. Sensing that the task may be a bridge too far, Fiat also asked their in-house design team to draw up a body of their own. Led by the soon-to-be legendary Chris Bangle, the in-house team would win the day with a sleek and elegant proposal as Pininfarina were relegated to interior design on the model Fiat were now labelling prosaically as the 'Coupé'.
The car wouldn't debut for another two years, but when it did, the reception was overwhelmingly positive. The Coupé heralded all the tropes a Sportscar should, aggressive curves and angles crafted a sporty exterior that bore strong resemblance to the Ferrari's of the time. From top to tail, and with the Fiat badges removed, you would be forgiven for thinking it was one of the prancing horses newest recruits. Inside, Pininfarina badges emblazoned the dashboard to leave prospective buyers in no doubt as to who designed it. Under the bonnet, Fiat offered a naturally aspirated 1.6l 4-Cylinder 16 Valve engine to start, later adding another cylinder and bringing in a more powerful 20 Valve offering a year later. The famed turbo's would follow in the mid 90's and added some much needed grunt to proceedings. The original engines carried some severe pedigree as well, inheriting the same Twin-Cam design that had powered the Lancia Delta to six consecutive World Rally Championships. Most importantly, it was affordable with prices starting at around £19,000, Fiat looked to have succeeded in their plight to bring an affordable Sportscar to the market.
The Coupé was in instant success, with almost 18,000 units shifted in it's first full year of production. In doing so, Fiat had not only produced a handsome and affordable sportscar to the market, but had also transformed their existing reputation, the brief had been an immense success.
Having driven a Coupé for the last few weeks, I can confirm that it still stacks up against most of the current day competition. I should state, mine is the 20V normally aspirated model so the power is a little bit limited and you get the feeling that it needs the added boost the later turbo models offer. But beyond that, you are greeted with full leather upholstery inside and a lavish interior trim that looks far more expensive than it probably is. Pininfarina badges adorn a very analogue interior with a manual clock and basic centre console, this particular model sporting a very fetching red lined trim to match the outer colour scheme. Outside, the build quality is surprisingly good, the front end looks suitably menacing with its snarling headlights and front grille perched on the bodywork at an angle reminiscent of a 550 Maranello with the rear also harkening back to the old 1990's Ferrari design, with its deep set rear headlights and cut throat rear-overhang, and indicator lights nicked straight from the Ferrari F40. To fully polish off the look, we are treated to four red brake callipers, all clearly visible amongst bespoke black alloys, to hammer home the potential prestige of the car. And all for relative in-expense, as this example was picked up for less than £2,000.
When behind the wheel, granted there are some flaws. The steering for example, is loose and wayward with little coordination with regards to where you want it to point. The transmission comes in the shape of a 5-speed manual, and the throw between the gears is both long and cumbersome, taking a century to shift from 2nd to 3rd, I've seen Agricultural machinery with more competent gearing. The rear view mirrors are slim and dainty but provide very little indication of what is behind you, serving more for show than they do for practicality. And the interior itself is as well equipped as a South American prison, with analogue instruments aplenty including a proper clock that would be wasted on many a digital youth in this current technologically driven age. Then you get to the outside noise that wafts in from time to time, the sound of the engine can only mask the sound of wind crashing against the exterior so much. That said however, one must consider that this piece was designed at the time to be effective and affordable, and if that is the criteria then you can safely say the Coupé matches and potentially surpasses it. I struggle to think of many cars that are better value for money than this car, especially in the practical Sportscar market.
And it's not all bad of course! The view out of the rear is relatively good, there's very few blind spots and the fact you don't sit so low to the road makes this a practical daily runner should you need it to be. I have driven mine fairly consistently over the last few weeks and I can say with confidence that it's among the best examples of cheap sportscar I have ever had the joy of driving. Once you hit 4,000 revs, the engine comes alive, this 20v seems alive and visceral, I can only imagine what the Turbo must feel like. Personally, having driven the naturally aspirated model, I can say that the power on offer is plentiful at high revs that the Turbo seems pretty redundant but those 20VT owners out there can tell me if I'm talking twaddle.
On an open B-road or country lane, the handling is classically Italian, with a certain playfulness when you swing it into a tight bend in spite of it's relative imbalance. The rear boot is also surprisingly spacious, able to carry at least a weeks worth of shopping, which in the current climate is all you can ask for in reality.
Perhaps the best thing about the Fiat Coupé though, is the way it looks. It really is bite the back of your hand beautiful, even 24 years after it's conception. Those striking angles and supercar looks make it as jaw dropping as any of it's forbearers. I was asked a couple of times whilst filling up at my local BP whether this was a Ferrari, to which I had the upmost glee in informing them that it was in fact a Fiat. Those passers-by in the street would turn-around and glance again as the elegant Coupé glided past, in the same way a Ferrari or Lamborghini would garner such praise.
As I said at the start, looking good on a budget is always a big ask, but with the humble Fiat, it's not an impossible task. You can still pick up excellent examples for less than £4,000 but truth be told, that's an absolute bargain in the current climate. If that's what you can get for the money, it's a wonder that there aren't more on the road, turning heads at every opportunity like it should.
Keyword: Fiat Baby Ferrari