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Fiat

Tuesday, 6th of January 2009

Polls

We had two cars on test under the bonnet of our first test car we had the 1.4-litre T-JET engine, which has an output of 155bhp and the second car we got our hands on was the Grande Punto Abarth ‘Esseesse’ and has a power output of 180bhp. The two cars have real bite for such small engines but we’ll focus on the ‘Esseesse’, this car is truly remarkable. Our test route included runs up Harewood HillClimb one of the most famous in the UK and the car did not disappoint. It has a maximum torque of 272Nm at 2,750 – this gives the car great acceleration and should mean that you will have no problems negotiating slower moving traffic on road conditions. The ‘Esseese’ has a top speed of 133mph and it will get from rest to 62mph in 7.5 seconds.

The Grande Punto Abarth with 155bhp is a cracking sporty car but go for broke and spend the extra £4000 and you can get a specially-appointed dealer to convert your car to Essesse (SS) spec. There is quite some difference, the Essesse is lowered more than the 155bhp car, and it has been fitted with race seats to hold you in better when driving on. Point the car into a bend and it turns, Abarth has precision down to a fine art with this car. It has a great balance – it is not as raw as some rivals but when you push on you can feel that you have a mega power plant ready to accelerate you to your destination. The Grande Punto Abarth can be quite pleasant when sitting at motorway speed as the car is quite tame until you push it. This makes it great for every day use whereas some of its rivals would be hindered by their raw power and the constant need to be driven quickly.

The build quality and reliability is just as impressive. Abarth has taken its lead from Fiat and has worked hard to get the fittings right. The cabin looks well and it has brushed aluminium strips setting the interior off. The plastics used are of high quality and the switch gear and gauges are all well placed and within easy reach of the driver. The maker has used quality materials on the seats and over long journeys seem comfortable. All the shut lines fit neatly together and the doors shut with a quality-sounding thud.

The Grande Punto Abarth is a safe place to be as the maker has installed ABS and ESP to help you get stopped in a safe and controlled manner. There’s also numerous airbags including driver, passenger and side bags to protect occupants in a crash. The Grande Punto Abarth comes with remote central locking and an immobiliser to stop thieves from taking your vehicle. To keep weight down there is no spare wheel but there is a Fix&Go tyre repair kit in the boot.

On the space and practicality front the Grande Punto Abarth does quite well. There is plenty of room in the rear for two adults and you could maybe squeeze a ‘wee’ one in if you are on a very short journey. The hatch is family friendly and the boot is roughly the same size as the Fiat Grande Punto which means you’ll be able to get quite a bit of shopping in the car.

This Grande Punto Abarth is a cracker and it seems a snip as the price starts from £13,500. You can drive it as a normal car when on the motorway or when in town but take it out onto the open road and you’ll see why this car is an Abarth. It has precision steering and the Abarth is no slouch as the performance figures (above) show. Not only is the car quick but it’s also green for such a sporty car. With th 155bhp power plant it emits 162g/km of CO2 and Abarth claims that the car will return 40.9mpg. The Scorpion badge has returned with a bang.

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