fiat coupe 20v turbo limited edition review

Picture courtesy of Jan.

Average Ratings
Performance	8.8/10
Practicality	7.4/10
Reliability	7.1/10
Value for Money	8.9/10
Reviewer Rating	8.6/10
Overall Rating	7.8/10

90% Recommended36 out of 40 Reviews

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expert review of Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo Limited Edition

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By Alexander Smith. on 3rd Aug 2001

Alexander Smith.'s Ratings
Performance	10/10
Practicality	7/10
Reliability	9/10
Value for money	10/10
Overall value	10/10
Alexander Smith.'s recommendation

Good Points

Very very quick, nicely styled interior and exterior.
The handling is very good, for a Sports Coupe it is quite a practical car.

Bad Points

Not many apart from the odd rattle and stonechips due to the styling.

General Comments

I have owned this car for a while now and it still brings a smile to my face, there isn't much that looks like it or goes like it for the money, some call it the smallest Ferrari in the Fiat (Owners of Ferrari) range. The model I have is a limited edition but has the same features as the Plus, Recaro leather, Brembo brakes, 6sp box, bodykit and various other bits and pieces that set the car apart from a standard 20v Turbo.

This car has a 0-60mph of 6 seconds and can hit 100mph and the standing quarter mile in about 14seconds, so it is no slouch, it can fit 4 people in relative comfort.

On accelerating the car gives you a solid kick in the back as everything passes in a blur, the 5 cylinder 2.0 litre Turbo engine just sings back to you, its lovely, not quite a TVR/Ferrari in sound but its a very distinctive and smooth growl which you keep revving up to the redline just to listen too.

The car handles nicely the suspension is very firm and can be a bit crashy on very rough roads, but the car generally remains composed and rarely loses traction unless your are being a real hooligan, it has a very sharp and purposeful feel to the steering although due to the size of the engine and the wide tyres it doesn't have much of a turning circle when it comes to parking it.

I am going to have this car for a long time as there is nothing that you can upgrade to from this in or just above its price range.

Sure to be a Classic in a few years now that Fiat have stopped producing them.

As said above it can seat 4 people and has a decent boot for a Coupe, probably one of the most practical Sport Coupes there is, but then practicality is not what you buy one for, its tohit the loud pedal and enjoy the ride.

You'll never get many miles to the gallon in this car its just too much fun

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17 Comments on Review by Alexander Smith. for Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo Limited Edition

Gurnmon. on 31st May 2002

very Well written review, couldn`t have put it better myself
srogro. on 11th Jun 2002

I completely agree! I had a 20v Turbo as a company car a year ago & daftly gave it up - it was the best car I'd ever driven (and I'd had an Alfa GTV and a Rover 220 Turbo Coupe to compare with!) I am now desperate to buy one privately, so if anyone knows of a good one 'S' or later with reasonably low mileage, do please let me know. Aircon & CD preferably. As a girlie, colour is quite important too! Ideally Portofino blue - but sprint blue, red or green are OK! Happy motoring all you lucky ones!
MarkMan. on 30th Jul 2002

Good review. I made the worst mistake EVER by selling a red one that I had for 3 years when I traded up for a BMW 330i coupe convertible. No other car I ever owned was as much fun. On the day I sold it I was still laughing as I shot past other drivers. Im still looking for a new car to give me the same feel. If you own one, keep it. It still hurts when I think about it.
Chris. on 19th Aug 2002

Neat summary. It is a unique and great car. I have had mine since late 1997 and can't imagine replacing it! An unbeatable price to bang ratio doesn't hurt(assuming you get your hands on one)! If I get a new car it will be an addition NOT a replacement... (and to beat the pants off the Fiat, it has to be an M3, RS4, RS6, Carrera 4!?!) way too much fun!
Bog. on 22nd Aug 2002

It's a great designer's dream that became reality.
I've seen it for the first time at the Brussel's '94 Motor Show and ever since then i dreamed of owning one! Since march 2002 my dream came true even if the 1997 Turbo Black ink colored second hand Coupé i bought has 80.000 km. NO OTHER car can give you so much style and power for so few! If you have one enjoy it, if you don't ... get one!
The Don. on 12th Sep 2002

Great Review, Great Car.. I own the slightly less potent 20v non turbo, but I am tempted to splash the cash on the Turbo. Especially as my love life has taken a sudden upturn since ditching the old Nissan Micra!!, and going for the Fiat!! The thing I love about coupes is the Italian Styling, I love to pose round the village in mine, maybe wafting the odd £20 in the face of a young lady. Imagine what I could do with a Turbo!
the-art-of-travel. on 17th Sep 2002

I agree completely. I have had mine (20V turbo - sprint blue) since 1998 and have been "meaning to sell it" for 2 years now.. can't bring myself to do it because there is nothing else that looks as good, is as practical or as fast. My only complaint is that it can get tiring on long journeys (>200miles) because of the stiff suspension and very direct steering. It can feel like a video game, especially at night !.. Mine has been extremely reliable as well. The smoothness and sound of the engine (5 cyl growl and turbo whistle) are also fantastic. You don't have to sit behind queues of traffic in one of these...
Pixie. on 26th Sep 2002

Totally agree with the review. I convinced my husband to go for a 20V Turbo a couple of months ago - he was gunning for an Alfa 147. He has been thanking me ever since! We both adore the car, and couldn't imagine ever selling it. It's fun, a headturner and we both still giggle like idiots every time we leave other cars in a cloud of dust at the traffic lights!
Gonzo. on 29th Nov 2002

I have to agree with everyone else’s comments. I have a modified one now producing around 250+ at the wheels! Plus it has a full early fiat body kit. It's a mad lower-end (208/328) Ferrari eater. I do not use it every day, as I want to keep its condition and mileage down. Prices are looking to rise shortly for nice one's. There won't be enough to go around soon......you’ve been warned!
Rob. on 2nd Jan 2003

Anyone looking to buy a GOOD s/h coupe should try Beart and Gibson of Harpenden. A family owned business dealing only in Fiat coupes. I have just bought a modified turbo with Cadamuro bodykit and its a belter. Give the boys a look-in, it will be the best drive home of your life.
SteveW. on 21st Jan 2003

The fiat coupe, what a car, i was looking for a car with outstanding performance for a reasonable price and did i find one, i bought a graphite grey limited edition, at 225 bhp, it really pulls, all leather, with just about every consealable extra, the roar when you get to about 5000 RPM is fantastic, i have had a engine stutt installed to stiffen the front end, it works, all that car for under 10,000,WOW. The only problem being is im probably not going to survive to pay the finance off!!
Ajay Makwana. on 16th Mar 2003

I would love to own one but before i splash out on one may be a 1996 model what are the most common problems and cost of repairs / service is it better to have turbo or non turbo ? what about the electronics ? basically i would like to know what reliabilty is like ?
I will appreciate your comments ?
Rabit. on 10th Jun 2003

Read the reviews and want to agree with all the reviewers.I own a red 20v turbo standard and it gives me a good feeling whenever i drive it.
The noise ,speed, stlying are all top draw.
Im trying not to drive everyday,for i too wish to keep it young and healthy.
Only complaints are some annoying squeaks from the interior probably due to the state of london roads and sleeping policemen.
Overall a oneoff machine.
anthony. on 30th Jul 2003

i totally agree with all coments made so far about fiat coupes.i have had mine for 15months and love it to bits.practicality is good,reliability good,maintenance ok(gotta keep on top of them oil levels,uses alot of oil)fun while driving this car second to none.
just booked the coupe in for a full service with l_m international(high wycombe.cater for very high spec cars,scoobys,evos,ftos,etc) very reasonable at £240,cheaper than any fiat garage i tried.a small complaint about the fiat is prtrol consumption you dont get many miles to the gallon and they eat tyres for brekfast,wouldnt recommend pirelli p-zeros very expensive,good level of grip but there wear to quickly.in the process of purchasing 2 front tyres but am having difficulty deciding what to buy,have heard that bridgestone so-2 r good?would like some feed back and has anybody tried vredstein tyres?
specialoperative007 on 4th Jun 2004

Just bought a Sprint Blue 20v Turbo, 97 on an R Reg. Best car I will ever own... Looks beautiful, great to drive and high end power is unreal. One thing about these cars is that most of the power sits high in the Rev range, due to the multi-valve nature of the 5 cylinder engine. This means that if you pull away from the lights with very little revs, you will NOT leave in a hurry, the car will slowly wind up, and then when the turbo kicks in, it will QUICKLY wind up... So you need to rev and get the turbo spinning before pulling away... If you do this, the car is one of the fastest off the mark in the UK... The Turbo kicks in immediately and you are flying.. I enjoy this car more on Dual Carriageways and Motorways when the power is always on tap and more accessible. Mine came with a HUGE aftermarket exhaust which I hate... the noise is just too much so I have just ordered a standard Back Box and mid Pipe from Fiat (my girlfriend works for a garage and got trade price), and the car is booked in in a couple of days to get it's nice (quieter) new exhaust on as well as a Mobil 1 oil change. For anyone who has just bought or is thinking about buying one of these, you MUST invest in expensive oil.... these machines are complex and engines run hot and fast. You need to change oil and filter every 4000miles minimum and you need Mobil 1 oil of Selenia (around £45 for the 5 litres you need and £8 for the oil filter)... If you get a good, unabused one and you change the oil regularly with good oil, these cars can be very very reliable and well behaved. I can't see mt ever selling this car!
Marters on 24th Aug 2004

Really interested in getting one of these cars they sound a blast. Was originally looking at an Alfa GTV but have since changed my mind. The thing is though, I would be doing a fair few miles a year through my sales job and wondered if i should seriously get one of these if I expect to do 15,000 - 20,000 miles per year.
Martin Thomas on 10th Sep 2004

Good review - can I point out that now many of these cars are reaching mid life mileage you must keep up the oil changes with good grade synthetic or semi synthetic oil. If you're not used to these Fiat twin cams you can expect oil consumption of up to 1 litre every 2000 miles as normal. The 6th service interval at 72000 miles is expensive as many components are replaced - including the cambelt and according to the 'book' this is an engine out job. It is vital that the cambelt is changed if you have any doubt (when buying second hand).
Entrust this service to a good garage - one that has gained an excellent reputation for handling Delta Integrales in the past for instance. The two cars share very similar mechanical traits/ problems in mid life.
Lastly I know its not quite the same model, but we've seen a lot of private owners confusing the service intervals of the 5 pot and 4 pot cars in the club (SFC). The '4 pot' Coupes have a 9k service interval, not the 12k interval of the '5 pot' - confusion with dire results!
Budget to keep a performance car going and you should be well rewarded.