Highlights
- Very attractive colour scheme
- Smart tan leather interior
- Just 84,726 miles indicated
- Fine history, with £1,000s spent on maintenance
- Charismatic five-cylinder turbo engine
- Presented in factory specification
The Appeal
When it comes to style and panache, nobody does it quite like the Italians. And as far as cars are concerned, both Fiat and Pininfarina are responsible for some of the best automotive designs we’ve ever seen. So when Fiat hired Pininfarina to style the Coupé – with Chris Bangle at the helm – it really was a match made in heaven.
Produced with a choice of powerplants, the choice for enthusiasts was always the five-cylinder 20v turbo, with its aural delights and superb performance. And that’s exactly what we have here – a 20v turbo that’s been very well cared for, presented with an extensive history and £1,000s in recent expenditure to keep it in top mechanical condition. Add to that the unusual and very desirable dark metallic green over tan leather specification, and you have a cracking sports coupé that’s increasingly rare and collectible.
The History and Paperwork
- First registered in February 1998
- Six owners from new
- Current owner since December 2020
- 84,726 miles indicated, verified by the MOT record since 2006
- Current MOT to February 2024, with no advisories
- Cambelt changed at 80,000 miles in 2021
- Service in February 2022 by Power Italia at 82,763 miles
- Massive paperwork file, with invoices for servicing and maintenance, as well as old MOTs
- Complete with the owner’s handbooks and correct V5c
The Interior
- Tan leather upholstery to the door cards and seats
- All leather appears to be in good order, with some gentle patina and creasing to the seats
- Tan carpets present very nicely, with no significant staining or wear we could see
- Light coloured headliner appears to be free from stains and damage, although we noted a small amount of sagging at the front
- Modern Bluetooth stereo system with hands-free phone connection, two USB ports and an Aux port
- Iconic body-coloured strip across the dash looks to be in fine order, with no notable wear
- Electrically operated windows and door mirrors
- Air conditioning, with was serviced and regassed in May 2021
- All of the instrumentation, switchgear and internal trim is in good order, with some blemishes and light wear from use
- Smart grey carpet trims out the boot area, and is in fine condition
- A spacesaver spare wheel and Fiat tool roll are present and correct
The Exterior
- Dark green metallic paintwork, a rare colour that shows in generally good condition
- There are some minor scratches and marks, commensurate with the car’s age and mileage
- The only issue we noted is a scuff to the near-side rear arch strake, which looks to have some surface corrosion
- There is some micro-blistering to both door mirror bases
- The bodywork looks very clean and tidy, with no notable damage or corrosion apparent – panels are straight, lines crisp and the gaps all look even
- All of the trim and badging appears to be present and correct, with no damage we noticed
- Underneath, the floors look nice and solid, with no signs of damage or corrosion
- There is what appears to be surface corrosion to some of the drivetrain elements, but nothing that would concern us
- Wheels are the factory 16-inch, four-spoke items – finished in silver and in pretty good order with a few minor marks and some bubbling on show
- The wheels are shod in a matched set of Pirelli Cinturato tyres that appear to have good tread levels and no sidewall damage we could identify
The Mechanics
- 1,998cc five-cylinder, 20-valve, twin-cam turbocharged engine
- 217bhp and 229lb-ft delivered to the front wheels through a limited slip differential
- Five speed manual transmission
- Brembo performance brakes (factory fitted)
- During their ownership the vendor tells us they have replaced the brakes, the exhaust system, the alternator, water pump and had a new Sparco strut brace fitted
- February 2021 – New braided oil cooler hoses and silicone coolant hose kit
- March 2021 – New catalytic converter, new cambelt, pulleys and tensioners
- May 2021 – New alloy radiator
- July 2021 – New front and rear bump stops, silver front grill, front dampers, off-side front solid brake line
- The vendor tells us that the car “drives like new”, starts and runs well, changes gear slickly and has no oil leaks, smoke or warning lights
Summary
A rare and appreciating modern classic, this handsome sports coupé has much to recommend it, from the powerful turbo engine to the wonderful colour scheme. If you crave something stylish and just a little different that’s been very well maintained, then this would be ideal for you.
Notice to bidders
This item is sold on an ‘As is Where is’ basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and listing descriptions are for guidance purposes only*.** Car & Classic do not warrant listing accuracy. Full inspection is recommended. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion. Buyer is responsible for delivery and collection of any item purchased.*
UK-registered cars and motorbikes on Car & Classic are run through an online HPI check. On the HPI report, this vehicle shows no insurance database markers for damage or theft. It is currently not covered by a finance agreement.
UK-registered cars and motorbikes on Car & Classic are run through an online HPI check. On the HPI report, this vehicle shows no insurance database markers for damage or theft. It is currently not covered by a finance agreement.
A non-refundable buyer’s deposit is payable on this item, refer to FAQs and T&Cs for the applicable percentage.
All bidding, buying and offers are subject to our Terms and Conditions.
