Beskrivning
For sale is my 1999 Fiat Coupe 20VT. I am the fourth owner, having purchased the car in 2007.
The car has a full service history, mostly from Motormech in Birmingham and Power Italia in Essex. It was last serviced on 12th January 2022. The MoT is valid until 12th January 2023. Recent work includes:
Jan 2022 -- New discs and pads all round
Nov 2021 -- New tyres all round
Oct 2021 -- Alloy wheels refurbished
Jan 2021 -- New cambelt, aux belts, and tensioners; exhaust manifold reconditioned
Apr 2019 -- New clutch master cylinder
Jan 2018 -- New turbo.
The car was my only car until the spring of 2020, when I bought a new daily driver and it became a weekend car. Even while it was my only car, it saw relatively light use due to my being based in London for most of that time — it was mainly used for long runs out of town at weekends, with relatively little mid-week urban use. During my ownership it has averaged under 4, 000 miles per year. Between 2008 and 2016 it was kept in a private underground garage, which has helped to keep the body in good condition and avoid the rust issues which many other examples have fallen victim to. Notwithstanding the low annual mileage, it has always been serviced on time and by specialists. Overall, I would describe its condition as that of a good usable classic. It is not a show car, and, like any car of its age, will require on-going maintenance, but it is in very good condition mechanically, structurally sound, and presents well cosmetically.
Exterior:
The paintwork is in good condition for the age of the vehicle. If I were to keep the car, I would probably treat it to a respray at some point in the next 5-10 years in order to get it looking perfect, but overall it presents well. The colour is Grigio Steel (Steel Grey), and is metallic. There are the usual age-related marks such as stone chips etc. The sills, splitter, and rear valance standard (i. e. the non-LE/ Plus version) and are black, rather than colour-coded as on some later cars. The Pininfarina badges on the rear quarters and the B-pillar badges are all present.
Wheels, tyres, and running gear:
The 16” alloy wheels are completely unmarked, having been fully refurbished in October 2021. The tyres are Toyo Proxes TR1s all round, and were fitted in November 2021, so still have plenty of tread on them. Tyre size is 205/ 50 R16 all round. New OEM brake discs and pads were fitted on all four corners at the last service in January 2022. The suspension has been maintained on an on-going basis, and parts replaced as required. If I were keeping the car, and wanted it to be perfect, I’d consider a full suspension refresh at some point in the next few years.
Engine and drivetrain:
The engine is a turbocharged 2. 0l inline 5-cylinder unit. It pulls well, and sounds fantastic when the turbo comes on-boost. Oil pressure is 3 bar at cold idle and under load, and 2. 5 bar at warm idle. The turbocharger was replaced in 2018. It spools up well, holds good pressure, and there is no evidence of any leaks at the oil seals. In-gear acceleration is a well-known strong point of these cars, and that holds true here: acceleration between around 25 and 90 mph in 3rd gear is impressive even by modern standards. The gearbox is a 5-speed manual, making this one of the last cars to be fitted with that transmission before the 6-speed became standard. The shift is slick and positive and the box goes into reverse smoothly.
Interior:
The interior is black leather, and is in very good condition. The leather has no rips, sagging, or other damage. The plastikote has been removed from the centre console and it now has a carbon wrap. The previous owner fitted a bluetooth phone kit with a cradle, which works well and provides an update to the car’s functionality if being used on a regular basis. Also fitted is a modern Pioneer mechless head unit which features AM/ FM/ DAB radio, bluetooth audio and USB input. I still have the original Clarion head unit and this will be included in the sale in the event that you would like to return the interior to standard spec. The original floor mats (with “Coupe” lettering) had long since worn out by the time I bought the car; it now has a custom-made set in black, made from the original pattern.
Tech/ comfort/ safety:
The car features: driver’s and pax airbags, ABS, PAS (hydraulic), air conditioning, electric wing mirrors, and electric front windows (one-touch on the driver’s side). The seats are manual. There is wiring in the boot for a CD changer (also made by Clarion, and an option when new), but not the changer itself. The blue and red keys are present, but not the silver key (it was not supplied when I bought the car). I looked into getting a new one cut, but silver blanks are very rare. However, a second blue key can be cut quite easily.
The car will be sold with various spares I have acquired during my ownership, including a spare filler cap, steering wheel, and various items of interior trim.
Overall, this is a very good modern classic car that can still be used and enjoyed today. I have tried to look after it carefully during my ownership, and will be sad to see it go. I am selling as I have now bought a Lotus Evora to replace it. The fact that it has taken this long and has involved such a significant increase in budget to find something to replace it with speaks volumes about the car.
Viewings welcome. I am also happy to answer any questions over the telephone. If you are far away or organising a viewing is difficult, I am also happy take any close-up pictures of areas you would like to look at in more detail and/ or do a pre-recorded video or live face-time walk-around (either as well as or instead of an in-person viewing).
Mileage correct at time of writing, but may increase as vehicle is still in use.
