Once the rights of the iconic Fiat x1/9 were handed over to Bertone in 1983, Fiat was left with a fleet of mundane vehicles such as the Fiat Ritmo (Strada), as it tried to rebadge itself as a maker of fuel efficient economical cars. About 10 years later in 1992, a new sporty design was spotted being developed by Fiat, and created a buzz in the automotive publications of the day. At the 1993 Brussels Motor Show, the car was finally unveiled as the Fiat Coupe.

The Fiat Coupe was designed by Chris Bangle, who is most (in)famous for his time as chief of design of BMW, after leaving Fiat, where he designed cars such as the Z9 and GINA concept cars over a period of 17 years. The interior was designed by famed coachworker Pininfarina and includes striking details such as body colored dashboard trim. Lest you forget who designed the interior, the name Pininfarina is displayed prominently in the center of the dashboard trim.

Earlier year models carried the 2.0L 16 V turbo and normally aspirated version of Fiat’s twin-cam designed engine which is most famous for powering the Lancia Delta Integrale, a car which won the World Rally Championship a record six times. In 1996, the engines were replaced with either a 1.8 L 4 cylinder 16V engine, or a 2.0 L in-line 5 cylinder 20V engine available in turbo and normally aspirated versions. Both versions can be found in the Japanese Used Auto market.

The 2.0 L in-line 5 cylinder 20V turbo engine found on the sportiest version of the Fiat Coupe produced a total of 220 PS (217 hp) and propelled the car from 0-100 km/h in only 6.3 seconds with a top speed of 155 mph (6-speed). As if to emphasize the Coupe was designed as a sports car, the vehicle only came with manual transmissions, with earlier year models coming with a 5-speed and the 1998 and newer models having an optional 6-speed.

The Fiat Coupe features all around independent suspension with MacPherson struts and lower wishbones at the front and a trailing arm design in the rear. While torque steer is said to be a problem on cars with worn suspension, understeer is held in check by the Viscodrive limited-slip differential on the turbo models. Drivers of the Fiat Couple quickly learn that the best approach to cornering is “slow in, fast out”.

Prices on Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo have been rising recently as more people are made aware that this future classic is still available at a very reasonable price. Japan Car Direct can help you find your own Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo in Japan from Dealer Auctions and used car lots where cars in very good condition can be found at very reasonable prices. Please contact us with all of your import needs today!