Fiat introduced its Fiat Punto Sporting Model that has the larger clear-lensed headlamps and the three-part under-bumper grille that have got mixed reviews and the rather neater treatment to the rear end. 15″ alloy wheels, side skirts, a sports front bumper and a livelier grille all put in an appearance to confirm the cars direction in life.

 

The 1.4-litre engine introduced with this latest version of the Punto and its official title of 1.4 16-valve FIRE should tell you that it’s designed to be on the warm side. Peak power of 95bhp shows up at 5,800rpm and the top torque comes in at 4,500rpm. The top speed of 111mph and the 9.9-second dash to 60mph represents a useful turn of speed. Perhaps of equal importance to buyers in this sector will be the 46.3mpg combined fuel consumption, proving that pace and cost-cutting don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

 

Power is directed to the front wheels through a well-engineered 6-speed transmission system. This Punto uses a proven MacPherson strut suspension set-up at the front and a lightweight Torsion beam at the rear. Engineers have upped the cars ride height by 10mm to accommodate bigger shock absorbers making everything smoother over the bumps.

 

The steering’s is too good, with a power-assisted set-up tuned to react quickly to driver inputs. Inside you find leather on the steering wheel and the gear bump as well as equipment running to air-conditioning, a CD-player and electric heated door mirrors. Curtain airbags and ABS brakes are also included to addition the twin front airbags that feature on Puntos sporting. On the road is where it matters most though and the Sporting shouldn’t disappoint.  Nor do you have to struggle with it when you’re trying to park the car in a congested street: press the ‘City’ button on the console and at low speeds, the assistance becomes finger-light. There’s more space in the back than you might expect - and a decent capacity boot. Inside the car there are on user-friendliness, with useful storage compartments wherever you look. The interior also benefits from the drive to endow the Punto with a more upmarket ambiance.

 

Two-tone dashboards give the car an airier feel than its precursor. A fascinating piece of electronics is the Connect OBN system, an optional off-board navigation system. Rather than rely on the more usual CD-ROM of information that invariably fails to mention a newly-built motorway or terminates as you cross a national border, Connect OBN instead uses information stored centrally. Users pay a nominal fee every time they download a route and it keeps costs down.

 

The Punto Sporting is a class-leading ‘warm’ hatchback with more style than most of its immediate rivals.

Filed under: Fiat Cars in India