FIRST DRIVE
Grande Punto Abarth - Test Drive
Abarth is back. Many motorsport fans will remember the legendary Scorpion badge, however younger drivers may not recall the Abarth name. Those that know will hope that the Grande Punto Abarth is not just for show and that it clings to what was all good about the Abarth name…Let’s see how the Grande Punto Abarth gets on.
LOOKS
The legendary Scorpion motorsport badge is back and doesn’t it look great? The exterior design may not be to everyone’s taste but we like it. It is subtle but at the same time eyecatching – not too little but yet not too much. It gives the Grande Punto Abarth an added edge from just looks alone when compared to some rivals.
INTERIOR
From the off you can see parent company Fiat has worked hard to improve the fittings and fixture and this hard work has paid off. The cabin looks good, there are brushed aluminium strips to enhance its looks. Another hint that Abarth are setting their stall out with this car. The plastics used inside the car look to be of good quality and the switch gear and gauges are all well placed so that the driver is not stretching at any point. Moving to the seats, for a sporty car you would expect them to be figure hugging and they are, they seem to very comfortable and hold you in place well when driving enthusiastically.
PRACTICALITY
For a sporty car the Grande Punto Abarth performs quite well on the practicality front. There is plenty of room in the rear for two average sized adults, although if you are six foot or more then leg-room can become cramped. As it is a hatch, this means the Grande Punto is family friendly meaning you could use it to do the shopping in. As for safety measures the maker has included ABS and ESP as standard to aid you in getting stopped in a safe and controlled manner. The car is also fitted with numerous airbags including driver, passenger and side bags. Thanks to the sporty nature of the car there is a downside for this write – there’s no spare wheel, to keep weight down Abarth has included a Fix&Go tyre repair kit in the boot.
ON TEST
Abarth had two cars for us to test, first up was the 1.4-litre T-JET engine, which has an output of 155bhp. The slower car was very lively and great fun to drive. The car was well balanced and the steering was very accurate making driving a pleasure. The second car we tried was the Grande Punto Abarth ‘Esseesse’ and it had a power output of 180bhp. The two cars have real bite for such small engines but the ‘Esseessse was mega.
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Our route included runs up Harewood Hillclimb, one of the most famous in the UK and still owned by the BARC. The Hillclimb was a great test for the Abarth Grande Punto and the car proved that it was more than up to it. With a maximum torque of 272Nm at 2,750, the car had a ngreat deal of shove and this powered it up the hillclimb. Out on the public roads, overtaking slower traffic was a breeze. The ‘Esseese’ has a top speed of 133mph and it will get from rest to 62mph in 7.5 seconds.
The Grande Punto Abarth with 155bhp is a cracking sporty car but if you spend £4000 extra you’ll can get a specially-appointed dealer to convert your car to Esseesse (SS) spec. The Esseesse gives you a little bit more so that you can enjoy the drive, the car is lowered and it has been fitted with race seats making it more confotable when driving enthusiastically. Abarth has made the car turn in superbly and it is driveable as an every day car as it is quite tame until you rev it out.
AT A GLANCE
| Name/Price: | Abarth Grande Punto/From £13,500 |
| Engine/power: | 1.4-litre /155BHP |
| Co2 emissions: | 162g/km |
| Official Combined fuel economy: | 40.9mpg |
IMN VERDICT
This Abarth Grande Punto starts from £13,500. It is a great car and can be driven like a ‘normal’ car or if you want to push on then it turns into a hot hatch. Not only is the car quick but it’s also green for such a sporty car. The car with the 155bhp power plant emits 162g/km of CO2 and Abarth claims that the car will return 40.9mpg. The Scorpion is back with a bang.
Simon McBride