[aamateen46]

Originally Posted by iFuel

I'm sorry guys, but I think I'm missing something here. So what am I paying 10L+ for in a hatchback. The engine and BHP, is that it? There is nothing else that tells this car apart from the punto that no one wants to buy. Ok, so there are a few logos replaced, and a tab bit of red color thrown in as well. I guess a DIY and 2 hours later we can have that sorted on a regular Punto as well. This is still a dull looking car, Italian design or not. 145BHP isn't ground breaking, maybe this thing was admirable during her days, whenever it was launched abroad(pardon me but fiat and I don't see eye to eye). I don't see why I would want to plonk 10L+ in a plain jane looking dull car with 145BHP and nothing else to drive home a point about it's road presence. Same story another day, how many enthusiasts out there are going to buy this?

And then we have some mad as hell drivers in New Delhi, that drive like maniacs. I just pray none of them buys this, hate to see someone getting hurt walking on the street when an irresponsible guy is driving this. Any way I don't think this ruffled even a feather in my hat. And I'm sure this ain't going to ruffle any in the upcoming sales figures at end of the year.

Just read posts # 724 & 752.
If you didn't get something just by reading these, then you won't get it ever.

Am already thinking of ways to replace my humble Liva with this Black Scorpion! 😀

[PatchyBoy]

Originally Posted by iFuel

I'm sorry guys, but I think I'm missing something here. So what am I paying 10L+ for in a hatchback. The engine and BHP, is that it? There is nothing else that tells this car apart from the punto that no one wants to buy.

Spot on. Perfectly put. Don't buy it. Simple. Those who really see the car for what it is can do the buying.

[Porschefire]

Originally Posted by iFuel

I'm sorry guys, but I think I'm missing something here. So what am I paying 10L+ for in a hatchback. The engine and BHP, is that it? There is nothing else that tells this car apart from the punto that no one wants to buy. Ok, so there are a few logos replaced, and a tab bit of red color thrown in as well. I guess a DIY and 2 hours later we can have that sorted on a regular Punto as well. This is still a dull looking car, Italian design or not. 145BHP isn't ground breaking, maybe this thing was admirable during her days, whenever it was launched abroad(pardon me but fiat and I don't see eye to eye). I don't see why I would want to plonk 10L+ in a plain jane looking dull car with 145BHP and nothing else to drive home a point about it's road presence. Same story another day, how many enthusiasts out there are going to buy this?

And then we have some mad as hell drivers in New Delhi, that drive like maniacs. I just pray none of them buys this, hate to see someone getting hurt walking on the street when an irresponsible guy is driving this. Any way I don't think this ruffled even a feather in my hat. And I'm sure this ain't going to ruffle any in the upcoming sales figures at end of the year.

Disclaimer - I neither work at Fiat nor am I a fanboy but I've always admired their cars.

Mate, without any harshness or bitterness, I'm assuming your quote was either for a laugh or you live in a different planet altogether! Sorry to say that. You are the very reason that we have countless "stickered" RS versions in India, pioneered by our very own home manufacturer, Maruti! Why do I say that? Because of this -

I'm sorry guys, but I think I'm missing something here. So what am I paying 10L+ for in a hatchback. The engine and BHP, is that it? There is nothing else that tells this car apart from the punto that no one wants to buy.

Here comes a manufacturer who's not doing too well in India, takes a brave decision of launching a real hot hatch at a mouth watering price and you say you cannot see what the fuss is all about? 145 bhp is not ground breaking, yes, but for India it is an earth shattering number for a hatchback! Looks can be subjective but I feel the Punto in its Abarth version is one of the best looking cars in India (save for the tacky red bits around the fog lamps) and I'm sure many will agree with this (you don't have to).

This car is meant for the enthusiasts like us and people who look beyond the 'kmpl'. Life is not all about saving money mate, you should have a bit of fun as well and I'm sure this car ticks all the boxes when it comes to fun. And, just to let you know, an irresponsible driver can be found in an Abarth and an Alto as well! So the point you've made is baseless.

My sound advice to you is, if you do not like it, look beyond it. But please do not discourage anyone from buying it!

Extremely sorry for the rant.

[WorkingGuru]

Originally Posted by akshay4587

Another Blanket Statement
Off all the vehicles i own now and owned in the past, that includes a Hyundai.
Its the Fiat aftersales that has impressed me the most, never ever, i have had an issue with them, be it service or parts.
Just that you might have had a bad experience, does not mean all centers are bad.

Where in that "Blanket Statement" have I said that their service is bad ?

They need more business. Exclusive service centers for a brand that has such low sales definitely doesn't help the kind of massive investment they seem to've made.

Btw. this was based on my queries with dealer Principals & service heads.

Why SO defensive?

In any case, I guess you'll have to afford me my right to my opinion based on my experiences & knowledge.

Infact, does anything specific qualify your premise that "Not all are bad". Any JD Power study etc? Anything?

If not, anything qualifies you to judge that their performance & customers experience, generally, across all service centers & at all times, is how you claim it to be?

Nothing personal.

Originally Posted by PatchyBoy

Spot on. Perfectly put. Don't buy it. Simple. Those who really see the car for what it is can do the buying.

I see 0 value addition to this thread with this post.

Infact I see intolerance towards members' rightfully expressed opinions on what they do or do not see value in, about the car.

We have to accept the fact that they've a right to opine, not try & snub them for it.

212NM of torque with 145bhp, to me is probably the closest I may get to the kind of acceleration I can get say to (possibly) a supercar, but to many, thats not sufficient value in the product of the brand they decide to invest in.

To me, the name "Abarth" sounds weird. There, I said it. I've a right to.

[binish]

I have posted this in GT TSI vs Abrth Puto poll, posting here also since I really need to know.

"Pardon my ignorance, but I really need to know regarding this, hence asking. I have never got a chance to drive any expensive cars in the range of merc, bmw, audi, or supercars. But I have read that all those cars including Ferrari, Lamborghini, etc comes only in Auto transmission (big apologies if I am wrong here). But if what I know is true, pl enlighten me why those big names do not use a manual transmission? "

[PatchyBoy]

Originally Posted by WorkingGuru

I see 0 value addition to this thread with this post.

Infact I see intolerance towards members' rightfully expressed opinions on what they do or do not see value in, about the car.

We have to accept the fact that they've a right to opine, not try & snub them for it.

Sorry about that. See, the problem as I see it is very simple -

1. People who have never owned a FIAT come and make negative comments
2. When questioned, they say "That is just my opinion. I have the right"
3. Some FIAT owners come in and respond objectively
4. They are immediately branded fanboys and whatever they say becomes a rant

This is a vicious cycle. Now, if what that gentleman posted is his opinion , what I have said is my opinion . You feel that it is 0 value. That is your opinion

[coolkurt]

Now let's not get overboard with this. Everybody is entitled to their opinion as long as things don't get personal.

It'll be interesting to see if there'll be a jump in the sales figures for FIAT next month. Hopefully all the hype does translate into some solid numbers. Are enthusiasts enough to power this car to some decent tallies every month? That remains to be seen.

[raj_5004]

As someone rightly said - "Those who have issues with FIAT are the ones who have never owned or even driven FIATS".

This being a FIAT thread, I was surely expecting a lot of flak for the ABARTH twins. This is similar to what TATA and Mahindra threads have!

Anyways, I have owned a Punto and I can confidently say that it was the most sorted car in terms of ride and handling, steering feedback and driving pleasure. It had tons of features for it's price and the car was very sturdy and well built.

FIAT A.S.S. experience was the best I had, after Mahindra. And yea, I have owned Toyotas and Marutis.

The only area where FIAT lacked was - engine power and rubbery gear shifts. I got used to the gear shifts after a while but always wished for more power, because the chassis was so good.

I am happy that FIAT has finally delivered what seems to be the perfect hatchback for enthusiasts. Mind you, enthusiasts are not always reckless drivers, as stated in some posts above.

Moving on, I really wish all the best to FIAT for their commendable pricing and amazing product. You will have a lot of haters, but trust me... you have earned a lot of loyalists who speak after experiencing your products and they will stay! Punto is the best car I have ever owned. Period.

[Mad Max]

Patchy - time for a flowchart, mate!

To the poster who somewhere above wished that people in Delhi didn't buy this because they could hurt people, I can tell you that I know certain folks in my family who can do wayy more damage in a Maruti 800 hehe..

Relax everyone. Not everyone needs this car. Not everyone will want this car. This car is for the pure hp addict.

For the one who doesn't care if he forgot his family in the mall and driving around with a weird smile on his face.

For the one who would be borderline neurotic when it comes to service and actually tries to pose as a service technician to get into the service bay.

For the one who would disown his own kid if said kid created a scratch on the vehicle.

For the one who would be hunting for a upgrade chip / tune / map regardless of whether the car is under warranty or not

For the one who would stay up late night gathering data to ensure facts are facts on TBhp. Hehe

[asr245]

Originally Posted by coolkurt

Now let's not get overboard with this. Everybody is entitled to their opinion as long as things don't get personal.

It'll be interesting to see if there'll be a jump in the sales figures for FIAT next month. Hopefully all the hype does translate into some solid numbers. Are enthusiasts enough to power this car to some decent tallies every month? That remains to be seen.

There won't.

This simply isn't a mass market car. In my office with about 50 people, no one has even heard about Abarth (besides me of course). And when I buy one (it's not a question of if - i will live in the car if my wife doesn't like it), i am sure i will get many questions about cost or "small car for the price of big one??" or mileage or "why Punto??". Infact I am quite sure that even the Fiat sales people might discourage me to buy that (& may instead want me to get a Linea)

I simply don't care!! I don't have the money right now else I would have TD'ed & booked it. And I am not TD'ing it right now on purpose, so that I don't make any stupid decision to buy it.

I expect it to do about a 100/month if response is good.

Originally Posted by Mad Max

Patchy - time for a flowchart, mate!

To the poster who somewhere above wished that people in Delhi didn't buy this because they could hurt people, I can tell you that I know certain folks in my family who can do wayy more damage in a Maruti 800 hehe..

Relax everyone. Not everyone needs this car. Not everyone will want this car. This car is for the pure hp addict.

For the one who doesn't care if he forgot his family in the mall and driving around with a weird smile on his face.

For the one who would be borderline neurotic when it comes to service and actually tries to pose as a service technician to get into the service bay.

For the one who would disown his own kid if said kid created a scratch on the vehicle.

For the one who would be hunting for a upgrade chip / tune / map regardless of whether the car is under warranty or not

For the one who would stay up late night gathering data to ensure facts are facts on TBhp. Hehe

I will add another one.

For the one who would get mad at the kid for being made to chose between the kid & this car.

[coolkurt]

Originally Posted by asr245

There won't.

This simply isn't a mass market car.
I simply don't care!! I don't have the money right now else I would have TD'ed & booked it. And I am not TD'ing it right now on purpose, so that I don't make any stupid decision to buy it.

I expect it to do about a 100/month if response is good.

And that's the 'jump' i'm hoping for. For a brand that barely sells 7-800 cars a month, those hundred cars will add to the brand value. Fiat will continue to be a niche player.

[avishar]

Originally Posted by iFuel

And then we have some mad as hell drivers in New Delhi, that drive like maniacs. I just pray none of them buys this, hate to see someone getting hurt walking on the street when an irresponsible guy is driving this. Any way I don't think this ruffled even a feather in my hat. And I'm sure this ain't going to ruffle any in the upcoming sales figures at end of the year.

I have no problem with the rest of your post, since that is your opinion, but this statement of yours is frankly bewildering especially in a car enthusiasts forum. Wanted to get into a long winded rebuttal, but then you have allayed your fears yourself. Its not going to sell in big numbers anyway so I think the chances of you or a pedestrian getting hurt by a maniacal Punto Abarth driver is slim.

[Karthik Chandra]

Originally Posted by iFuel

I'm sorry guys, but I think I'm missing something here. So what am I paying 10L+ for in a hatchback. The engine and BHP, is that it? There is nothing else that tells this car apart from the punto that no one wants to buy. I don't see why I would want to plonk 10L+ in a plain jane looking dull car with 145BHP

I'll tell you why? Simply because you won't get any other hatch with 145 BHP and diesel like 200 NM torque. The next best petrol thing you might get is the TSI. Not that I'm offended but can you list your wishlist for hot hatch, just curious to know.
IMO Maruti, Hyundai and Honda are in a much better position to try and experiment but the last in the chart Fiat has given us the hottest hatch at the moment at an affordable cost, and yet not able to satisfy . Poor Fiat...
For the record, the A Class costs 24 lacs for 121 BHP and 200 NM of torque, leave the badge and rest of the features. No offence for A class owners.
Yes

[keroo1099]

Guys, at the end of the day it's only a car so lets keep that in perspective.

In the case of the Abarth go try it, if you like it then go do your research on other parameters like dealer feedback, service, cost of spares, etc. and make your decision. It's amazing how much info you can get with a simple google search, and you should do this for any car you are planning to buy. People tend to get swayed a little too easily by the history/reputation of certain manufacturers.

In my case I went for a casual test drive of the T-jet (wasn't really thinking of changing my Baleno), fell in love, went home, convinced the wifey, did my homework using sites like Team BHP, TeamFiat, magazine reviews, etc., went and checked out the KHT Service Center, and only then decided to bite the bullet. I can honestly say I have enjoyed every part of the whole experience so far, and It's been far far better than what I had when I bought my Swift 10 years ago.

For God's sake, try the car first before making judgement calls.

[shree_shell]

Originally Posted by binish

I have posted this in GT TSI vs Abrth Puto poll, posting here also since I really need to know.

"Pardon my ignorance, but I really need to know regarding this, hence asking. I have never got a chance to drive any expensive cars in the range of merc, bmw, audi, or supercars. But I have read that all those cars including Ferrari, Lamborghini, etc comes only in Auto transmission (big apologies if I am wrong here). But if what I know is true, pl enlighten me why those big names do not use a manual transmission? "

One of best driver's car in the world: PORSCHE 911 GT3 RS comes with 6 speed manual.
All the super/hypercars you've mentioned above have the flappy-paddle gearbox. They give the manual shift feel. Obviously DSG will make the car go quick, but with slick manual gearbox and good driver will be even competition.
Manual is for purists, Abarth is giving manual.
Hence Abarth is for purists.