[v_safari]

Originally Posted by el lobo 6061

Continental ContiMaxContact MC5. These tyres are somewhere between Michelin P3ST and Yokohama S Drives. Less noise with good handling.

Link.

Thank you. How much should the cost in 205/55 r16 ?

[keroo1099]

Originally Posted by v_safari

Thanks for your reply.
What size do you recommend for upgrade ?
Isn't there a tyre that can offer straight line stability and cornering with acceptable noise levels

I put Hankook Ventus V12 evo's on mine from day one. I find them to be much much quieter than the stock Goodyears on the test drive car I tried.

Since I haven't used any other tyre, all I can say is that I find the dry/wet grip levels have never been a matter of concern even on high speed highway runs, as is the braking. I found the 35/33 tyre pressure reccommendation too high for ride comfort and have played around and arrived at a nice compromise with 33/31 for city use.

Have had only one sidewall puncture in 2 years.

[Speed Pujari]

Originally Posted by v_safari

Thanks for your reply.
What size do you recommend for upgrade ?
Isn't there a tyre that can offer straight line stability and cornering with acceptable noise levels

I did not upsize the tyres. As mentioned by el lobo you can research on ContiMaxContact MC5. if it is something between P3ST and S drives then I would say its the best bet.

[keroo1099]

Originally Posted by keroo1099

I put Hankook Ventus V12 evo's on mine from day one. I find them to be much much quieter than the stock Goodyears on the test drive car I tried.

Since I haven't used any other tyre, all I can say is that I find the dry/wet grip levels have never been a matter of concern even on high speed highway runs, as is the braking. I found the 35/33 tyre pressure reccommendation too high for ride comfort and have played around and arrived at a nice compromise with 33/31 for city use.

Have had only one sidewall puncture in 2 years.

Sorry, I should have mentioned that the swap was on a T-jet and not on an Abarth.

[Suraj25]

Since we're talking about tyres, will the MC5 in stock size be good enough or is upsizing to 205s a must? I'm a little apprehensive cause 205s with 55 profiles will ruin the slight 'low profile' look that the current 195/55 setup has.

[hemanth.anand]

Originally Posted by Suraj25

Since we're talking about tyres, will the MC5 in stock size be good enough or is upsizing to 205s a must? I'm a little apprehensive cause 205s with 55 profiles will ruin the slight 'low profile' look that the current 195/55 setup has.

The difference of the side-wall between the 2 sizes is 5.5 mm which is hardly visible to the naked eye.

But if you want to see the positive side, the gap between the tyre and the wheel arch will be reduced by 5.5 mm won't it?
It will increase the GC (which has been a point to complain for many people) Also the 205 section will increase the contact surface and grip levels

These 3 positives certainly outweigh the 1 negative IMO
It all depends on whether you want to see the positive side of things or negative.

[nkrishnap]

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

The difference of the side-wall between the 2 sizes is 5.5 mm which is hardly visible to the naked eye.

But if you want to see the positive side, the gap between the tyre and the wheel arch will be reduced by 5.5 mm won't it?
It will increase the GC (which has been a point to complain for many people) Also the 205 section will increase the contact surface and grip levels

These 3 positives certainly outweigh the 1 negative IMO
It all depends on whether you want to see the positive side of things or negative.

The MC5 is softer and the body roll will increase a bit. So 2 negatives. But still worth it. The alloys are 6J, for 205 mm the ideal width would be 6.5J

[prashant316]

So I was finally able to take out time to test drive the Punto Abarth Yesterday and here is my experience.

Thanks to google Maps I was able to reach the Kashyap Fiat Showroom in Noida, which I would not have otherwise as it is located pretty remotely.

The showroom itself is made beautifully with even a display of a couple of classic cars like the Fiat Topalino and the desk made of 1100 D. But the same cannot be said for the manpower available there. Sales guy was completely uninterested and had no knowledge of the car itself, except for the basics like power and basic features. So much so that he left me in the middle and started talking personal stuff on phone. Sad service.

Now coming to the car itself:-
It was a white Punto Abarth on display and another White Punto Abarth for TD. I cranked the engine and it settled in a silent purr. I started off being very gentle with it, to try and feel the real life conditions. The first thing that impressed me was the steering. Love the feel of that Hydraulic Power Steering. I had empty roads and a corner coming up, which the car handled very well. At that speed the tyres felt enough, though

I have heard from many that the tyres do give up before the mechanical grip.
Stop, put it in first gear and accelerate hard and Voila! Torque Steer - the reminder that this is no ordinary hatch. The engine sound is the only sound that gets through the cabin with no exhaust note at all - sorely missed it. Anyways, Huge smile on face after the drive.

I wanted to test the speakers of the car and asked the SC to pair my phone with the car's Bluetooth. Well, I wasn't surprised that he didn't even know that this car can stream music via Bluetooth. He was adamant and kept convincing me that music cant be streamed. We headed back to the showroom, I picked up the brochure and showed him that is has Bluetooth streaming. <SC with a embarrassed grin on his face>. He did not know how to pair the Bluetooth also. So I gave it a shot myself. And to my surprise, I wasn't able to do it either. It just wouldn't accept the passcode.

Anyways, I understood the finance schemes and now figuring finances to buy this thriller.

Sadly, I didn't take any pictures. But I request if Kashyap Fiat can get its act together because they have an amazing looking facility and lovely to drive cars. Their people let the whole experience down.

[PatchyBoy]

I find a lot of people who have taken the test drive talk about Torque Steer as if it is a great thing to have. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't torque steer a bad thing and an indication of something amiss?

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

Root causes for torque steer are:

• Incorrect sidewall ply design allowing deformation of the tire sidewall.
• Asymmetric driveshaft angles due to any combination of
• Unequal driveshaft length or diameter
• Torque steering effect simulated using MSC Adams.
• Transient movement of the engine
• Tolerances in engine mounts
• Body roll
• Single wheel bump
• Different driveshaft torques left to right (due to wheel bearing or differential problems)
• Suspension geometry tolerances
• Unequal traction forces due to road surface (µ-Split) in combination with kingpin offset

[trek]

Kudos to Fiat for offering a fantastic product!

They should up the game by launching striking color shades like Ninja Green, Yellow, Neon Blue etc. The car in these bright colors will get the right attention from other road users and expand the promotion efforts.

All in all, this is a great product in a sea of meek hatches.

[Suraj25]

Originally Posted by PatchyBoy

I find a lot of people who have taken the test drive talk about Torque Steer as if it is a great thing to have. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't torque steer a bad thing and an indication of something amiss?

It's not necessarily a good thing but it means the engine is actually powerful enough to make the front lose traction under acceleration.

[Pretorian]

Originally Posted by Suraj25

It's not necessarily a good thing but it means the engine is actually powerful enough to make the front lose traction under acceleration.

An older vehicle with different tyre pressures can also tend to torque steer, uneven road surface, wet or dry there are different conditions under which TS can happen. But if it happens on a newer FWD, a grin is valid

Probably its why Fiat put in the Alnac's to show case the 'FIRE' power in the form of Torque Steer. A better compound of rubber would probably not TS or might lessen the effect, but again how many of us would do this on a daily basis [wish there was a wicked smiley here]

[hemanth.anand]

Originally Posted by PatchyBoy

I find a lot of people who have taken the test drive talk about Torque Steer as if it is a great thing to have. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't torque steer a bad thing and an indication of something amiss?

Originally Posted by Suraj25

It's not necessarily a good thing but it means the engine is actually powerful enough to make the front lose traction under acceleration.

Isn't that just a wheelspin (or a burnout-if done intentionally)?
What is Torque Steer?
Quoted from Wikipedia for reference.

Torque steering is the influence of engine torque on the steering, especially in front-wheel drive vehicles with transversely mounted engines. For example, during heavy acceleration the steering may pull to one side, which may be disturbing to the driver. The effect is manifested either as a tugging sensation in the steering wheel, or a veering of the vehicle from the intended path.

When I test drove, I experienced the tyres loosing traction under hard acceleration. This suggested me that the car needs a wider patch.
But I didn't experience any torque steer. It didn't veer in any direction but maintained its line.

I guess everyone is talking about the wheelspin and not torque steer

[splitinfinitive]

Thanks for a great review S2!

I have been agonising over the decision between to buy a new car for almost a year. As a Maruti loyalist all my life, just the thought of shifting brands gave me the jitters - especially VW, with the horror stories of its service in Hyderabad - but the Polo TSI seemed just too attractive. However, in the final analysis, an auto just wasn't what I was looking for. Then I heard about the impending launch of the Abarth Punto and decided to wait. And what a worthwhile wait it has turned out to be!

Have taken two test drives - one long (30km) to test straight-line speed, cornering & comfort; and one short (10 km) to test ability over bad roads. Verdict: I am in love all over again

Personally no problem with the seating position (am short and rather rotund) - I found a good position within a minute of adjustment. The wrongly placed stalks always need time to get used to. I found the shifter to be average, especially after the precise gearshift that I'm used to with the Swift. Rather disappointed with the fact that there's no touch-screen head-unit - have to figure out a way of getting one installed without messing with the casing and steering controls (I'm told that the Punto EVO touchscreen casing is not compatible - but the sales guy at the dealer was fairly typical - didn't know what he was talking about most of the time). The stock Apollo tyres are frankly, terrible - have to swap them out for upsized Michelin or Yoko's at the dealers. Otherwise fit and finish are pretty decent, no panel gaps and sharp edges that I could see; build quality is quite impressive at first glance - the doors close with a nice, reassuring thunk. Finally, coming to that engine - Mamma Mia!! - the Italians have done a superb job! Takes off like a little rocket, leaves you pushed back in your seat with a smile on your face. I haven't had this much fun behind the wheel in ages!

I have driven hot hatches in Europe, the Golf GTI, the Ford Fiesta ST, Vauxhall Astra VXR and the Honda Civic Type R - and while this does not compare - for the Indian market, given what we've been passed off so far, this sure is a step in the right direction!

I went over to the dealer yesterday to book the car. I was told that if I want the white version I could have it the same day, while the black will take 6 weeks. So, now I’m going to spend the next six weeks in a state of breathless anticipation!

[keroo1099]

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

Isn't that just a wheelspin (or a burnout-if done intentionally)?
What is Torque Steer?
Quoted from Wikipedia for reference.


When I test drove, I experienced the tyres loosing traction under hard acceleration. This suggested me that the car needs a wider patch.
But I didn't experience any torque steer. It didn't veer in any direction but maintained its line.

I guess everyone is talking about the wheelspin and not torque steer

In the Abarth I think its mainly due to the unequal length of the drive shafts, which results in an "imbalance" in the distribution of power to the front wheels. The shorter shaft tends to get more torque which spins the wheel faster than the other side and causes it to pull. Even the Swift DDis has torque steer if you rev and dump the clutch.

Yes it's bad for the car, but wont happen in normal driving, unless you accelerate really hard every time you come to a stop.