[nehaagg]

Just completed 10,000 kms with Abbie. She's endured two trips in the monsoon season. It was a greed verses practicality decision (we could have opted for another car to travel) but both of us gave into 'lalach' and did the trips in heavy rain anyway. We faced no issues. I was just panicky about the exterior. But it did just fine.

Following are some other points:
1) The gearbox feels fantastic. The 'notchiness' is gone.

2) Did wheel-alignment, balancing (just in case, she did not need it, really) at around 5000 km. No issues so far. Michelin Primacy 3 STs still do the same fantastic job; not much wear. Excellent comfort, but 'what dreams there may be' will me want to put in Advan Sports or P-Zero Rossos at some point of time (at 20K maybe?)

3) Now am totally at home with the driving position having found one (or two depending on platforms/pumps)

4) Did a comprehensive 3M package that covers both interiors and exteriors (Will post pics later).

5) I love all the red accents on Abbie (including the unnecessarily shamed 'lipstick' fog-light clusters). People still turn and look. Only she can pull it off. Sometimes our shades match.

6) There is no prominent rattling noise coming from anywhere.

7) It is pure, simple, old-school bliss, with copious amounts of power. When you are so engrossed in gripping on to the wheel, the gear-lever and dear life, you don't miss touch-screens. If you do, you should buy an i20 Active.

8) I often commute to work now (1.5 hours away) in it. If you decide to treat her right, she goes very calmly. I like first gear, since it is hyperactive only above 2K and I can coast/start easily. Very quiet at city speeds. Quiet when you need it, monstrous when some patch clears up.

9) I was wrong about my initial 5th gear judgement. It can keep pulling till infinity on fifth gear (Maybe I wasn't flooring it or something earlier. I dunno).

10) I have issues heel-toeing since the brake pad is at a considerably higher level than the accelerator. But I am learning (daring) slowly. Wierdly, I can do better in platforms (????).

11) Otherworldly brakes. Still haven't changed brake pads after a hard/late breaking regime.

12) FIAT has done a decent after-sales job so far. You can easily get an appointment and they do pick-up drops. We had a Polo, and compared to the horrors and irritations of VW service, FIAT does a very decent job. I had a major issue of a rat dying in the engine-bay. I waltzed in without an appointment (the place was packed), they took less than an hour to find and fix the (yucky) problem.

Yes, it is a machine and it will have issues. But will keep revving and grinning till that day comes. It's unyielding love.

[zebanaff]

A little update for people who are planning to buy an Abarth Punto. Was planning to book it from the new Mumbai dealership - did a test drive and spoke extensively to the sales team. According to what they told me (several times, mind you), the Abarth Punto will no longer be available in black pan-India until at least mid-2017, and all the new cars will only be available in white (not to offend anyone, but in my opinion it looks horribly drab - what happened to that sexy matte grey?)

Bummer really, because the black looked beautiful! The unavailability was a BIG factor for me not booking one - along with the lack of rear legroom and stupidly long clutch.

I'd invite others to confirm this, though. In the course of booking a new car, combinations of VW, Skoda and Fiat reps have tried to tell me all sorts of fanciful tales

[nehaagg]

Although I have a black, I can tell you that the tiniest of scratches will start affecting you on an emotional level, which really bugs me. I did a total 3M package and it costed me around 15K to get her to shine. The base black paint quality is good, but you have to take EXTRA special care. Also, I don't let anyone else wash her. I do it myself with the correct equipment and technique.

I don't think the white colour is bland. It looks sharp. There is a certain purity to it at the same time. I was confused between colours earlier, and decided by taking my time comparing both colours side-by-side. I think both look equally attractive, in their own way. Practically, people with a white one may fare better maintenance-wise.

We can only speculate, but maybe the reasons (if the black is discontinued) could be:
- Strategic planning for reallocating resources for critial products (Jeep Compass)
- They've discontinued it (hopefully not) and only white stock remains (NOOO!!!)
- They are planning a new version: better GB, stiffer suspension, a more direct steering and more colours (But this isn't there in their long-term plan for 2017 for the APAC region)
- Problems with black paint (unlikely considering my experience so far)

However, most probably, the Mumbai dealer is trying to push its stock on you. Try Sky Fiat or Jay-Vijay Fiat in Pune. Please check this thread for a post where someone got their white Abbie re-painted black from the dealer, free of cost.

Lastly, even if white is the only option, GO FOR IT. Get it matte-grey-painted later. Just experience owning it for a start. Soon, cars like these will be gone, suffocated by watered-down, heartless mules. We need more people like us.

[johannskaria]

Originally Posted by zebanaff

not to offend anyone, but in my opinion it looks horribly drab

Originally Posted by nehaagg

I don't think the white colour is bland. It looks sharp. There is a certain purity to it at the same time. Practically, people with a white one may fare better maintenance-wise.

Lastly, even if white is the only option, GO FOR IT. Get it matte-grey-painted later. Just experience owning it for a start. Soon, cars like these will be gone, suffocated by watered-down, heartless mules. We need more people like us.

Would agree with nehagg.

Got an extended test drive in Tbhpian blackwasp's Abarth all the way to Udaipur and back
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...rth-punto.html

And boy oh boy I've developed new grown fondness for Fiat's especially the Punto Abarth. It is very well sorted sleeper vehicle that can totally surprise you. With four people and their luggage, the speedometer readings were unbelievable. And even after driving our hearts out we managed to get 14+ kmpl for the whole trip.

I however did not find the gear changes notchy. But the clutch feel could've been more lively. The suspension held well even on broken Indian roads without putting rear passengers at discomfort. Eventhough I would've loved adaptive suspension, at this price point it is too much of an expectation.
Though I would heavily criticise Fiat for muting this beautiful engine's exhaust note. They should've known the people buying them better in that department.

IMO opinion the white looks sexy as hell, and I loved taking pictures of it!
blackwasp's Abarth Punto at Vintage and Classic Car Museum, Udaipur.

[blackwasp]

Originally Posted by johannskaria

Got an extended test drive in Tbhpian blackwasp's Abarth all the way to Udaipur and back

Always a pleasure.

You have correctly summed up the Abarth driving fun. If you were impressed with 4 on board and luggage, wait till you are alone.

It's a very practical car for the enthusiast driver. Having the car for 12k kms and 7 months, I'm just loving her more and more. Never a dull moment and can improve my day always.

Fiat's attitude to provide test drives for the Abarth will be the only reason for its success (or failure). Even when I wanted a TD, I had to go all the way to Pune. No need of fancy showrooms, but rather organise a paid TD for prospective customers. Preferably over 2-3 days. I'm sure that customers like me won't mind paying fuel costs for the duration of the TD.

[Floyd de Souza]

Hello to all...I'm back on the forum after a one year and some months hiatus. Well, I test drove the Abarth on Saturday at the new Mumbai dealership.
There was no doubt that the car is something. Outstanding driveability, brakes, grip and exemplary ride and handling. Space is ok if there aren't large people travelling and having owned a Palio S10 10 years ago, wasn't perturbed by the driving position which is typical Italian. Maybe the gear shift could have been better but it could be a bit early to take a call on that as the car had just 1300kms on the odo. The engine is truly a gem. I don't think any car below 20 lacs could have an engine to match this one.
The price is a little too high. Slightly lower than the Polo GT would have been a comfortable price to pay. Overall, my heart says to go in for one. It may happen if my pockets are deep enough and the deal is good.

[blackwasp]

Originally Posted by Floyd de Souza

The price is a little too high. Slightly lower than the Polo GT would have been a comfortable price to pay. Overall, my heart says to go in for one. It may happen if my pockets are deep enough and the deal is good.

Do negotiate hard for discounts. I got mine from Pune and one guy got abarth from Kolhapur. The new showroom wasn't open then, but dealerships will give nice discounts incase of abarths.

Which colour did you like ?

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by Floyd de Souza

I test drove the Abarth on Saturday at the new Mumbai dealership.

When was this test drive done? Last I was told that the dealer did not have any Abarth for test drive and this was a week back when my colleague the Mumbai dealer Landmark for a TD.

Can you give the Sales Advisor's name for reference purpose?

[Floyd de Souza]

Thanks for the advice @blackwasp.
The dealership response to interest is lacking. The source of the problem could be Fiat itself.
I had to follow up for a month for a TD and almost each time I called they would say that they would get back which never happened. After consistently calling up Vishal at the dealership.
I finally got a TD on Saturday the 7th Jan. On that day I also test drove the Linea 125 and asked for the revised prices to be communicated to me on e mail which has not been done till date despite follow up.
According to them, the only colour available is white which is alright with me and the fly.
There is no doubt that the car is truly capable. Personally, I preferred the Abarth over the Linea despite the higher price, lesser space and slightly smaller feature list. For my style of driving, I did not really feel that there was any off boost lag. it is only when you floor it and the torque steer hits that you realize that there is a turbo. It is fine for day to day driving in traffic.
@ghodlur - trust your question was answered as well.

[Lij]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

When was this test drive done?
..

The test drive vehicle was available the weekend before Christmas if I am not wrong. In fact they got both the Abarth and Linea 125s to Mulund for my test drive. I opted for the Linea as this would be the only car in the family and my folks complained that the rear seat / space in the Abarth was not as comfortable as the first gen Swift that I have.

Let me know if you need contacts of the sales adviser or the manger and I'll PM you.

[sultanofswing]

Hey all.. I have been following this thread and re reading many posts ever since the car was launched. Finally the time has come to update my car (Alto Lxi, 2008) and like all cars in our family, I'd like my first one to be fiat as well, but many factors will dictate if that will indeed be the case.

My dad's first car was a 2nd hand Premier Padmini. Liked it so much, bought a new Padmini a couple years later (1994). After a brief switch to a Maruti 800 and Indigo GLX, in 2009, We welcomed the first model of Linea Emotion to our stable. Had a mixed ownership experience and after 6 years and 60k odd KMs had to return it to the company (dad retired) and he got himself a used Honda City 2012 model.

Fast Forward to me - I have liked fiats but not been over the moon by it due to my focus on all the annoying ownership bits (Service, loose bits in cabin and so on, expensive spares)
I'm thinking of upgrading my car and wanted to try out a true hot hatch and decided to pay Sky Moto Fiat, Pune a visit. I had followed all reviews, posts and youtube videos and was looking forward to the experience. It was a sunday, there wasn't much crowd (around 4 pm) and we were welcomed and shown the urban cross. My friends loved it more than the abarth, but my eyes kept darting towards the TD abarth that was parked outside. Quickly we made our way to it and I took the wheel. Luckily, the showroom is adjacent to the mumbai pune highway and I was looking forward to let it rip.

Now, having read all the reviews, I was actually expecting myself to be uncomfortable or have a hard time finding a seating position. I'm 5'8 and I had a good view of the road, clear rear visibility and since in the Honda city I'm used a shorter clutch travel, I pulled my seat a bit in front. That's it. I was comfortable (is i because I was used to the Linea?) I was fine with the steering wheel height as it was, and the back position.

I was also anticipating the Gearbox to be wonky/rubbery or hard to slot in based on the many reviews. The TD car was 65xx kms and maybe in that much time and the abuse it has withstood has freed the gearbox, but I felt it was smooth to use. I wouldn't call it as slick as the City, but I found nothing really lacking per se. I don't know what expectations from a gearbox lead people to call it 'notchy'. Compared to Swift and City, yes it is not the kind that <click> slots into place, but it is also not hard to move into 2nd from 1st, nor vague in its slotting. This is of course my experience as a relatively novice driver compared to experts here. Even when @nehaagg among others mentioned that the long term gearbox is not an issue, I was a bit skeptical in thinking (no offense intended) that because they are absolute fiat fans they have learnt to live with it or work their driving style around it. Neither me, not my friend who is an absolute Hyundai i20 fan (we drove to the showroom in his i20 only) had difficulty or complaint using the gearbox. So that is my impression, as a daily city commuter alternating between City, Alto and i20 (pre elite facelift).

Now for the feel of the drive: The moment I saw a gap in the traffic I stepped on it without hesitation and the whoosh of power is simply awe-inspiring. I weaved in and out of traffic to see if the steering complied with my demands and it did it with ease. My lady friend in the backseat was chanting holy names by this time The braking was also more instantaneous than any car I have driven till now. Fabulous show. Even in the pre 2k RPM it was happy pottering about in traffic. I wouldn't call the lag as noticeable as the one in diesels, but yes, there is a noticeable difference.

As for the ride, the drive was on a highway so it was fairly stable and planted. On the way back we deliberately drove it on a kaccha road next to a construction site and it had no issue in soaking up the bumps.

My Hyundai fan of a friend missed reverse sensors, cup holders, and other conveniences that he had in his mid end car and was critical of the Abarth to miss out on all this given the high asking price and I had to agree. All three of us weren't taken in by the upholstery and the interiors that much. Maybe it was that the TD car was poorly maintained, but still we were unimpressed. This is purely subjective of course, and I personally love all the photos I saw here, but in the end, when I saw the real thing, it didn't live up to all the photos and videos.

Conclusion: Absolutely LOVE the engine, steering and driving characteristics of the car. No complaints from the gearbox at all. Unimpressed by interiors. Was more impressed by the looks, interiors and feel of the Urban Cross (will write a separate post) with optional designer package. I was quoted 11.77 Lakh OTR for the Urban Cross Abarth with the optional interiors.

[Suraj25]

As we know, the Abarth did not set the charts on fire for Fiat in India. They gave us what we(the enthusiasts) wanted, but only a handful of us ended up buying the car. No car is perfect(kind of) and the Abarth Punto is far from it. Yes, it doesn't get parking sensors, fancy ICE, projector headlamps, DRLs, electric mirrors, et al. but it thoroughly fulfills what an enthusiast wants from a car- Driving pleasure. I'm not talking just about the power figures, the car is so much more than that. Drive her on the highway for some time and that's when you really begin to appreciate the car. I have taken on curves at speeds that I never imagined was possible! The brakes are another big plus and only thing you have to be worried about in an emergency braking situation, is the car that's about to rear end you. The handling, brakes and the outright power combined gives me more confidence to push it harder than my C250 and I'm not exaggerating. I have driven many nice cars in the past, but none of them have managed to plaster such a wide smile on my face. This car is a keeper.



Like a few older fast fiats that didn't sell too well, this car too is beginning to get a cult following. Now most Abarth owners are part of the Abarth Owners Club(AOC) which was started almost a year ago and has members from all over the country. We often meet for short drives and here are a few pictures.



Bangalore drive:

























Kolkata drive:

















Mumbai-Pune drive:

















Was sad to see the official thread for such a beautiful car almost dead, so made this post to liven it up a little and also to show that even though the car didn't sell like hot cakes, it surely brought some of us like minded enthusiasts together.

[hemanth.anand]

Originally Posted by Suraj25

I have taken on curves at speeds that I never imagined was possible! The brakes are another big plus and only thing you have to be worried about in an emergency braking situation, is the car that's about to rear end you. The handling, brakes and the outright power combined gives me more confidence to push it harder than my C250 and I'm not exaggerating. I have driven many nice cars in the past, but none of them have managed to plaster such a wide smile on my face. This car is a keeper.

Lovely pictures...It is an amazing sight to watch 4 of these together.
Without those tacky centre stripes, your car is the most beautiful among all the hot hatches in these photos.
I see some damage on the Avventura. I hope it didn't happen during one of these meets!

[Vik0728]

Originally Posted by Suraj25

The handling, brakes and the outright power combined gives me more confidence to push it harder than my C250 and I'm not exaggerating.

This car is a keeper.

I for one, believe you totally on that Suraj

The last time we met (Kamat Meet), only time I got to actually "Observe" your Abarth was at the breakfast point, when the car was stationary.

The rest of the time, I could only see a glimpses of your Scorpion flying over the tarmac. I did manage to hit some crazy speeds in my GT, but I was totally humbled by what you achieved...can't post either of them here!!

Wish you many more mile munching in this 'TRUE BLUE' Black Scorpion.

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

Without those tacky centre stripes, your car is the most beautiful among all the hot hatches in these photos.

+1 to Hemant.

Just a simple D.I.Y of getting rid of those centre stripes goes a long way in enhancing the already stupendous stance of the Abarth.

I can assure you that it looks just Stunning in person.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by Suraj25

Was sad to see the official thread for such a beautiful car almost dead, so made this post to liven it up a little and also to show that even though the car didn't sell like hot cakes, it surely brought some of us like minded enthusiasts together.

Fiat is technically strong, they make awesome cars, but very weak with doing business & they refuse to learn from their mistakes either. This is my perception about Fiat.

For over last 6 months, we've been looking to buy an above average powered hatch that can serve us for next 10+ years with an average running of not more than 10000 Km a year. Ideally Abarth Punto is a perfect fit with the kind of engine, suspension, delight, ruggedness, after sales is a horror.

Best of all, when we tried to visit RDC Fiat in Chennai Anna Nagar, to our dismay, the showroom was closed & what's horrific is there's a big sign board stating "Volkswagen coming soon..."

I only get a perception that Fiat will wind up their operations in India soon; with this kind of message, how can we ever trust & buy one from Fiat?