[kaushal21fb]

Congrats for acquiring the Abarth! She does look beautiful in white.

You've just run the car for 400 Km. so it's a bit unfair to compare performance at this point of time. As far as I know Fiat engines they require a more run-in time than other brands. You can refer to team-bhp guide for more info on running-in:

http://www.team-bhp.com/advice/how-run-your-new-car

Take good care of her now and I'm sure she'll keep you smiling for years.

[raghu.bramha]

Congratulations on your buy chase_nt. I hope you are happy with your choice. From what i gather from your initial ownership review is that ABP has filled the shoes pretty well from GT. I personally feel you drive ABP from a different perspective and not compare it too much with GT.

You will definitely know what ABO is capable when you take her through curves. You have had owned/driven a lot of cars in the past so if you like ABP then its a benchmark on its own.

Enjoy your drive!

[Car-tya]

One Word, Amazing, the review. It is very well compiled and talks about the bits that an enthusiast buying the car would be interested in. The car and the drive, not about missing features or creature comforts. It is essentially one of the best ownership reviews i have read in a while. Talks about enjoying and adjusting to the best and not so best features of what is a drivers dream.
I loved your comparison with the GT TSI and how understandably different they are but serve the purpose of living up to their reputation.
Congrats on your purchase and hope you enjoy both the cars for years to come.

[Locomotive]

Dear Chase_nt, hearty congratulations on your new car and an excellent write up. Having owned a few Fiats in the past, including the Linea T Jet, I completely agree with your view that these are quirky but extremely enjoyable vehicles. Over time you just get used to the quirks/oddities like the odd seating position, the mushy gearbox and that strange entertainment unit (in my Linea, the "random" play always started with the same song!!). What will remain with you is the immense joy of driving them the moment you hit an open road or heck, spot that gap that you have to take :-)

It been a year since I have sold my Linea and I still repent doing so!! I had sold it to make way for a more luxury/family oriented car. While my new car is a perfectly nice car I often crave for my Linea to satiate my soul!

One tip - after some time, when you are ready for it, remap the Abarth. I had my T Jet remaped by Tune-o-tronics. The power bumped up to 140 odd bhps and i think 260nm of torque. It was mind blowing. Imagine how your car would be transformed..170 bhp?? DROOOOL!

[sudeepg]

Originally Posted by chase_nt

I would also like to emphasize that boy racers on this forum need to be careful of this crazy torque steer especially if your car is on a wet surface as it would be a recipe for a wipeout.
..........

As most of my drive is within the city I feel that the Abarth is a real pain to drive in the city. With 145 horses under the hood I had expected this machine to be a hoot on city roads however there is a lack of urgency in the Abarths motor that you need to contend with. If you want to work around this then the only way out is to downshift in order to keep your car in that sweet turbo zone which starts at 2000 rpm. I really wish this car had a turbo that spooled at 1500 rpm like the GT TSI as that would have made it truly venomous on city roads.

Great write up! Congratulations on your new drive. Loved reading every bit of it except the above.

As you said “with great power comes great responsibility” you should always be careful in the city. I was sad to see you say that this car is a real pain in the city to drive. I think what you mean is that it takes a lot of effort to drive spiritedly in the city compared to the GT. In the city, it is best left to sane speeds rather than spirited driving to ensure safety of yourself as well as other road users. Why spit venom on city roads?

[Santoshbhat]

Wonderful passionate review there. Its just you listening to your heart when you buy a car without even a test drive. Seems like a paradox to non enthusiasts when you claim to be an enthusiast and buy a car 'blindly' when everyone else will take opinions from the entire town before plonking money on a particular model.

I can totally understand how cars like the Abarth and the GT TSI make people buy them without a TD as I too bought the GT TSI without a test drive. And don't fret, even people living in big cities like Bangalore were not fortunate enough to get test drives for the GT TSI. I bet most GT TSI owners bought it without a TD.

I can relate to some of your disappointments regarding the Punto when it comes to in city driving. I owned a Laura TSI MT and the Polo GT TSI together for time. My 200 bhp Laura was no match to the Polo in the city. The DSG + small turbo petrol is a deadly combination in the city. Punto Abarth is meant for the open roads and at higher speeds it will just eat up the GT TSI I'm sure.

I am so happy to hear that the Abarth has got good stopping power as that is one big weak link in the Polo. Aftermarket solutions will never you the same sense of assurance as a good factory fitted setup. I just wish manufacturers offered an upgraded all disc brake set up as an optional extra for something like 25K or so for performance cars like the GT TSI, Figo etc.. I am sure many customers will lap it up.

[chase_nt]

Originally Posted by Chethan B G

Wow!!! What a review!! Congratulations! Thanks of sharing! Rated the thread a well deserved 5 stars.

If I were looking for a hot-hatch in the market right now, I would have picked Abarth, simply because it has a manual GB. But as I see more and more people excited with an AT, I thing I have to make an attempt to learn to drive an AT. Until now, I have not liked driving an AT, as I feel it boring and disconnected.

In my view, one major feature that Fiat has overlooked is the reach adjustment of the steering wheel. Also, better gear-shift would have helped city driving (I know that other things like clutch pedal modulation and turbo zone, also matters. But still). Also, see if removing the dead pedal helps?


Quote: "While the GT TSI is a car that you can just slip into and have fun with, the Abarth Punto is more of a machine that you will have to understand and get used to"

Maybe, because of this reason, some people feel TSI engine is character-less!!

Thanks Chetan. Glad that you thought the thread deserves 5 stars. I just tried to keep it simple and state my impressions of two really awesome drivers hatches in the market today. With the sort of traffic in major cities in India I feel that Automatics are just going to become more and more popular. While most people prefer to go for bread and butter automatic transmissions I feel that the GT TSI with its DSG has set the benchmark. I hated automatic transmissions after the first four cars that I owned in Australia were "boring" automatics however the GT TSI truly smashed that glass ceiling for me.

Originally Posted by abhii176

Wow, now this is one thread that definitely deserves a 5 star rating. Many congratulations to you on owning this beauty, how i wish i could get my hands on one as well!!
Well you are definitely one of those rare owners who has got to own both the GT and the Abarth, so your comparison of the two is really really helpful to all those who have been comparing these cars forever.

And yes, your Abarth looks stunning in white! Wishing you many many happy miles of ownership with this monster! Cheers.

Thanks Abhii176. I am indeed very lucky to have owned the GT TSI and now the Abarth Punto. Glad that you thought the thread was worthy of 5 stars.

Originally Posted by vamsi2390

Chase_NT,
Firstly congratulations on now owning probably the only ABARTH in vizag.

I would like to know how much of a hassle it was in buying the car in Vijayawada and then getting it registered in Vizag. I am from Vizag as well (though currently staying in Hyderabad). I always liked the FIAT PUNTO evo which I am contemplating as one of the options to buy this year end(other being Figo and swift/baleno) but the lack of dealership in Vizag is rather unconvincing.

Regards,
Surya Vamsi

Thanks Surya. Buying the car was not a hassle at all. It was just all the thoughts in my mind whether I should go all the way to Vijayawada and purchase this car or just wait until the dealer opens a showroom in Vizag (apparently the same dealer is in the process of opening a showroom here in Vizag by the end of this year). However after the union budget I thought it was prudent not to wait until then as the Abarth Punto is going to get more costlier by the end of the year. The other reason I decided not to wait is because there is a Fiat Authorized Service Station here in Vizag so I know that repairs or servicing would not be a problem. On another note I would like to state that my car is under T/C (trade certificate) and not under T/R because the car model has not yet been updated in the AP transport department website for a T/R to be generated. I'm still waiting on this and the dealer is hopeful it will be completed by the end of the month.

Originally Posted by W.A.G.7

Congrats on your purchase! It is a very well written review. It must have been a world of difference when you switched over from your GT to this car. Even though the design is some years old, it still grabs your attention on the road. Though personally, they could have done better with the sticker job. On the road, do you always need to keep the car in the >2000 rpm zone to extract the full potential of the engine? How does it perform in relaxed conditions? Is it a highway cruiser and can it cruise long distances without breaking into a sweat?

Noob question - Do they have any plan of launching an automatic transmission equipped variant for the Abarth Punto?

Thanks W.A.G. 7. The difference between the two cars is akin to night and day. If you want to truly experience the cars capability you should keep this cars motor on the boil at or above the 2000 rpm mark. That's what makes it cumbersome for someone like me after experiencing the GT TSI. The only exception is when you slot the car in first gear. In relaxed conditions if you want to amble along you can just upshift to fourth gear even at 20 km/hr and it moves without any engine knocking. The Abarth Punto excels on the highway, it is an excellent highway cruiser. I brought the car all the way to Visakhapatnam from Vijayawada by indulging in a solo 390 km highway drive. I have no idea if they are contemplating launching an automatic Abarth Punto.

Originally Posted by kaushal21fb

Congrats for acquiring the Abarth! She does look beautiful in white.

You've just run the car for 400 Km. so it's a bit unfair to compare performance at this point of time. As far as I know Fiat engines they require a more run-in time than other brands. You can refer to team-bhp guide for more info on running-in:

http://www.team-bhp.com/advice/how-run-your-new-car

Take good care of her now and I'm sure she'll keep you smiling for years.

Thanks Kaushal21fb. My average running is about 1000 kms a year (that's not a typo). The only reason this car is already at 400 km is because I brought her all the way from Vijayawada via the highway. My observations were based on owning the GT TSI and driving her in a similar way during my ownership. I am happy to hear that what I have experienced is only the beginning

Originally Posted by raghu.bramha

Congratulations on your buy chase_nt. I hope you are happy with your choice. From what i gather from your initial ownership review is that ABP has filled the shoes pretty well from GT. I personally feel you drive ABP from a different perspective and not compare it too much with GT.

You will definitely know what ABO is capable when you take her through curves. You have had owned/driven a lot of cars in the past so if you like ABP then its a benchmark on its own.

Enjoy your drive!

Thanks Raghu. You are absolutely right. I should not compare this car too much with the GT TSI. They are two totally different cars with different transmissions.

Originally Posted by Car-tya

One Word, Amazing, the review. It is very well compiled and talks about the bits that an enthusiast buying the car would be interested in. The car and the drive, not about missing features or creature comforts. It is essentially one of the best ownership reviews i have read in a while. Talks about enjoying and adjusting to the best and not so best features of what is a drivers dream.
I loved your comparison with the GT TSI and how understandably different they are but serve the purpose of living up to their reputation.
Congrats on your purchase and hope you enjoy both the cars for years to come.

Thanks Car-tya. My intention in writing this review was to share my feelings as an enthusiast. I'm glad you feel that my write up did its job. Things like creature comforts or missing features are the last thing on my mind especially when I purchase a car like this. Its all about the sort of feelings the car evokes in me

Originally Posted by Locomotive

Dear Chase_nt, hearty congratulations on your new car and an excellent write up. Having owned a few Fiats in the past, including the Linea T Jet, I completely agree with your view that these are quirky but extremely enjoyable vehicles. Over time you just get used to the quirks/oddities like the odd seating position, the mushy gearbox and that strange entertainment unit (in my Linea, the "random" play always started with the same song!!). What will remain with you is the immense joy of driving them the moment you hit an open road or heck, spot that gap that you have to take :-)

It been a year since I have sold my Linea and I still repent doing so!! I had sold it to make way for a more luxury/family oriented car. While my new car is a perfectly nice car I often crave for my Linea to satiate my soul!

One tip - after some time, when you are ready for it, remap the Abarth. I had my T Jet remaped by Tune-o-tronics. The power bumped up to 140 odd bhps and i think 260nm of torque. It was mind blowing. Imagine how your car would be transformed..170 bhp?? DROOOOL!

Thanks Locomotive. This is my first Fiat. My grandfather used to own Fiats before Maruti Suzuki launched the 800 in the early 80s. It was then that my grandfather switched over to Maruti for almost a decade and a half until the Fiat Palio was launched in 2000. He ended up purchasing the Fiat Palio 1.2 though I was trying to convince him to purchase the 1.6 GTX. I loved the Fiat Palio however my grandfather sold the Palio within 10 days of purchasing it because of the poor fuel efficiency it was giving compared to the Maruti
Anyway lets not get too nostalgic as the past hurts. I would like to get my Abarth remapped however I keep reading stuff on team bhp that the gearbox in the Abarth is at its maximum rated torque and that a remap could have disastrous effects. I think I will wait a while before I make up my mind about a remap.

Originally Posted by sudeepg

Great write up! Congratulations on your new drive. Loved reading every bit of it except the above.

As you said “with great power comes great responsibility” you should always be careful in the city. I was sad to see you say that this car is a real pain in the city to drive. I think what you mean is that it takes a lot of effort to drive spiritedly in the city compared to the GT. In the city, it is best left to sane speeds rather than spirited driving to ensure safety of yourself as well as other road users. Why spit venom on city roads?

Thanks sudeepg. Glad you liked my review. What I meant was that the GT TSI is the sort of machine that you can dart into gaps in traffic before a three wheeler or pesky two wheeler cuts you off. That's because of the boost being available at a lower rpm and its so effortless. There are also times when some city streets are very free and you can actually push your car faster than other times that said I always maintain a proper speed on city streets because they are highly unpredictable.

[sudeepg]

Originally Posted by chase_nt

What I meant was that the GT TSI is the sort of machine that you can dart into gaps in traffic before a three wheeler or pesky two wheeler cuts you off. That's because of the boost being available at a lower rpm and its so effortless. There are also times when some city streets are very free and you can actually push your car faster than other times that said I always maintain a proper speed on city streets because they are highly unpredictable.

If you are brave enough, then you can consider remapping the car after about 5000 KMS. There are several options in the market and with that gem of an engine, it's just potential waiting to be tapped. If you do consider, try and check out the point and shoot maps.

[sriramr9]

Originally Posted by chase_nt

As I keep driving my Abarth Punto I am developing a keen interest in the car.

Also to throw in a word of caution, we all understand this is the same engine as that of the FIRE 1.4 that is practically abarthified and not the MultiAir version.

There are versions of episodes from owners and also on the user manuals claiming to top up engine oil whenever required as per stick level and user judgement.

"1.4 is known to consume oil at a max. rate of 400mL/1000km", also remember seeing a 1.4 FIRE user manual carrying out the same advice.

Could you please check your User manual on the appropriate section and let us know if this recommendation is made for the Abarth version as well.

If that's the case, its better to stock/carry spare oil in the boot at all times, we all do (i have one set of oil/coolant/distilled water stocked at all times).

[civ4647]

Congratulations chase_nt on the only Abarth in Vizag for a long time to come. Its a wonderful choice for an enthusiast. While some people might find it too loud, I personally love the look of the car. Looking forward to seeing it out on the road sometime. Lets meet up whenever you are free. It would be nice to meet another BHPian and a fellow enthusiast.

[aveemashfaq]

Hmm. I would like to ask you one thing though. Has the extra effort in using the Abarth Punto made you a more attentive driver?

The reason I am asking you is because I own a Maruti 800 which I always drove on state highways and in city with 4 healthily built people on-board and AC on. The kindest word you can use is that the engine feels as if it were being choked to death, working but struggling to do that even. It always had to be in medium high rpm zone and a perfect gear change or you will be slow that even autos get impatient at times. Part of the reason could be the fact that my father NEVER bothered to maintain the car regularly and it's carburettor is all clogged up. The day he transfers it to my name, I have an extended repair job to perform.

Then dad bought a chennai affected Hyundai Getz and we brought it back to life with our own bare hands. It is all documented here
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...ndai-getz.html

Anyways, while we were repairing the car, we took a self-drive rental car and those cars were so easy to drive. No more perfecting gear changes, no more putting engine on boil. No more planning your next move. And also the chennai traffic on Kanchipuram Highway caused me such nightmares because the cars had only 30cm distance and were doing 80kmph that I was extra attentive to keep minding the gap and check my mirrors that I did not care which pothole I crashed into.

But when I came back and was taking my parents to the shops in M800, I crashed into a huge pothole on a traffic-free road. I was unable to notice that at all. I thought that chennai spoilt me and so when I was trying to concentrate on road surface, I could no longer see the traffic in front of me. My driving style for 7 years is documented here and that driving style is ruined.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...uti-800-a.html

The reason I was thinking was that when I had to wring the engine completely, I was extra attentive and so as I started exercising my brain so much, it was sharp to notice a lot of parameters at the same time. I would plan overtake moves, estimate my speed relative to other vehicles, keep a notice for the speeds I was carrying and the necessary gear shifts, keeping an eye on those stupid pedestrians who want to commit suicide, all of that at the same time.

When I drove more relaxed and sedate, I found myself in other thoughts, relaxing and not having the capacity any longer to concentrate on all the parameters. I was wondering if the same is happening to you.

Is the extra effort required making you a better and more attentive driver?

[extreme_torque]

Congratulations on the car mate. Glad to finally have an enthusiast who put his money where his mouth is. As someone above said, give the engine a few thousand kilometers and it will open up. I am sure you will love it even more then, all the more reason to keep the thread updated. Enjoy!

[GTPower]

Awesome review chase_nt. I just got my hands on the punto abarth yesterday and couldn't agree more with your report. Can't wait to take both cars out on to some empty space and give them a through shake down.

Cheers!

[amiya.c]

Congratulations chase_nt
I still cannot believe that you did a trade-off between GT TSI and the Abarth Punto. IMHO the only dilemma with the FIAT cars is that they come with poor ergonomics. For example, nowadays they advertise saying 'for the the love of driving' but the reality is one cannot find a good driving position easily in any of the cars, be it punto, linea or avventurra. I could not find any major difference that those 45 horses could make in the Abarth in a recent drag race video made by motorbeam, the GT TSI was in fact seem to catch up with the Punto near the finish line. Check this out :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDvNH-Qyt9U

[blackbeast]

Congratulations on your new possession. I did not read through the entire post hence forgive me if you have mentioned any of the below. My question is
The 145 bhp motor is sweet but didn't the gearbox put you off ? Polo has amazing interiors and doesn't the interiors look spartan in comparison.
Its my sincere request to you, Please get rid of the stickers and bonnet and roof. It looks like after market stickering job and not factory fit.
Happy miles