[acidkill]

Dont quite understand the strategy of the 90 HP tho.. it doesnt really provide any notieable improvement in performance. Maybe fiat saw a way to increase margins while addressing a perception issue!

[Amartya]

Originally Posted by acidkill

Dont quite understand the strategy of the 90 HP tho.. it doesnt really provide any notieable improvement in performance. Maybe fiat saw a way to increase margins while addressing a perception issue!

Which begs the question whether you have driven the car or not. The 90HP provides very noticeable improvements in performance, unless of course, one is anesthetized during the test drive.

[sandeepmdas]

Originally Posted by acidkill

Maybe fiat saw a way to increase margins while addressing a perception issue!

Didn't get that. You mean Fiat has started badging the cars 90HP to boost its image? In that case imagine how the rear of GP would look like if Fiat has gone the Hyundai way: badges like "ABS", "EBD", "Airbag" plus a decal of "NCAP 5-stars".

No offence to H owners please.

[nicesachin]

Originally Posted by acidkill

Dont quite understand the strategy of the 90 HP tho.. it doesnt really provide any notieable improvement in performance. Maybe fiat saw a way to increase margins while addressing a perception issue!

@ Acidkill. I dont agree with you. Drive the car first and then decde. I am enjoying it every next day.

Guys My new 90 Hp is currently giving me less mileage then my Linea.
May be as the Engine is new and might get tunned up as I drive more.

[nkrishnap]

Finally got hold of a test drive of the 90 bhp Punto right after the 75 HP version test drive.

The test drives being back to back here are my observations

1) The Steering is lighter than the FGT version.
2) The cabin is better insulated than the FGT version.
3) No change in the plastics as both were 2010 versions
4) The seat in the VGT felt a bit harder, may be its just me who felt a bit uncomfortable
5) Somehow the ride on the VGT felt better, May be due to the tyre air pressure difference.
6) The FGT version had slight vibration on the steering (odo 10.5K), the VGT had no hints of vibration.
7) The FGT version was abused to the core, the glove box lock was broken.
8) The VGT accelerated better than the FGT. The turbo kicks in around 2.2k rpm give a good thrust in performance.

The remaining aspects of the car are the same.

Did not click any pics as I did not have a cam with me

[jkdas]

Drove one few min back. Thought 90 bhp will give it the kicks similar to what I get from a 140bhp, two tonne Safari!

Well? went with some expectations but ended up feeling great about Safari's power delivery( in gear acceleration, power on tap, low turbo lag). It left like it was taking ages to get to a speed I normally cruise at; I had to really work to reach there!

Braking and handling was of course good for a hatch.

[vinaydas]

Originally Posted by jkdas

Drove one few min back. Thought 90 bhp will give it the kicks similar to what I get from a 140bhp, two tonne Safari!

Well? went with some expectations but ended up feeling great about Safari's power delivery( in gear acceleration, power on tap, low turbo lag). It left like it was taking ages to get to a speed I normally cruise at; I had to really work to reach there!

Braking and handling was of course good for a hatch.

The fantastic Thing about Fiats(and Most Euro cars) are that they are very good at masking their true speeds.
You never know how fast you are going till you take a look at the speedo

[extreme_torque]

I have already documented my driving experience of the Punto 90 hp on another thread and I will repeat it here. There is noticeable difference in performance even on a brand new 90 hp engine and well run in 75 hp multijet.
Be it in-gear acceleration or flat out 90 hp is a considerable improvement over the regular variant. The only thing that I that I dis-agree with is the price tag which without discounts is whopping 60-70k's over the regular car. Add to sub standard plastics are places and it doesnt sounds very good.
My friend just bought one in Delhi for 7.47 lakhs OTR which I feel is a bit too much. I would have prefferred better quality interiors by a considerable margin at the very least given the price.
Negatives aside, there is still no hatchback that can match the driving experience of the Punto.

P.S. My friend who just bought one already owns a Verna CRDi and didnt find the acceleration too slow. He says its resonably fast and is in love with the suspension, ride and handling and steering so much so that he hasnt touched his Verna ever since the day Punto arrived.

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

I have already documented my driving experience of the Punto 90 hp on another thread and I will repeat it here. There is noticeable difference in performance even on a brand new 90 hp engine and well run in 75 hp multijet.
Be it in-gear acceleration or flat out 90 hp is a considerable improvement over the regular variant. The only thing that I that I dis-agree with is the price tag which without discounts is whopping 60-70k's over the regular car. Add to sub standard plastics are places and it doesnt sounds very good.
My friend just bought one in Delhi for 7.47 lakhs OTR which I feel is a bit too much. I would have prefferred better quality interiors by a considerable margin at the very least given the price.
Negatives aside, there is still no hatchback that can match the driving experience of the Punto.

P.S. My friend who just bought one already owns a Verna CRDi and didnt find the acceleration too slow. He says its resonably fast and is in love with the suspension, ride and handling and steering so much so that he hasnt touched his Verna ever since the day Punto arrived.

Being Honest, Being an owner of a 20k+ run in Punto 75, Having driven Punto 90, I say both Punto 75 and 90 lacks real performance. After driving Punto continuously for a month now, whenever i drive Elantra/Scorpio/Fortuner/Verna the feeling torque rush in mid-range is UNREAL.

Even more sad part is most hatchbacks in the segment including Polo TDi, Figo TDCi and Indica Quadrajet are not any better. Even more shameful is the case of Corolla Altis Diesel. If you really like the seat in pants acceleration most of the modern powerful common rail engines offer today, do not buy the cars i have listed above.

Diesel cars that bring genuine smile to my face(Performance)-

• Swift DDiS
• i20 CRDi
• Verna CRDi MT
• Optra Magnum TCDi
• Chevy Cruze TCDi MT & AT
• Laura 110hp MT and 140hp AT
• 320d CE and Highline
• C220 CDI
• A4 3.0 TDi

(as per Segment & Price, below 30L)

[ph03n!x]

...and I smirk with my 5.61L OTR Getz CRDi - bad on curves, but boy! Dont ask if the straights make up for it

(Irrelevant post, I know - but this is the feedback a long time friend who drives a Black Punto (that I still envy - the damn thing looks Oh So Sexy! And handles like one too!!!! Hyundai - gimme a 110 HP / 24 KgM "iPunto!!!)), after he took my car for a spin, in city traffic and in a open stretch, for the first time: "........ <Sigh>!")

[vinaydas]

What this car seriously needs is a proper Remap or a good tuning box and then you will see those horses fly
CPH/Peter We are waiting :P

P.S i do know about the tuning box from petes available for the linea which is also usable on the VGT Punto.

[.anshuman]

^^ Just a change in gear ratios will do wonders, but that's not possible in an after market job. The European Punto 75 with same weight, FE and engine is as fast as the Swift D, the Punto 90 is even faster than a Swift.

[deepakhon]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

^^ Just a change in gear ratios will do wonders, but that's not possible in an after market job. The European Punto 75 with same weight, FE and engine is as fast as the Swift D, the Punto 90 is even faster than a Swift.

Interestingly, there is not too much of a difference between the gear ratios of 90bhp Punto in Europe and in India, except for the first gear ratio.

Europe India
3.909 4.238

In India, 1st gear ratio is significantly shorter than in Europe.

The rest are the same: 2.238, 1.444, 1.029 and 0.767.

Is the difference in the first gear ratio alone enough to slow down the Indian Punto by almost 5 seconds in the 0-100 kph? I believe it has got to do a lot more than that. Maybe, how the torque is mapped along the rev range determines the timings. That explains why Pete's and Kiirus are able to easily shave off 2-3 seconds, just by mapping.

[Sheel]

What about 'pulling towards left' syndrome?

Hope Fiat sees this & works on it.

[ravikn]

Was dreaming about upgrading to punto 90HP from Palio GTX. Now it looks like I must wait for T-Jet to be on roads to see its performance