Fiat India has teased the much-awaited hot-hatch, the Punto Abarth on its official website. The home page showcases a dual coloured black and red Abarth standing in the middle flanked by other cars on the side. The page also displays a coming soon button right under the model which is currently inactive and might become active once the launch date comes near.
Mechanically, the hot-hatch would pack a 145bhp 1.4-litre T-Jet motor, already being offered in the C-segment sedan Linea. The tweaked engine of the hatch will carry max torque of 195Nm and is mated to 5-speed manual gearbox. Fiat has really gone rogue with this hot-headed hatch. The model can sprint from 0-100kmph in mere 10 seconds. This clearly steals the hot-hatch tag from the Volkswagen Polo GT TSI. The height of the car has been reduced by 20mm, which has resulted in the overall Kerb weight to be around 1100kg. The company has given its best shot to improve the aerodynamics and the overall power-to-weight ratio of Abarth Punto.
What can be deduced from the model teased on the website is that the car will tread on 16-inch diamond cut alloy wheels wrapped in 195/55 R16 tires. Another interesting on the outside is the Abarth decal in bright red colour on the bottom side profile coupled with contrast colour front grille. The rear flaunts a sporty looking spoiler coupled with Abarth badging and insignias. The ground clearance is rumoured to be around 160mm, which is good for Indian road conditions, though, ranks a bit good for a performance car like Abarth. The car retains many chrome components from its standard Punto Evo sibling but might undergo a change before the actual launch happens.
Reports of the interiors having Punto EVO-inspired styling is rife. The hatch is expected to have an all-black interior colour scheme with the monotony broken in sporty yellow and red stitch detailing. Other features expected in the hatch are aluminium foot pedals and a sporty instrument cluster. The car will come with stiffed up suspension system and upgraded brakes. The seats are expected to be of premium quality with contrast stitching and the interiors would feature Abarth badging instead of Fiat. The car will be equipped with safety features such as dual airbags and ABS as standard.
The hatch, which is a performance version of the Punto EVO is being tagged as a car for the masses since it is expected to be priced around INR 10 lacs. According to market sources, the bookings are already underway by Fiat Abarth dealerships across the country. An upfront amount of INR 1.5 lac is being taken as a booking amount for the Abarth at exclusive Abarth showrooms.
The car is rumoured to be available in three colours-white, black and grey with contrasting colour decals and components both on the outside and inside. The hatch is expected to be launched somewhere during the festivities at the end of this year, which would definitely gear up the sales for Fiat.