The Abarth Punto is an excellent amalgamation of power, handling, looks and affordability, making it one of the most desirable mass market cars in India right now.
Enthusiasts, your wait is over! Fiat India has officially launched the 2015 Abarth Punto in the country priced at Rs. 9.95 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi). The beefed up version of the Punto Evo tuned by the automaker’s performance division and is the third Abarth launch in the country after the 595 Competizione and Avventura Abarth. While the 595 costs a handful, the Abarth Punto is crafted for the driver on a budget and here is everything you need to know about the newest hot hatch in town.
Design – The Abarth Punto isn’t radically different from the standard model but gets a host of upgrades to match the power increment underneath the hood. The Scorpion badges replacing the Fiat ones are easily noticeable followed by the contrast coloured grille and ORVMs. There is some chrome on the fog lamp enclosures. Further, you get colour coordinated ‘Abarth’ decals at the sides and distinctive Scorpion claw alloy wheels wrapped in meatier 195/55/R16 Apollo tyres. The ground clearance has been reduced to 155 mm on the performance hatchback.
Interior – Changes inside the cabin are minimal on the Abarth Punto with the dashboard completely carried over from the regular model. The beige and black cabin though has been traded with a completely black unit for that sporty appeal and gets black fabric upholstery with contrast stitching to complete the look. The steering wheel now boasts of the Scorpion badge instead of Fiat’s logo and is leather-wrapped along with the gearshift knob.
In terms of features, the Abarth Punto comes with all the modern day essentials including automatic climate control, electrically adjustable ORVMs, auto down power windows, height adjustable driver’s seat, tilt steering, audio system with Bluetooth telephony, USB and AUX connectivity and voice command, rear defogger. You also get rear AC vents on the Abarth Punto, even though the backseat isn’t the place to be.
Engine – The Fiat Abarth Punto draws power from a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder T-Jet petrol engine tuned to produce 145 HP of power (best in class) and 212 Nm of torque between 2000-4000 RPM, paired to a 5-speed manual gearbox. Keeping up with the uprated power, Fiat has stiffened the suspension setup on the Abarth Punto while braking performance now comes from the front and rear disc brakes. The car is capable of doing 0-100 km/hr in 8.8 seconds and has a top speed of 200 km/hr.
Safety – Safety tech on the Abarth Punto includes dual front airbags with early crash sensors, ABS with EBD, 3-point ELR seatbelts with pre-tensioners and load limiters. You also get the Fire Prevention System as part of the standard kit.
Fuel Efficiency – Despite the uprated power and performance, Fiat says the Abarth Punto is comparatively frugal returning an ARAI certified mileage of 16.3 km/l (with a sedate driving style of course).
More of brand builder, Fiat has pleased enthusiasts by offering performance at a cost. The Fiat Abarth Punto is one of the most powerful hatchbacks in the country producing more power than the Volkswagen Polo GT TSI (105 PS) as well as the three times expensive Mercedes A-Class (122 PS). The Italian automaker had already commenced accepting bookings for the hot hatch last month for a token amount of Rs. 50,000/- with deliveries set to commence immediately.
