The Abarth Linea will be powered by the same 1.4-litre T-Jet motor, re-tuned to produce in excess of 140 BHP of power.
Fiat brought outright performance to the masses when it launched the Abarth powered Punto and Avventura late last year. One of the best moves by the company to be made (from an enthusiast’s perspective), the Italian automaker now plans to expand the Scorpion lineup as the Abarth tuned Linea is indeed in the works. While reports have been mentioning the same since quite some time now, this spy shot from the automaker’s Ranjangaon facility finally confirms the development.
The report suggests that Fiat India could launch the Abarth Linea as early as within this quarter itself, possibly at the 2016 Auto Expo next month. Much like the Abarth Punto and Avventura, the Abarth Linea will be powered by the 1.4-litre turbocharged T-Jet petrol motor tuned to produce in excess of 140 BHP of power and 200 Nm of torque, paired to a 5-speed gearbox. This will make the Linea the most powerful sedan in the C-segment space while matching the Skoda Octavia 1.4-litre TSI in terms of output.
Mechanical changes will include a stiffer suspension setup, disc brakes on all four wheels, reduced ground clearance while ABS and dual front airbags will be offered as standard. The Abarth Linea is likely to take the Avventura route in terms of cosmetic upgrades restricting itself to only the alloy wheels and ‘Powered by Abarth’ badging. Do not expect any major updates to the interior either save for the sporty pedals.
While you can’t expect the Abarth Linea to set the sales chart on fire, the same is possible on the road while making for a practical offering with the rear seats and boot. Already available in a T-Jet avatar, expect the Abarth Linea to see a significant hike in price expected around Rs. 11 lakhs (ex-showroom). In addition, Fiat India is also preparing to finally launch the Jeep brand at the Auto Expo and will introduce its American performance brand SRT with the Grand Cherokee later in the year.
Spy Picture Source – Team-BHP.com
Update – False alarm, the car spotted is a regular Linea and not the Abarth Linea.
