I think it's a mistake to say that FIAT, or anyone else for that matter, don't need a competitive high performance model, unless you are aiming your range at a niche market such as the elderly.
Which probably explains why the likes of Kia and Hyundai don't (yet) have a top sporty version; but within my living memory neither did Honda, Nissan, Toyota and Subaru.
One thing that frequently frustrates me is when you read a press review or see Clarkson/Hammond/May saying they like a car, but the handling lets it down, or the performance lets it down, which then reflects on the entire range such as the Punto. Compared with the drab Fords, Vauxhalls, British Leylands, Chryslers et al, Italian cars from run of the mill variants such as the 128 through to sophisticated Alfas, they always had a sporting "bent". Cooking Vivas and Escorts were dull, asmatics when compared with a 128 which fizzed with life and yet after a damn good thrashing would settle down to a nice even tickover instead of hunting like an Escort.
Somewhere I have a copy of Car Magazine from the '70s featuring the then new Ford Escort RS2000 and the FIAT 131 Sport.....the Sport won which affected the public perception of the rest of the 131s from 1.3, through 1.6 to 2000s.
Having a Bravo, for example, win a group test between a Civic, Focus, Astra and Golf would make a big difference to lesser models.
The Uno, series 1 Punto and new Panda all garnered plaudits for all aspects of the cars, but magazinealso gave good qritique on performance and handling. All models were successful. Despite the GP being praised for many things, it's handling and roadholding weren't among them and personally, I think that lack of a performance model went against it.
Short of a lottery win, I can't see me buying a top performance model in the near future, but it makes me feel good about the company I have a great deal of affection for. Great press coverage can make you feel feel good about your car and can make you want to convert others. In other words, a kind of free viral marketing.
Which probably explains why the likes of Kia and Hyundai don't (yet) have a top sporty version; but within my living memory neither did Honda, Nissan, Toyota and Subaru.
One thing that frequently frustrates me is when you read a press review or see Clarkson/Hammond/May saying they like a car, but the handling lets it down, or the performance lets it down, which then reflects on the entire range such as the Punto. Compared with the drab Fords, Vauxhalls, British Leylands, Chryslers et al, Italian cars from run of the mill variants such as the 128 through to sophisticated Alfas, they always had a sporting "bent". Cooking Vivas and Escorts were dull, asmatics when compared with a 128 which fizzed with life and yet after a damn good thrashing would settle down to a nice even tickover instead of hunting like an Escort.
Somewhere I have a copy of Car Magazine from the '70s featuring the then new Ford Escort RS2000 and the FIAT 131 Sport.....the Sport won which affected the public perception of the rest of the 131s from 1.3, through 1.6 to 2000s.
Having a Bravo, for example, win a group test between a Civic, Focus, Astra and Golf would make a big difference to lesser models.
The Uno, series 1 Punto and new Panda all garnered plaudits for all aspects of the cars, but magazinealso gave good qritique on performance and handling. All models were successful. Despite the GP being praised for many things, it's handling and roadholding weren't among them and personally, I think that lack of a performance model went against it.
Short of a lottery win, I can't see me buying a top performance model in the near future, but it makes me feel good about the company I have a great deal of affection for. Great press coverage can make you feel feel good about your car and can make you want to convert others. In other words, a kind of free viral marketing.
Howdy.
