General Seicento Sporting general thoughts

[FreeStyler]

Hello mates,

I have a couple questions about Seicento Sporting which I'll be glad to help me with:

1.Does Seicento (2001- ) have zinc (galvanized) body like Punto MK2 does?

2.Is it Seicento's chassis so much weaker than other fiat models (Punto,Bravo...)? I ask this because I saw many pictures of smushed Seicentos in very small car crushes.

3.How come Seicento Sporting doesn't have any more horse power than standard 1.1 Seicento not even Sporting Abarth or Schumacher??? This is strange to me because Sporting has bigger exhaust and just the name Sporting.What is the catch? I only see cosmetic modification,sport seats,spoilers,alloy rims etc.. The engine is the same,is there any engine modification?


Best Regards,
Ivan

 

[fingers99]

No stronger -- or weaker -- than cars designed at the same time. It is stiffer than the Cinq.

All 1108 Seis have the same engine, and exhaust, as the MPI Sporting. They don't have the little chrome trim peice on the end though. The 889 has a smaller diameter exhaust.

Abarth was, in that period, just a "posh" label for FIAT: differences are trim. You could argue that the base 1108 should be faster -- it's a wee bit lighter.

 

[ycming]

What makes the sei body stiffer than the cinq tho ? I always though the cinq body was stiffer because the shape is in ...

Ming

 

[ivantate]

The sporting had a closer ratio gearbox and the abarth had an even closer ratio gearbox. (i think pre 2001 they had the same gearbox, but upto 2000ish the normal sei had the 899 engine.

The top speeds were the same but the 0-60 was quicker for the sporting.

Low profile tyres and i think an extra anti-roll bar also made the sporting far nicer to drive.

 

[fingers99]

It's even more complicated than that. The MPI 1108 was sometimes fitted with a (wet inner CV joint) gearbox with slightly longer ratios than the Sporting. The MPI Abarths (the factory built ones) came with 14" wheels (couldn't really describe the tyres as low profile, and they're only 5.5J) and a lower overall ratio to compensate. Neither the Sporting or the Abarth has a CR box.

The bodies are galvanised (although the quality varies from car to car) as were the Cinqs and Mk1 Puntos.

The Sei is stiffer (still not stiff enough) mainly by virtue of outer panels with more swage lines and greater depth. Has better NCAP.

All MPI Seis left the factory with a front ARB: dimensionally it's the same on them all. The Sportings are 20mm lower.

 

[FreeStyler]

OK,here we go on:

No stronger -- or weaker -- than cars designed at the same time. It is stiffer than the Cinq.

The Sei is stiffer (still not stiff enough) mainly by virtue of outer panels with more swage lines and greater depth. Has better NCAP.

Exactly why I asked you about Siecento's chassis,I know new cars are every day more and more stiffer especially when you look at NCAP crush test scores. But at few car review sites I saw that Siecento is one of the worst estimated car at NCAP test.

All 1108 Seis have the same engine, and exhaust, as the MPI Sporting. They don't have the little chrome trim peice on the end though.

Because if that chrome part at the end of exhaust and Sporting name I was convinced that Sporting must have bigger and better exhaust.But you are right if I looke at spec they all 1.1 engines have 54HP!!!

Abarth was, in that period, just a "posh" label for FIAT: differences are trim. You could argue that the base 1108 should be faster -- it's a wee bit lighter.

I still can't believe they put Abarth sign just for fancy body kit and little better equipment and same engine as we all know what does Abarth mean! I suppose that by the term "trim" you mean equipment level.

In the FIAT spec I saw that Sporting and base 1.1 model have the same weight (735KG),just 900cc model is 5 kilos lighter.
Also acceleration time is 13.1sec Sporting against 14sec for 1.1 base model.Highest speed according spec are the same 93mph.

Why is acceleration better at Sporting if they have the same engine and gearbox and exhaust and 54HP???

Sporting is 20mm lower but that couldn't affect so much aerodinamics to be almost 1 sec faster.I assume sporting mainsprings are just shorter about 20mm and maybe lower profiles tyres???

The bodies are galvanised (although the quality varies from car to car) as were the Cinqs and Mk1 Puntos.

That means Siecento's body and paint is minimum 10 years rust resistant.
What do you mean by "quality" varies from car to car, you mean from Siecento to Siecento how it was produced. I saw many Puntos MK2 about 10 years old and their body is as new.

Do Sporting,Abart or Schumacher series have even little better body and paint from base models?

 

[exup]

acceleration for the sporting will be better than the SX due to the close ratio box. but top speed may be down slightly due to revving harder at high speeds . maybe wind drag may come into it at speeds near 80 -90 mph .
Abarth (and Schumacher) basically were sportings with party frock on . and limited edition MS logos on the Schumi .
When I got my Seicento Suite it had the exhaust with the chrome end piece on - got a normal one on for now when I needed a new exhaust. But most things on mine can be interchanged for the sporting or SX - just mine has the A/C unit aswell (little bit more weight)

 

[fingers99]

Why is acceleration better at Sporting if they have the same engine and gearbox and exhaust and 54HP???

I think they're just being very selective about the figures. The S 1108 had no central locking, no electric windows, no sunroof, no extra lights. It can't have been the same weight as a Sporting.

But get a bad one, put it against a good Sporting..................

That means Siecento's body and paint is minimum 10 years rust resistant.
What do you mean by "quality" varies from car to car, you mean from Siecento to Siecento how it was produced. I saw many Puntos MK2 about 10 years old and their body is as new.

Do Sporting,Abart or Schumacher series have even little better body and paint from base models?

Sportings and Schumis don't seem better built. Some cars rot very quickly around the rear seat belt mounts, rear arch to boot floor joins, etc. Almost as though they were put through the dipping process too fast (or the tank wasn't full!).

 

[pasotibbs]

OK,here we go on:
Exactly why I asked you about Siecento's chassis,I know new cars are every day more and more stiffer especially when you look at NCAP crush test scores. But at few car review sites I saw that Siecento is one of the worst estimated car at NCAP test.

Actually I was once told the "stiffest" car ever built was the Austin A30 ?
But stiff does not mean good in a crash!!
Modern cars are designed to fold up in a controlled manner (weak spots are added)to reduce the chance of the passenger compartment distorting and are not necessarily "stiffer" than previous models but better at passing the tests !

 

[fingers99]

There's something in that. For NCAP you want a rigid passenger compartment and a collapsable impact zone.

 

[ycming]

I think we talk about car stiffess in a different sense ... i always just relate car stiffness to the handling performance and don't really bother with all these NCAP test! (well on the centio anyway)

Ming

 

[fingers99]

Mind you, they're not great on stiffness in the sense of torsional rigidity, either......

 

[FreeStyler]

I don't know on what kind of stiffness do you mean,but I've ment on that when you bump on some other car and Seicento is all crushed and other car's just bumper.I also dont care about NCAP scores and stars,but if you have some accident is very important to have stiff car.Human life is still the most important!

Don't misapprehend me,I like very much Seicento,but I wish to know all about before buy it.

 

[fingers99]

If that's what you're concerned about (passive safety), then NCAP is what you need to be looking to.

A more recent car (certainly a more recent european car) will have a higher NCAP rating.

 

[ycming]

If that is your primary objective, then i don't think the cento is for you.

I just think with all the new technology and NCAP rating, people nowadays tends to have a false sense of secuity and lack the real awareness!.

Ming

 

[fingers99]

If that is your primary objective, then i don't think the cento is for you.

I just think with all the new technology and NCAP rating, people nowadays tends to have a false sense of secuity and lack the real awareness!.

Agreed. All new drivers should be forced to ride motorbikes for 2 years (it would teach them how to get off the brakes, anticipation, the importance of not spraying the road with petrol, deisel and GOK what).

 

[FreeStyler]

No,that is not my primary objective,my primary objective is low cost running and small fancy car to drive.Passive safety isn't primary but isn't the last thing.I know that Volvo and Mercedes are the best NCAP ratin,but small city cars I look for they can't be compared to them.

Seicento Sporting is one of the fansiest small city cars I can look for to buy it.I know what is small car I had before FIAT 600.

But to be honest,maybe I am wrong,but Seicento base model without any equipment is one of the ugliest car on the market.Like Sporting and base model aren't the same car!!!

 

[fingers99]

No,that is not my primary objective,my primary objective is low cost running and small fancy car to drive.Passive safety isn't primary but isn't the last thing.I know that Volvo and Mercedes are the best NCAP ratin,but small city cars I look for they can't be compared to them.

You're plain wrong. Look at NCAP for recent small city cars and you'll see them up there. A 5 year old Volvo will have a lower NCAP than a new 500.

You can always buy base Sei and stick Sporting/Abarth/Schumaker bits on.........

 

[FreeStyler]

I agree I could stick them,if i could find them.I know that is the same car,only cosmetic changes,but you know spoilers,bumbers,alloys are miracle stuff))

Fiat 500,best NCAP marked micro city car,but you know how expensive is Fiat 500.
It's not point how Sei is NCAP marked than how drivers have marked him in real conditions...

 

[fingers99]

What can I say?

NCAP is probably the only "realistic" test out there. People have escaped intact from bad accidents in Seis, others have died. The dead ones don't tend to report back. That's why NCAP use dummies.

There is some crash footage on YouTube.

Over here it's pretty easy to find even Abarth stuff for Cinqs: Seis are no problem.