stilo abarth

[andys]

I have just driven the stilo abarth. Put away any doubts you may have had, this 2.4 s5 is bloody quick, handles impressively, is rattle free (novelty) and is packed to the high hills with kit. My only grumble is the gearbox. What it has, is a selespeed style wheel mounted shift and a conventional auto 'box. It takes a lot of getting used to but give me a 6 speed manual box anyday! Makes a great engine noise and when revved hard stationary the exhaust also produces an interesting note. I wonder what my local will give me for my 80sx?

 

[Nigel]

I dont mean this as a derogaroty comment but compaired with an 80SX it would be quick. Compared with other cars in its class and the car it replace, the HGT, it isn't.

The one I drove was not a bad car - I dont think there are many cars these days that are - but it isn't a market leader and it definently isn't quick! I wouldn't swap one for my HGT. I have even pitted both the cars against each other (read back!) and while it wasn't "blown away" by the HGT, it wasn't very close - I and thought the HGT handled poorly.

It's not a big shock that it hasn't sold very well, in fact it has been a disaster for my local dealers, which is a shame as they are actually a very good bunch of people for once!

Go drive a Seat Ibiza Turbo and then see how it compares.

Cheers
N

 

[spyder]

don't do it

I test drove one when they first came out, wasn't very impressed I thought my Marea 20v was faster and handled better, ok it rattles abit now but it is 2.5 years old.
Buy a good secondhand HGT or a Marea 20v and modify it.

 

[patrick]

Numbers?

Any body any idea of how many have been sold, only seen about five on the road and I go all around the manchester area, and one of those had a mobility sticker in the window

 

[Roberto]

Stilo

I c loads of Stilo's where I live (East Anglia) and surprisingly, most of them r 5 door versions, which in my humble opinion, r the least desirable 2 look at.

When I was driving round Europe ealier this year, they were everywhere, again, predominantly 5 doors.

I test drove the Abarth Stilo myself (C earlier post) and found it 2 b most enjoyable but as Nige says, not quite as pokey as my HGT.

Cheers,

Rob.

 

[ryan]

a cleaner where i work has an abarth

i was always a bit unsure about the looks of the stilo, cant deny it is very well built but something on the cheaper models just doesn't look right. However recently a cleaner where i work, yes a cleaner has just got herself a stilo abarth. I cant stress this enough, with the 17 inch alloys the skirts and spoiler it is one of the best looking cars in its class. Looks stunning very substantial and makes the german golf gti's parked next to it look like toys. It has been the biggest topic of conversation at work for the last three weeks, everyone who slated fiats have completely changed their opinion. surely this is what fiat need people to think!

 

[patrick]

Funnily enough

I always thought the black three door versions looked like vw golfs on steroids, very butch looking

 

[Big Al]

Speed is needed

I might get slated here but the Stilo hasn't got the speed as i hoped it would have.

I'm really interested in getting one but as Roberto said the 5 door looks bland... in my opinion to get them to look nice u would need to modify!

I saw a really nice kit in the Auto-Italia mag when it came out in about March on the 3 door version. I would get a yellow one with nice dark chrome alloys and tinted windows! Nice!

Anyway to be honest mine is only the 1.8 bravo but i've had much faster cars in the past but the stats for the 2.4 aren't really good enough. Its only my love of Italian cars that would make my buy it.
For speed and reliablity and for a similar price u wanna get a Civic typeR

Difficult to choose, i know.

Al

 

[andys]

Fair point

If they had a manual 'box option I reckon it would obviously be a wee bit quicker. I did notice it got bogged down at low revs but in fairness this car is a refined cruiser bruiser as oposed to a civic R which is a lightened striped out track(ish) car. I have driven the type R, loved the sky high redline etc but found the overall experience a bit noisy and a bit imature. I think it all depends on the requirements of the buyer and I would choose the Stilo because of the refinement, sharp steering, comfort, pace, kit and individuality plus the sexy sat-nav girl is a bonus!
Plus the Golf GTi is a wallowy soft expensive has- been. (Uncalled for I know, but my colleague has one, he he)

 

[Ph1l]

Abarth

I drove one a while ago, it was ok, but its purely the gearbox that lets it down. It takes ages for it to change gear.
Other than that its not a bad car, definatley growing on me, but I just hate that gearbox - good idea, poorly employed.

 

[Tel]

Fiat Stilo Abarth 3 door

One very important thing is missing here, simple fact that this car has a selespeed box that you need to learn how to use. If you just sit in point and shoot, then the experience won't be quite what it should. Learn how to use the car and it truly delivers exactly what it should. In manual form on test I have had this car well under 8 secs to 62! In Germany on the main roads it was comfortably cruising at 137, with plenty left in reserve. I think Fiat have got it right here, no other car offers so much for so little, believe me I have a Golf as a company car and have had Focus's, 307's etc etc and can confirm by a mile that the Stilo is by far the best built and most competent alround package. It's all to easy to degrade something that you don't know enough about (motoring press). Like any new gadget/car, you have to learn how to use it before being able to criticise. Fiat, hat off to you, should be proud of this one!

 

[Liam]

Re: Abarth

Glad this topic has come up again. I am a big fan of the three door stilo. Well done FIAT for styling the 3+5 door versions independantly of one another. Stilo looks great from all angles and I must agree that it looks very substantial (perhaps not as much as the new megane).Really like the three prong abarth alloys also.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Re: Abarth

Yup your glad that this has been bought up again. This has not been posted on since October 2002 - thats when he started to do the 0-62 trial. Well, he has just made it - well done!
What a can of shite - no wonder they are dropping it on the GT!

N

 

[Ozric-Al]

Re: Re: Re: Abarth

Must be karma from this afternoon Nige. What did we say.

"The Stylesless is a bag o shite!"

Now just leave it Wayne. It's not worth it!

Shabash!

 

[Rab]

Time bomb

Sorry i don't know the guy's name but we were talking to him at Gaydon I think he was Dutch or something and was a journalist writing for the motoring press.
Anyway he was telling Wimmy and myself that the Stilo has around about 58 ECU's. (yes i did say 58).
All over the car and each one coded to the main ECU.
If you need to replace anything that has a chip in it you have to go to Fiat.
Getting the part you need (for example a door window motor) from a scrap yard in a few years time would be a waste of time as it would be coded to the scrap car and simply won't work on yours(as i understand they can't be re-coded either).
So they may or may not look good now depending on what your taste is but they are a time bomb waiting to go off and Fiat will either win through owners buying bits or be in big trouble and have a lot of angry owners complaining.
If i'm wrong about this feel free to tell me but i'm only relaying what someone who realy knows has said.



Rab.

 

[Tel]

Re: Re: Re: Abarth

The reason I have just posted my previous email is the simple fact that I have only recently just bought my Abarth. 0-62 times do interest me, especially when peolple in general obviously don't know how to drive the stilo with selespeed and rather than do something simple, like learn, they slate the car instead, easy way out I think. Lets not forget here that FIAT is an excellent brand, success is now a vital requirement of all models they bring out. Each to their own though, ps-for those that criticise the 0-62, at least my Stilo Abarth can get to 62 in sub 7.5!

 

[Ozric-Al]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Abarth

But it's HOW you get there that counts Tel. And driving through town must be a nightmare, seeing the reflection in all the shop windows and realising you could own a gorgeous Bravo instead of driving the italian 307!



Shabash!

 

[Liam]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Abarth

Ermmm??? the stilo looks absolutely nothing like the 307 and besides what exactly is wrong with the 307???

 

[Ozric-Al]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Abarth

Where do we start. It's flabby round the sides, looks like the olde shoppe butter maker has been at the panels and dreams of being a mini people carrier. The 306 was one of the best looking 3-door mid-hatches ever (esp the convertible) and ranked up there with the MK2 Golf and the Bravo (1st). Now peugeot have caved and pandered to the "New family" brigade and made the thing look like a crushed people carrier.

Lo and behold, Fiat follow suit, let the olde shoppe woman at it, put horrendous light clusters on the back and have the cheek to call it the "Style"!! I just call that lazy.

I mean for Gods sake, it was designed by a German (and don't it show)!

As for looking like a 307 I meant in terms of styling philosophy not literal mindedness. Flattened panels, squared off jaw, not one single genteel curvature and absolutely no character (It's the Germans again!).

Vorsprung Durch Fu**ed-it! Not nice.

I'd also point out that most people seem to agree (although that's no real indicator as the Bravo wasn't the best selling car in the country) as pitiful sales figures for the Stilo are sinking the company. This could ultimately lead to the marque (and the likes of Lancia and Ferrari) falling into the hands of the Americans (SPIT!) who will dump V8's into everything, put sponges into the suspension, only build the things 10ft wide and 30ft long and ensure the mpg is at best 2 miles to the gallon.

Do you want that!? Well, do you!



Shabash!

 

[Tom]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Abarth

Personally there are no good looking pugs.

I think the stilo looks like the love child of the new little skoda and a honda civic.