Classic pearls of the future - Fiat Barchetta
02/28/2015
Fiat, like most other car manufacturers, was surprised by the success of the Mazda MX-5, but did not remain idle and the Fiat Barchetta was developed between 1990 and 1994. The design came from Andreas Zapatinas, Alessandro Cavazza and Peter Barrett Davis in close collaboration with the Fiat Centro Stile.
When the strictly two-seater Fiat Barchetta was launched in 1995, six years after the MX-5, it was based on the platform of the then Fiat Punto model and used a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with an adjustable camshaft and 132 hp. The specified weight was 1056 kg, and the Fiat convertible, whose soft top disappeared under a flap, accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in less than nine seconds.
With its boat-like appearance, the Fiat Barchetta had neither a predecessor nor a successor when production was stopped in 2005 after 57,521 vehicles. In the Fiat tradition, however, there are of course already models with similarities to the Barchetta, such as the 850 Spider, which was aimed at a similar target segment but had a rear engine, or the 124 Spider, which was also designed in standard construction, but ranked a class higher in its day. The Fiat Barchetta was perhaps most directly related to the 1200 Transformabile of the late 1950s.
The Fiat Barchetta, which was repeatedly adapted to regulations and the environment during its construction period, but always remained true to itself visually, polarized due to its rounded front and sloping rear, but still enjoys a large fan base today, which is why its classic status is assured.
More classic gems of the future can be found in our special themed channel.
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