Fiat Barchetta. Complete sets. Reviews. Characteristics

In 1995, the front-drive convertible Barchetta on the basis of the Punto model came off the assembly line of the Fiat Concern. Engineers harmoniously combined in it the style of the 60's and the latest technological innovations of the 90's.

Design

Fiat Barchetta is a C-class convertible. It is very similar to the body of a Ferrari coupe of the 64th year. Its smooth lines and repetitive stamped faces along the sides give this model aerodynamics and elegance.

In the design development took part Italian bodybuilding company Pininfarina, which also worked on some models Cadillac, Alfa Romeo, Ferrari and many other brands.

The interior was developed by designers Fiat. The interior harmoniously complemented the sports style of the car. To produce it, the highest quality materials were used. Pleases the spaciousness of the salon. The passenger is placed comfortably regardless of his height. The driver's seat is equipped so that the control of the machine is directed towards the driver - everything is at hand. Seats are comfortable thanks to the lateral support elements.

The interior is decorated simply, but stylishly. It is in the interior that the style of the 60's can be traced: the dials of the instrument panel have a white background, and the black plastic is combined with the chrome elements.

The roof is reclined manually. Between the luggage compartment and the salon there is a special box for it. Engineers provide a summer version of the roof (fabric) and winter (metal). In winter, even with a fabric roof is very warm due to the small interior space.

The luggage compartment is small. Its volume is 165 liters. Most of the space is stealing a spare tire.

Specifications

Fiat Barchetta is equipped with a 4-cylinder engine with a volume of 1.8 liters and a capacity of 125 liters. from. At the same time it is quite economical. Consumption in urban mode hardly exceeds 11 liters per 100 km.

Front suspension - suspension strut (wishbone, spring-loaded rack and transverse stabilizer). Rear - spring (longitudinal lever, transverse stabilizer and helical spring). Suspension is stiff, but, according to the owners, reliable and inexpensive to maintain. It keeps the road well and does not heel when replicating. Brakes in the Fiat Barchetta disc.

The 5-speed manual gearbox has very short gears. Due to this, the car accelerates dynamically, in a sporty way. Extremely sensitive steering provides maximum control over the road.

A little bit about the sensors. They are everywhere: a position sensor for seats, driving at the driver's feet and ignition. The sensors of the opening are located wherever something can be opened (even on the glove compartment). They equipped the entire electrical system.

Equipment

For ten years, Fiat Barchetta was produced with the same equipment. The car was equipped with only a gasoline engine with a volume of 1.8 liters and only a manual transmission. In the basic set there were:

• power steering;
• Two airbags;
• Light alloy wheels 15 ";
• Fiat fire fighting system.

In addition to the Fiat Barchetta configuration, the installation of an air conditioner, light alloy wheels and deflectors was offered.

From the assembly line the cars went only red and black, but at the request of the buyer the car could be painted in yellow or in one of the metallic: gray, green or blue.

The expanded equipment Adria differed only a powerful radio tape recorder with a changer, separate climate control and cast disks for 16 ".

In 2003, the Barchetta design was slightly refined. Door handles "taught" to hide in the body of the door until the car is opened with a key. Changed the front bumper: it appeared grill air intake. A new form of headlights and bumpers brought the cabriolet closer to the general trends in modern car design.

Owner feedback

In 1995, at the Geneva auto show Fiat Barchetta was recognized as the most beautiful car in the body of the "cabriolet". After two decades, he continues to support this title. On the roads of the post-Soviet space these cars are quite small. Therefore, the appearance of such a car on the streets of cities still causes genuine surprise and interest of the inhabitants.

"Barchetta" bribes its budget value and ease of maintenance. The biggest drawback, according to reviews of the Fiat Barchetta, can be considered its impractical body, which is too prone to corrosion. Its elements are manufactured only by the plant, so replacing parts of the body is very expensive (given that they need to be ordered from Europe).

In general, "Barchetta" leaves only positive impressions: it is sporty, stylish, reliable and cheap. With such advantages, her apparent impracticality is completely forgotten.