Hot is the new buzzword in the hatchback and compact crossover segment with FIAT India launching the Punto Abarth and Avventura Abarth with a sub Rs 10 lakh sticker
Story & Photographs: Gaurav Nagpal
FIAT Chrysler Automobiles India (FCAI) have launched the Punto Abarth, which they claim is India’s fastest hot hatch, and the Avventura Abarth with both cars priced at Rs 9.95 lakh, ex-showroom, Delhi.
(Click here to read our road test of the FIAT Punto Abarth).
Although both the Punto Abarth and the Avventura Abarth are powered by the same 1.4-litre T-Jet engine, in the former peak output is 145 PS (the highest in the segment) and 212 Nm while in the latter max power produced is 140 PS with a peak torque rating of 210 Nm. According to FIAT, the Punto Abarth can reach 100 km/h from stock standstill in just 8.8 seconds with the standing kilometre run being dispatched in 30.4 seconds. Claimed top speed is 190 km/h. At the same time claimed fuel economy is 16.3 km/l, promising the best of two worlds. The Avventura Abarth on the other hand can do a 0-100 km/h run in 9.9 seconds with the standing kilometre run dispatched in 31.8 seconds. Claimed fuel economy is 17.1 km/l.
Both cars come with “reindeer” headlamps, body coloured ORVMs, front and rear foglamps, and 16” “Scorpion” alloy wheels. The Punto Abarth, in addition to these, has chrome plated door handles, a light guide in the tail lamps, and Abarth decals, while the Avventura by Abarth has a tailgate-mounted spare wheel and a roof rack.
Highlights of the interior include ambient lighting on the dashboard, a rear parcel shelf, and a boot lamp. The Punto Abarth gets an all-black soft touch dashboard, while the Avventura by Abarth gets a dual-tone dashboard. Both cars are equipped with Bluetooth-enabled voice connect, music streaming, and telephony, an integrated CD/MP3 and FM player, SMS readout, steering-mounted audio controls, programmable speed limit buzzer and service reminder, and other features. The Punto Abarth gets the Abarth instrument cluster, while the Avventura by Abarth gets the regular instrument cluster.
Safety kit on both cars includes front airbags with early crash sensors, ABS with EBD, three-point ELR seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters, a fire prevention system that cuts off the fuel supply in the event of a rollover, height-adjustable front seat belts, and disc brakes on all wheels.
On the occasion, Kevin Flynn, President and MD, FCAI, said that the company was delighted to launch the Punto Abarth to cater to the preferences of racing enthusiasts and felt that the mix of high speeds, lowered ground clearance (155 mm), and features “makes the Abarth Punto the hottest and the fastest hatchback available in the country”. On the Avventura powered by Abarth, he felt that the car would widen and strengthen the portfolio of the company and will be “the fastest crossover in the country”. He further added that the company would soon be bringing in a car as an entry point to the Punto range, which could make it the most affordable Fiat in India.
The Abarth Punto and the Avventura powered by Abarth will be available in one variant across the country through a network of 100+ outlets.
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