Fiat UK has introduced a Sporting variant for its Punto hatchback in an effort to spice the current line-up. The variant though confined to cosmetic additions will target a younger audience thanks to its sporty appeal.
The Punto Sporting is equipped with an extensive sports body kit that includes revised side skirts and a rear spoiler. The car also features a number of black ascents including smoked headlights a gloss black roof and a two-tone 16-inch alloy wheels.
The sports-tuned suspension and cornering fog lights come as standard with the Sporting variant along with chrome tipped exhausts. The interiors changes are limited to a sports style steering wheel and leather finish gear knob and hand brakes. The overall interiors get a Tarmac finish that replaces the normal black surface.
The sporty ambitions are limited to exterior, as the mechanical bits remain untouched. In the UK, the car is available with a 1.4-litre petrol engine that makes either 79PS or 107PS power and is offered in three or five door options. The top-spec Sporting variant is priced at 13,955 GBP (Rs 13.07 lakh) nearly 2000 GBP (Rs 1.87 lakh) more than the most expensive standard variant.
Fiat does offer a sporty version of the Punto in India, but that is not truly an enthusiast’s car with just 90bhp output from an oil burner. However, we will soon get another Punto and this one will carry Abarth badge and hopefully enough power to do justice to the name. Fiat has announced that Abarth will come to India this festive season, unfortunately prices are expected to be a bit steep with CBU operations.