A Fiat Punto Evo test mule has been spotted undergoing trials with a 1.4-litre T-Jet engine under its bonnet. While Fiat’s plan of launching this hot hatch variant in India has been an open secret for quite some time now, latest reports suggest the Italian manufacturer is going to detune the engine before plonking it in the Punto Evo.
The 1.4-litre T-Jet engine, which is currently used in the Linea sedan, is a turbocharged four-cylinder petrol unit, produces 112bhp and 207Nm of torque. However, it seems that Fiat is planning to alter the engine for the Punto Evo by fitting a smaller turbocharger and detuning the engine, so that it will churn out ‘just’ 105bhp and 195Nm of torque. Even with this detuned engine, the Punto Evo will be one of the most powerful hatchbacks to be sold with a sub-Rs 10 lakh price tag in India.
While the Punto Evo has received a lot of appreciation for its driving dynamics, its heavy kerb weight restricts the amount of fun you can have with the hatchback. With the T-Jet engine, we can expect the hatchback to get a bump in the performance division, which should take care of one of Punto Evo’s biggest grouses. The spy shots indicate that the Punto Evo T-Jet is still in early phases of testing, and we can is expect it to hit the showrooms only in the first quarter of 2016.
