The facelift Fiat Punto has been spotted testing in Pune, once again. The Italian manufacturer has a manufacturing facility in Ranjangaon, near Pune, around where its test mules have frequently been spotted. While the Punto has received minor updates like new alloy wheel designs and colour schemes, this facelift will be the first major upgrade for the hatchback.
The new Punto will ride on the same platform as the previous car, though it will get a few significant cosmetic updates. The front will get a refreshed look thanks to a new grille and wrap-around headlamps, designed to resemble those on the Avventura crossover. The rear tail lamps have also been redesigned though they still are vertically stacked like in its predecessor.
The interior of the new Punto is the exactly same as the one in the facelifted Linea. The dashboard has been revised and gets a two-tone design, which lends it a more premium feel. Extra cubby holes improve the storage space inside the vehicle.
The Punto will continue to employ the current cars powertrain options, which include two petrols and one diesel. The petrol variants will be powered by a 1.2-litre and a 1.4-litre unit, churning out 67bhp and 96Nm of torque and 89bhp and 115Nm of torque respectively. The diesel variants will get the 1.3-litre MultiJet engine which is expected to be available in two guises, one in the standard form producing 75bhp and another tuned up version making 90bhp. All these engines send power to the front wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox.
With just two cars in its portfolio, Fiat has a relatively small presence in the Indian market. As a part of the Italian manufacturer’s strategy for India, the Linea was recently updated and the Punto facelift is expected to break cover in August. Besides the Punto, Fiat is also planning to launch the Avventura and the Abarth 500 later in this year.
