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Road Test

Fiat Punto Abarth

Test Date 01 October 2008  Price When New TBA

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Verdict

This is the most sexily dressed sporty supermini out there right now, and it’s also strong value, well equipped, brisk-to-quick and decently entertaining. It genuinely deserves the Abarth badge.

The Punto doesn’t have the dynamic finesse of the (not much more) expensive Clio Cup, nor the outgoing Fiesta ST, whose eventual replacement we’d expect to shade the Abarth, but it’s characterful and entertaining.

Artificial steering feel spoils it slightly, as does the occasional composure shortfall, while the engine’s oddly constrained character in normal mode feels odd.

But that’s more than counterbalanced by its styling, the physical and aural pleasures of its power delivery — in Sport, at least — and entertaining handling. What Abarth must do now is shamelessly imitate Renaultsport and keep developing its cars.

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