Difference between revisions of "Punto"

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{| border=1 align="right" cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 width=250 style="margin-left:3em; margin-bottom: 2em; color: black; background: lightyellow;"
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#redirect [[Fiat Punto]]
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!colspan=2 style="color: white; background: gray;"|Fiat Punto
 
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|width="40%"|Manufacturer:||[[Fiat]]
 
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|Class:||[[supermini car]]
 
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|Production:||[[1993]] — present
 
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|Body Styles:||3-door [[hatchback]]<br />5-door [[hatchback]]<br>[[cabriolet]]
 
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|Predecessor:||[[Fiat Uno]]
 
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|Successor:||None
 
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|-
 
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|colspan=2|[[Image:1994.fiat.punto.selecta.arp.750pix.jpg|250px|1994 Fiat Punto Mk. 1 Selecta]]
 
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!colspan=2 style="color: black; background: lightgrey;"|Mark 1
 
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|Production:||[[1993]] &mdash; [[1999]]
 
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|Engines:|| -->
 
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|colspan=2|[[Image:Blue Fiat Punto.jpg|250px|Fiat Punto Mk. 2]]
 
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!colspan=2 style="color: black; background: lightgrey;"|Mark 2
 
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|Production:||[[1999]] &mdash; [[2003]]
 
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|colspan=2|[[Image:000APunto1.jpg|250px|Fiat Punto Mk. 2b]]
 
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!colspan=2 style="color: black; background: lightgrey;"|Mark 2b
 
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|Production:||[[2003]] &mdash; [[2005]]
 
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|colspan=2|[[Image:000APunto.jpg|250px|Fiat Punto Mk. 3]]
 
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!colspan=2 style="color: black; background: lightgrey;"|Mark 3
 
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|Production:||[[2005]] &mdash;
 
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|colspan=2|''This article is part of the [[Fiat]] [[automobile]] series.''
 
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==Launch==
 
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The '''[[Fiat]] Punto''' is a [[supermini car]], internally codenamed ''Project 178'', announced in September [[1993]] and launched in [[1994]] as a replacement for the ageing [[Fiat Uno]]. The Punto was voted [[Car of the Year|European Car of the Year]] for 1995.
 
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At a time when rival companies like [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] and [[Vauxhall]]/[[Opel]] were producing dull looking superminis, the Fiat Punto was an instant hit with its [[Giorgetto Giugiaro]] design. Another reason for its popularity was the competitive pricing which made it a cheap alternative to a [[Volkswagen Polo]] or [[Ford Fiesta]]. A wide range of engines included economical 1.1, 1.2 (8 or 16 valve) and 1.7 turbo-diesel units, more sporty 1.6 petrol and a powerful 1.4 turbocharged petrol engine.
 
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==Mark 1 ([[1993]]-[[1999]])==
 
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Entry-level in the Punto range were the 1.1 and 1.2 litre [[petrol]] engines and the 1.7 [[diesel]]. A more powerful 1.6 Sporting was also available (replaced in 1997 by more economic 16 valve 1.2 unit), but the best performing version was the 1.4 GT [[Turbo]] - capable of running over 130mph and reaching 60mph in just 7.6 seconds it was a great fun to drive. The second closest thing to an enjoyable Punto was the [[cabriolet]] version - one of the cheapest open top cars in the world.
 
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==Mark 2 ([[1999]]-[[2003]])==
 
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This was exactly what Fiat was thinking of when the ''Nuova'' (New) Punto, ''Project 188'' or Mark 2, was launched in [[1999]].  The chassis and interior were completely overhauled and the new Punto became the first Fiat in decades to carry the original round Fiat badge, to celebrate Fiat's centenary.
 
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The 1.1 and 1.4 turbo engines were discontinued due to ecologic issues, and the entry-level models had only a 1.2 petrol unit (with either 8 or 16 valves) or a 1.9 diesel (with or without a turbo). The best performing version of the Mark 2 Punto was the 1.8 HGT which could reach almost 130mph. It accelerated worse than it's predecessor, the Mark 1 GT, but was better in cornering.
 
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===Mark 2, Revision B ([[2003]]-[[2005]])===
 
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In early [[2003]], Fiat celebrated the rollout of the 5,000,000th production Punto.  In the same year, the Mark 2 revision B refresh brought further revisions to the platform to bring the Punto's appearance more upmarket, along with the introduction of the 1.3 litre [[common rail]] [[diesel engine|diesel]] ''MultiJet'' engine.  The round Fiat badge, found only on the bonnet of Mark 2 models, was introduced on the tailgate of the Mark 2B. On 1 June 2005, Fiat produced the 6,000,000th Punto at the Melfi plant.
 
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==Mark 3 ([[2005]]-)==
 
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A further refresh of the Punto &mdash; the Mark 3, codenamed ''Project 199'' &mdash; is due in [[2005]]. It will be sold under the name '''Grande Punto'''. Again styled by [[Italdesign|Giugiaro]], the car is based on the [[Fiat]]/[[General Motors|GM]] "Small" platform (a new version of [[GM Gamma platform]]). The Grande Punto debut was at the  [[Internationale_Automobil-Ausstellung]], [[Frankfurt]]. The engines are the 1.2 Fire 8v, a new 1.4 Fire 8v and four Multijet Diesel: 1.3 16v (one with a geometric variable turbo 90bhp) and two 1.9 JTD Multijet with 120 and 130cv. The top-of-the-range GT version will be powered by a turbocharged 1.6 engine developing 180-200bhp.
 
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==Competition variants==
 
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Several competition and [[homologation|homologated]] versions of the Punto have been produced, such as the Punto Rally, the S1600 and the Punto [[Abarth]]. Using the new Mk.III basis, a new rally car has been developed: the [[Super 2000]] Punto Abarth. It is a four-wheel drive car with a 2.0L 16 valve engine with a max output of 280hp.
 
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==Trivia==
 
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During the original design of the Punto Mark 1, the rear lights that [[Giorgetto Giugiaro]] designed were not vertical up along the C pillars, but horizontal. Apparently the boss of Fiat didn't like them and came up with the idea for the vertical rear lights for which is now a recognisable Punto design feature. Giugiaro changed the design to vertical, but his own horizontal original design was used on the cabriolet model.
 
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==External links==
 
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*[http://www.puntopower.com/ PuntoPower]
 
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*[http://www.carsfromitaly.com/fiat/ Cars From Italy]
 
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*[http://www.puntoracingclub.it/ Punto Racing Club]
 
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*[http://www.fiatpunto.org/ FiatPunto.org]
 
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{{Fiat}}
 
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[[Category:Fiat vehicles|Punto]]
 

Latest revision as of 07:27, 9 May 2009

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