Fridae

The first Fiat Uno was a sensation in the 80s, the purposeful strokes by Giugiaro had helped Fiat to conquer the competitive supermini market then occupied by the Renault 5, Peugeot 205 and the Volkswagen Polo. The Fiat Uno represented affordable motoring with high levels of utility never before seen on such compact footprint.

A decade later in 1993, Fiat replaced the Uno with the new Punto which spots a pair of vertically stacked rear lights that the world - also the first carmaker to do so. Fiat claimed the placement of the rear lights was for safety purposes, but it also meant stylish looks and brilliant design. The first Punto lifted Fiat out of its financial dark hole during the early 90s.

Faced with financial problems, Fiat placed a new Grande Punto on the market in a bid for survival. Luckily for us, the world's best small carmaker did make it through. The Fiat Grande Punto's rather long name would be indicative of its huge dimensions for a supermini at 4.03 metres long.

Looks
Those sleek Maserati-like front headlights are certainly arresting. A good testament to the brilliance of the Grande Punto's design by Giugiaro is that three years on, the design had not aged one bit. The sleek body is concluded by the pair of Punto's trademark stacked vertical rear lights. I like to think of the Grande Punto as the best looker in the supermini class - an effortless winner!

Performance
The Grande Punto does have certain visual clues borrowed from its glamorous stable mate, but expecting similar performance is just laughable. With 77 horsepowers, you would also expect me to tell you that the Grande Punto was beaten by all but Kia Picantos on the roads.

Wrong, the 1030 kg supermini does feel zippy on the roads, giving it flexible in gear performance, something that I did not expect from a SOHC engine churning out only 77bhp with 115nm of torque. Very important information these days, the fuel economy is rated at 6.0 litres per 100 km and it was achievable with my heavy right foot.

Any prejudice against the five-speed automatic gearbox should be eradicated as the Fiat Grande Punto's gearbox is actually rather fine and prompt acting. Perhaps by offering one additional gear over conventional four-speed automatic gearboxes, it has does wonders to the high-speed refinement on the Grande Punto.

Ride and Handling
Italian cars are renowned for high levels of agilities, as there is a need for Italian cars to be for nipping through tight Roman streets. The Grande Punto kept close to its roots despite my fears of its class leading length that could hurt agility. Negotiating corners and multi car parks is actually enjoyable in the Grande Punto! The ride is always firm, but the Grande Punto is generally comfortable. Interestingly, gym folks should pay extra attention here, as the Fiat offers Electrical Dualdrive Power Steering System as standard. Feeling knocked up after a gym session? Simply activate the city mode, the Grande Punto would become fingertip light, effortless to steer!

Interior
Recalling the interior of the Fiat Uno and the two previous Puntos are hard tasks, as one could be overwhelm by the tacky grey plastics used. Determined to match the Germans at the perceived quality game, there are soft touch plastics used on most contact surfaces of the Grande Punto. Perhaps the exterior's design is so imposing that one can feel a tad disappointed with the rather functional looking interior. As the Grande Punto is indeed the size queen in its class, interior accommodations are generous. The rear is still ideal for two happy campers. Ipod die-hards would love the Grande Punto's standard I-pod connectivity. Boot space is good for its class at 275 litres.

Grand Finale...
While the Grande Punto is not exactly Kimi's and Fellipe's company car, Fiat has done a fabulous job with their biggest seller. A 5-star EURO NCAP score, decent on-road performance with impressive levels of fuel efficiency and supercar inspired looks, the Fiat Grande Punto has a lot going for it. With JD power survey showing improvements by the Italian carmaker, there is now quality assurance on top of what the Grande Punto can offer. Watch this space as Fiat's Singapore distributor is set to bring in its diesel passenger cars soon!

	Fiat Grande Punto 1.4 5 Dr (A)
Engine	Front, transverse, 8-Valve 4 Cyls in line, 1368cc
Transmission	5-speed automatic with sequential
Max. Power	77bhp@ 6000rpm
Max. Torque	115nm@1400rpm
Acceleration 0-100 km/h	13.2 secs
Top speed	165 km/h
Fuel Economy	6.0 liters/100 km (EEC dual cycle)
CO2 emissions	145 g/km
Dimensions (L x W x H) /Weight	4030mmX1687mm X1490mm / 1040 kg
Wheelbase	2608 mm
Suspension (Front)	Macpherson struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar
Suspension (Rear)	Torsion beam, coil springs, anti-roll bar
Price with COE*	S$67,000

*Prices quoted are indicative of prices in Singapore. Please contact your local distributor for prices in your country.

Superminis that are no longer mini:
- Fiat Grande Punto 4030mm
- Peugeot 207 4030mm
- Opel Corsa 3999mm
- Renault Clio III 3986mm
- Mazda2 3885mm