Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo

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Launched at the 1993 Brussels Motor Show, the Fiat Coupe featured radical angular styling by Chris Bangle (later of BMW fame) and had a classically Italian interior with a painted steel dashboard designed by Pininfarina.

Although the styling alone was enough to win it many fans, the driving experience was what really set the car apart. Based on the Fiat Tipo platform, it had excellent handling with independent suspension all round, sharp steering, strong brakes, a 5-speed gearbox and could carry four adults in comfort. While the base cars made do with a 134bhp four-cylinder 2-litre 16v engine, at the top of the range stood the wonderful five-cylinder 2-litre 20v turbo which had the same engine as the legendary Lancia Delta Integrale.

Putting 220bhp and 230lb/ft under the driver’s right foot, it could sprint to 60mph in just over 6 seconds with a top speed of 150mph, making it the fastest front-wheel drive car on the market, an efficient Viscodrive limited-slip differential being employed to counter the understeer that otherwise plagues most powerful FWD cars. Even Michael Schumacher was impressed and was often to be seen hooning around in a red one that he owned.

A sure-fire classic of the future, just 72,762 examples of all types were made before production came to an end in 2000, and only around 1,800 20v Turbos are still UK registered today, making them a rare sight on the roads.

This July 1999 20v Turbo comes in silver grey metallic with a black leather interior and has covered only 76,800 miles with a good service history and an unbroken run of every old MOT to warrant the mileage. The current enthusiast owner acquired it from Fiat Coupe specialist, Solo Italia of Keynsham, in June 2013 at which point it had recently been treated to new brakes, a new cam belt, new oil cooler and two new tyres.

He has covered around 7,000 miles in the car and has had it maintained by NSB Auto Services in Hampshire where it was last serviced only 700 miles ago in November 2014. Recent work has included a couple of replacement injectors, a new exhaust, several new hoses, two more new tyres and most recently a new windscreen. Said to drive very well with excellent oil pressure and blistering cross country pace, it is MOTd until the end of May 2015.

Only being sold to liberate garage space for a rather more exotic Italian classic, it is being offered here at no reserve so the highest bid takes it.