Fiat Barchetta

From Open Encyclopedia

Fiat Barchetta
Image:Fiat Barchetta black vr.jpg
Manufacturer:	Fiat
Production:	1995—2002 2004-2005
Layout & Class:	FF subcompact roadster
Body Style:	Two-door convertible
Predecessor:	None
Successor:	None
Image:Fiat Barchetta black hl.jpg

The Fiat Barchetta is a small convertible automobile produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat from 1995 to 2005 (though production was paused between May 2002 and 2004).

The Barchetta was developed between 1990 and 1994 under the project name Tipo B Spider 176, and was designed by Andreas Zapatinas, Peter Barrett Davis, and many others at Fiat Centro Stile. Prototyping was carried out by Stola. Production began in February, 1995. Car bodies were welded at ILCAS in the remote mountain village of Sparone Canavese, and final assembly was done in Chivasso by Maggiora, an Italian coachbuilder with a long history (the company also built the Lancia Delta HF Integrale and the short lived Lancia Kappa Coupé). After Maggiora's bankruptcy in 2002, Fiat relocated production of a facelifted Mk. 2 Barchetta to its Mirafiori plant and resumed production two years later. Production of the Barchetta was limited to left hand drive cars only, even though the car was marketed and sold in the UK and Japan (both right hand drive).

The Barchetta was based on the chassis of the Mark 1 Fiat Punto. Its 131 PS 130 hp/96 kW engine is the well-known 1.8 L (1747 cc/106 in³) twin-cam with variable camshaft timing, which is notorious for its diesel-like clattering noise when failing. The Barchetta weighs 1060 kg (2337 lbs) without air conditioning and can accelerate to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.9 seconds.

The Barchetta was revised in 2003 for its relaunch the following year, with a myriad of small alterations inside and out. Production of the car finally stopped in June, 2005.

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