1999 Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo Plus

Description

• UNSOLD AT AUCTION JULY 2022
• An absolutely stunning example
• Less than 50 Turbo Plus models on the road
• 2.0 litre 20v 220bhp Turbo engine
• Factory fitted limited slip diff
• Fantastic Number Plate
• Recent cambelt service

When Fiat launched the Fiat Coupe in January 1994, complete with engines from the World Rally Championship winning Integrale, it quickly became a major success.

In 1999 Fiat took the Coupe to the next stage, with the last run of 300 Turbo Plus models.

The Fiat Coupe Turbo Plus model upset quite a few LE owners as it borrowed the Recaro seats and side skirts from the LE, added wider wheels plus the six speed transmission as standard.

The 2.0 litre 20V Turbo Plus model is capable of accelerating from 0–62 mph in 6.3 seconds, with a top speed of 155 mph with the six-speed gearbox.

That is quite some performance that really did put the cat amongst the pigeons within the competition and it put the Fiat Coupe well on its well to becoming one of the most exciting cars of its era.

Today we present, what is, and we mean is and not arguably, one of the best Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo Plus models on the market today.

With certain databases stating less than 50 of this model are left, there won’t be many opportunities left to bag one of these special cars. So continue reading to understand why this Fiat Coupe Turbo Plus cannot be missed.

History

This very rare 20V Fiat Coupe Turbo Plus comes to market very reluctantly after six years of ownership. Our vendor has shared that he is just not using it as much as he would like and does not want to see the spotless condition deteriorate.

With so much time attention spent on it and the realisation that he can no longer carry that on it would be sacrilege to let it sit in his garage, hence he is hoping that it will be snapped up by someone who will, as he did, give it the time and use it so deserves.

Our vendor shared that after a thorough search he eventually found this superb example for sale by a Fiat Coupe Specialist dealer, in fact it was the dealership owner’s own personal car.  After speaking at length about 20 VTP with the previous owner, it was clear that he had no chance of finding a better example so promptly snapped it up.

Supplied with three keys including the all-important red master key, a full service history, the owners manuals, every MOT warranting the 71k mileage and every conceivable invoice, there was no way he was going let it slip through his hands.

Determined to keep the history just as comprehensive he has followed that pattern by spending nearly £1,500 each year of his ownership and keeping the invoices in the document pack for future reference.  This will also include the current MOT which expires in March 2023.

Carry out a check and you will see the last MOT listed a few points made by the tester stating the washer fluid and headlamp beams were low, there was also an advisory stating the handbrake efficiency was low, nearly £500 later they were all sorted, again the invoice was diligently added to the documents pack.

Exterior

It is seen as lazy copy writing to describe a car as ‘mint’, but sometimes it fits. 20 VTP is, well, mint. Just see for yourself.

The Midnight Blue paintwork on the galvanised body is in spectacular condition. Those recessed rear lights are design dream few have been able to emulate, Ferrari maybe?  The original factory body kit is intact and looking just as spectacular as the rest of the bodywork.

So particular is our vendor that he shared that there were once a few stone chips on the front of the car and an ever so slight bubbling on the boot lid, obviously those areas were professionally and very quickly sorted explaining why a 22 year old car is described as in mint condition.  At a push there may be a very slight mark on the door edge but you would need Sherlock Holmes’s magnifying glass to see them.  Our vendor also added brand new original badges to both front and rear a year ago.

Never been driven in the wet, and undersealed anyway, our vendor has spent many years taking the car to owners club meets and other shows in the UK, well the summer ones anyway. If you are in that scene there’s a very high chance that you will know this car as it is always the star of the show and gets an immense amount of attention.

Being extremely modest, our vendor was at pains to say that there is, in his opinion, one other Turbo Plus around that could pip his to top spot and that is one of his peers in the club who has recently spent £30k on a 30,000 miler, it has had a nut and bolt restoration, yep! he is acutely aware that he will never get his money back but each to their own.  Either way, even though this Fiat Coupe Turbo Plus may not be that £30k restored car, it is still a very, very special example.

Interior

Well, the Italians do know how to build a sports interior. The black leather one-off Recaros specific to the LE and Turbo Plus are in fantastic condition. Take a look. The door pads, steering wheel, handbrake, gear knob all get the subtle red leather treatment, all of those original items are remarkably preserved.  With only a minor amount of wear on the red stitching, predominantly on the drivers seat bolster, they all present extremely well.

As you expect the roof lining is in the same great condition with the sunroof in perfect working order.  Every switch works as it should with all the ancillaries operating true and correct.  The Air-Con gas was topped up at the beginning of the season so expect to feel as cool as you will look when making your way to the summer car shows, if that is how you intend to use this beauty.

The stereo has been upgraded with a Pioneer unit that benefits from DAB and Bluetooth to modernise the drivers experience, professionally fitted of course. In doing so the ariel was fitted to the rear window, in fact the rear windows have a mild aftermarket tint fitted that hides that and protects the black interior from getting too hot.

Engine and Transmission

Open up that unique clam shell bonnet and underneath you find a rather superb 20v five cylinder engine, pushing out 220bhp with an incredible 310nm of torque. For a front wheel drive car that is rare even today and unheard of back then. To make sure all that powers transfers Fiat fitted a limited slip diff via a viscous drive unit, mating to a six speed exclusively fitted to the LE and Turbo Plus. To keep everything as tight as knicker elastic, Fiat added a beefier strut brace, then painted it red. The package looks terrific and it makes for a superb driving car.

As with the exterior and the interior the engine bay presents just as well, it would seem that almost every part that showed just the mere hint of age has been either cleaned up or replaced, again explaining why this example really is such a stunning show stopper.  Just take a look yourself, the images really do not do it justice.  It doesn’t just look good though, with a full service history and the cambelt changed in back in 2016 just prior to its purchase and again less than 1200 miles ago in 2021, you really are going to win a properly sorted car.

Those in the know are aware that these cars often got the full boy racer treatment with massive turbos fitted and all too many upgrades to squeeze more and more horsepower out of them.

Thankfully this Fiat Coupe Turbo Plus didn’t get its BHP stretched to an inch of its life, in fact our vendor was at pains to explain that this example only ever received a few sensible additions in its lifetime. Engine wise it has a GTEC one chip fitted (ECU upgrade) and the turbo was replaced in 2016 and at 64,000 miles with a 360 degrees Thrust bearing hybrid.

Those in the know will appreciate that this is not an oversized upgrade that will ruin the engine but a very sensible, same size, more efficient replacement that is arguably better suited than the OEM replacement.  20 VTP will also be delivered with the original ECU chip should you want to put it back to original, we are not sure why you would but hey ho, you pays your money, you choose your chip!

Our vendor has also advised that the original Intercooler was “swapped out for a bespoke stainless steel plug and play replacement. It used to perform better on colder days, but the increased efficiency of the new Intercooler smooths that out.”

One last thing to share in this section, and following the theme of sensible upgrades is that the exhaust has been replaced with a full stainless steel “Blue Flame” example, again, those in the know will appreciate the choice as you will be hard pushed to find a better choice of replacement for this car.  Phew! I suspect you may be getting the picture now of how good this car actually is, when we say this really is one of the best available then we challenge you to argue your opposing case.

Wheels, Tyres, Suspension and Other

The Turbo Plus featured independent suspension all round. Up front MacPherson struts and lower wishbones anchored to an auxiliary crossbeam with offset coil springs and anti-roll bar to keep everything under control. At the rear, trailing arms mounted on an auxiliary subframe fitted with coil springs and an anti-roll bar. It was a sporty drive.

With a previous MOT check finding that the rear springs had surface rust our conscientious owner saw fit to replace all four springs and all four shock absorbers with Fiat OEM parts so it rides as good as our previous paragraph states.  Yes, maybe replacing all four was a little overkill with only a little surface rust on the rear springs but we suspect the winning bidder of this auction won’t mind a jot.

The Turbo Plus was shod with uprated 16” 8 spoke “Wet Look” rims, these are wrapped with matching Toyo Proxes 225/45R16Y rubber all round.  With plenty of tread on the tyres and virtually perfect wheels, again, grab Sherlocks Magnifier and you may find a VERY small blemish if you try hard enough, and no scuffs or kerb damage, another big plus and lack of spend needed.

The brakes on the Turbo Plus got an upgrade too.  Brembo’s were fitted and lacquered red. The cross-drilled front brake discs do make a difference. Bite is a bit better, but the vents letting out the gas formed when braking prevents fading and adds a bit more power.  Our vendor shared that approximately 3 years ago these were replaced with new cross drilled brake disks and Red Stuff pads, he even replaced the rubber brake lines with braided stainless steel ones, with already great stopping power it brakes as close, if not better than a modern car.

Our view

We honestly cannot express how good an example of these fantastic cars this is, if you have been looking for a decent 20V Fiat Coupe Turbo Plus then you can discontinue the search as you have just found the best one on the market.  With thousands spent during its last ownership and in mint, did we say it was mint? condition, plus that super F20 VTP number plate thrown in, you are in for a treat.

There really is nothing that this well sorted example needs so you can start enjoying that fantastic engine and super sharp handling straight away, or just cruise to the local show and start picking up some awards for the “best presented car of the show”.

20V Fiat Coupe Turbo Plus models are the very best version of the Fiat Coupe and as such are sought after by collectors and enthusiasts alike.  The very few that are still around rarely come to market so there is usually considerable interest.