The last time Fiat had a coupe in its
lineup was in 2000, the year the dot.com bubble burst and the Olympic Games
were held in Sydney Australia. As you can imagine, Fiat’s decision to
discontinue the Coupe in 2000 went largely unnoticed. However, for fans of
Italian sports cars this was bad news, as the Fiat Coupe created quite a stir
when it launched in 1993.
Designed by a young Chris Bangle on the
outside and Pininfarina on the inside, the Fiat Coupe was a major departure
from previous coupes of the brand. It was a true ‘punk rocker’. Thanks to its
striking angular exterior, it looked way ahead of its time. It still looks
fresh today, two decades after Fiat pulled the plug.
From 1993 to 2000, Fiat sold more than
72,000 units but sadly did not give a successor to the Coupe. Fans of the
Italian brand have ever since craved for one, but to no avail. Mind you,
there’s no shortage of re-imagined Fiat Coupe replacements on the web. One of
the most striking we’ve seen so far comes from Italian freelance designer
Gaspare Conticelli.
Appropriately named Fiat Coupe Tribute,
this design proposal brings Chris Bangle’s creation into the new millennium. It
does that by refreshing the design and adding new elements including LED
headlights and taillights, more aggressive bumpers and new wheels. We don’t
know what the designer had in mind for the interior but we assume an evolution
of the minimalist original would be in order.
As for the powertrain, the 1.4-liter
turbocharged four-cylinder from the Abarth 124 Spider would probably suit a
base version of the Fiat Coupe Tribute quite well. With 164 HP and 249 Nm of torque delivered to the front wheels via a six-speed manual,
it would likely offer an enjoyable driving experience. And yes, a more potent
2.0-liter turbo with 300 horses or more, would be welcome. On the other hand,
Fiat could revive it as a pure electric model, truly bringing it into the 21st
century.
