Fiat Grande Punto 90 Hp

Fiat Grande Punto 90hp Sport
Smooth Operator

It is just only about a year ago when Fiat got the Grande Punto to the Indian car market, which surely raised many eyebrows, who would have never even expected that a car maker like Fiat, will offer such a premium feature laden hatchback at an unbelievable and affordable price tag. The Punto mesmerized the hatchback segment with its stunning Italian design and features along with good build quality giving sleepless nights to already established rivals from Maruti to Hyundai and many others. It is available in 1.2 Petrol, 1.4 Petrol and 1.3 Multijet Diesel engine options. Still, a few power hungry Fiat fans thought that the Punto could do better if more power was provided to its Diesel version and as a result, to mark this car’s first anniversary in India, the company released the Fiat Grande Punto 90hp with a more powerful engine. We drive the Fiat Punto 90hp and try to study how the Punto behalves with the increase in power and torque.

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Fiat Grande Punto 90hp Exteriors

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The Fiat Punto 90hp looks identical to the regular Punto, The 90 HP version does not have much difference from its powerful sibling except for the 90hp decals on the boot and the upsized 195/60 R 15 tyres on a very sporty looking alloy, ah yes the door handles are in chrome and the car we tested came with the sporty Team Fiat body graphics all around including the bonnet. The Fiat Punto 90hp is a very good looking car and there is definitely a lot in the styling which could force you to look at it again and again, at first sight, it is the cute droplet design headlamps which grab the attention quickly, followed by the silver painted dual split grille which remind of the Maserati which also hails from the same family and yes also the Linea as both the Punto and the Linea are based on the same platform with typical Italian design all around.

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The flared out wheel arches adds to the much required muscular looks of the car, but thankfully there’s no overuse of physique or lines to spoil the beauty and shape. A high waistline on the Punto adds to the overall muscularity on the sides. Coming to the rear end as mentioned before, there is nothing much to distinguish between the Punto and the 90hp Punto except for the 90 HP inscribed on the boot-lid. The car looks equally sporty from the front, high mounted stop lamps add to the sportiness. Apart from the tail lamps, a couple of rectangular reflectors and reverse lamps are neatly placed on the lower side of the rear bumper.

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As mentioned earlier, there is not much different between the new and the old version n terms of the exteriors and since this specific model is available only with Emotion variant, features like Alloy wheels etc, comes standard. One can also opt for the option pack which includes body decals, aluminum pedals, leather seats, door sills as a part of the long list of accessories that the Fiat Punto 90hp can be customized with.

Fiat Punto 90hp Interiors

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Step in and you instantly notice the amount of space that the Puntos cabin has. Our test car came with perforated leather seats in all black with the stitches in red which looked very sporty. The driver’s seat has manual height adjust. The front seats are on the better side and offer good comfort and support. The three spoke steering wheel is chunky to grip and comes with the steering mounted music control buttons along with the blue and me control buttons. A lot of components are carried over from the Linea which is a good thing for Punto buyers. The dashboard is made up in two tone plastic material with a mix of black and grey and has a chrome strip running across. The instrument cluster is easy to read and again is the same as that of the other Punto and the Linea. The centre console has the MP3 Radio system and the single zone climate control with digital display. The use of chrome continues on the door handles which feel and work rather well. The other major feature on the Fiat Punto 90Hp is the Blue & Me. Blue & Me is a infotainment system for Fiat Group cars developed by Microsoft. You can easily connect your mobile phone via Bluetooth with the onboard system and make or receive calls hands free simply by voice commands. The 90hp has the same gear stalk as the Fiat Linea. The gear shifter has a good feel when gripped. The view from the drivers seat is good thanks to the height adjust on the seat and the huge glass area on the Punto. The front quarter glass comes to aid when turning or driving through busy streets. The rear seat is comfortable for two while a third person can also fit in if needed. Leg room and head room are more than good while the shoulder room is best with two passengers on the rear seat. Fiat engineers must be given a pat on their back for the much improved quality and fit-finish on the Fiat Punto 90hp.

Fiat Punto 90hp Engine – Drive

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Coming to the most interesting part of the Fiat Punto 90hp, powered by the same 1248cc Multijet Diesel engine but with a Variable Geometry Turbo (VGT) on it. This is the very same engine that also drives the Linea Diesel. The VGT Multijet engine makes 93PS @ 4000rpm and generates 209 Nm of torque at 2000rpm as compared to the non VGT Punto that makes 76PS of power and has 197Nm of torque. The Lineas VGT engine now coming in the Punto means tremendous power to weight advantage as Punto is nearly 100kgs lighter to the Linea. We are told that the Fiat engineers have tweaked the Engine Control Unit and modified the Noise Vibration and Harshness package on the Fiat Punto 90Hp. Floor the throttle and you instantly realize the extra horses that the 90hp has gained. The VGT comes fully alive at about 2200rpm, this is when you experience the real difference. There is nearly no turbo lag as compared to the non VGT Punto. The VGT infact stands as a shield and balances the engine power and minimizes the lag to a fairly negligible level. The 90Hp has a very strong mid range power delivery that stays on for a long time. The overall power going up by 15bhp makes the performance figures also much better on the 90Hp. However, the in-gear acceleration times are virtually identical, making it hard to notice the power increase in everyday driving. The engine note is a bit heavier as compared to the non VGT Punto. The gear ratio is same as that on the Linea. The gear shifts are a pleasure to use and no wrong shifts that we experienced during our tests. The Fiat Punto 90Hp suspension set up consists of the traditional McPherson Struts, Helical Springs, Double acting Telescopic dampers with Stabilizer bar at the front and Torsion beam, Helical Springs and Double Acting double dampers at the rear that do a very fine job of soaking up most of the bumps and potholes that it encounters. Not forgetting the meaty tyres and the upsized alloys that do a wonderful job in ensuring a very comfortable drive. The braking setup remains the same with ventilated discs in the front and drums at the rear, we would have loved to have an all disc setup but never the less the current setup also works just fine aided with ABS and EBD that ensure a sure stop. Body roll is minimal and the Fiat Punto 90Hp behaves like a much bigger sedan at all times. Handling of the Fiats has always been good and the Punto 90Hp is one more addition to the list. Overall the Fiat Punto 90hp is a very good performer in busy city lanes and on high speed runs on the highway.

Fiat Punto 90hp Fuel Efficiency

The Fiat Punto 90Hp according to ARAI offers 20kmpl while in real world daily traffic and mixed driving conditions the 90Hp offered 16.5kmpl which is commendable.

Fiat Punto 90hp Safety Features

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The Fiat Punto 90Hp has a long list of safety features to its standard list, infact the safety list on the 90Hp is nearly same to the Linea. The car is equipped with the Fire Prevention system, Coded Immobilizer, Speed sensitive door locking, Front airbags, ABS and EBD braking.

Verdict

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The Fiat Punto 90HP is a lot quicker as compared to the 75HP non VGT Punto. The best performance is seen on the highway where you’ll find the extra power that the 90Hp gives combined with the phenomenal ride and handling characteristics that the Punto is always known for combined with a very good fuel efficiency. With the extra power and the other improvements to the Punto now make is much more complete and much more powerful. The Fiat Punto 90Hp now is all ready to give some serious competition to the likes of Hyundai i20 which was the most powerful diesel hot hatch until the Punto 90Hp arrived making it the perfect option to those who want a powerful European Diesel Hot-hatch.

Fiat Punto 90 hp Prices (ALL EX-SHOWROOM)
New Delhi: Rs 6.79 lakh
Mumbai: Rs 7.01 lakh
Bengaluru: Rs 6.88 lakh
Chennai: Rs 6.83 lakh
Kolkata: Rs 6.85 lakh

Fiat Punto Emotion 90HP Technical Specification

Engine: 1248cc, 16 Valve, Multijet Diesel
Maximum Power:90 Bhp @ 4000 rpm
Maximum Torque:209 Nm @ 2000 rpm
Length: 3987 mm
Width: 1687 mm
Height: 1495 mm
Seating Capacity:5
Tyre Size:175/70 R14
Suspension:Independent McPherson Struts, Coil Springs
Turning Circle: 5.40 mtrs.
Steering:Tilt
Brakes: Front Disk, Rear Drum
Gears: 5 Manual
Kerb Weight:1145.00 kgs.
Fuel Tank:45.00 litres