C7BLE

FIAT .. Fix It Again Tony

LTB

Don't believe the 0-60 time. Top Gear Magazine tested one and it was more like 0-60 in 6.0 secs. I used to have a 20V Turbo and it was a fast little car. I think an S would just have the edge in a straight line race, but would caine it's ass around the twistie bits. The turbo was also very aggresive, it used to cut in at about 3500 RPM and was a real beast.
L & M at High Wycombe (www.l-m.co.uk) have been modding them for a while now, usually to about 280BHP with a charge cooler kit and traction control fitted, so it may have been a modded car you came up against.
As for reliability C7BLE, I had mine for 2 years and the only thing that went wrong was the exhaust manifold. This was a design fault and was rectified on later models. Apart from that no probs whatsoever. I think the 16v engine was a different strory though as it was based on the Lancia Integrale engine IIRC.

PJL

Last Monday at Donington Park - there was several Fiat Coupe 20v Turbos - They certainly had good pace ) but the S2 got the better of them all - but I had to work hard !

Overall I was very impressed gave a very show on track

AlexC

I also had one, and think quite a lot of S2 owners have moved up from these cars - I don't think there would be much difference in a straight line, where torque steer not an issue, but no way it would keep up on the twisties or on a circuit. It has a lot of plus points, but worst thing about it is definitely the FWD handling.

argep

Drove one once. At slow speeds when cornering and the turbo kicks in it trys to drag you in the hedge. FWD cars, urgh.

moff

The stock turbo has a 0-100 of 14 secs (same as the S) so its always going to be close, a good condition chipped one should have the upper hand on a straight.

SandyS2K

I used to have (20vt) one and even when standard they would outdrag an S fairly easily. The official figures hide the fact that they have an amazing midrange punch. They are also a hell of a lot easier to drive at high speed due to the very aerodynamic shape. Mine always used to feel planted to the road where as the S feels like it wants to take off over undulating roads.

Torque steer wasnt a problem as it had viscodrive.

For a couple of hundred quid you could get a reliable 280 bhp + crucially the torque to go with it.

Cornering is a different matter as was servicing. Over two years, every service cost at least

AlexC

AlexT - are you my double? Nearly the same name, same current car, same previous car

SandyS2K

You've been my role model for several years now!

Was this you?! http://www.fccuk.org/ubbthreads/showflat.p...rev=#Post129163

AlexC

Yup, well spotted, and the same Dog Biscuit that is now resident in Canada, who occasionaly posts on here.

Funny thread