THE Fiat Barchetta has only ever been available in left hand drive, but if you can live with that, you will enjoy a cracking little sportscar.
Many people would be hard-pressed to even think what it looks like because it only sold in small numbers until 2002.
It’s cheaper, rarer, has the same power and performance and is just as much fun as the Mazda MX-5.
It’s also well built and pretty, so if you want to stand out from the crowd, this could be the one for you.
It boasts 130bhp from a smooth and punchy 1,750cc engine, which drives the front wheels through a slick changing five-speed gearbox with a delightfully short throw gearchange.
There’s a good thrust of power even from quite low speeds, but push it towards the red line and it really delivers the goods with a wonderful Italian exhaust note.
The power steering is perfect and tremendous suspension gives sticky grip and marvellous road-holding and it has tremendous balance and safety.
Interior
Take a long test drive to make sure you can live with a left hooker and service history is a must. Avoid unofficially converted right-hand-drive cars unless fully checked by an engineer.
Seats are excellent, many have leather and aircon but they were not standard and neither was a passenger airbag. Check that the hood goes up and down easily and fits well. Boot is a decent size for s small sportscar.
FAST FACTS
Fiat Barchetta
Price: Pay about £2,050 privately for an ’02 51-reg, £2,390 from an independent dealer for an ‘02 52-reg
Mechanical: 130bhp, 1,747cc, 4cyl petrol driving front wheels via 5-speed manual gearbox
Max speed: 124mph
0-62mph: 8.6 seconds
Combined mpg: 33
Insurance group: 16
CO2 emissions: 181g/km
BIK rating: 22%
Marks: 9/10
Main rival: Mazda MX-5