HAVING sailed through some turbulent financial storms during last year, the Fiat corporation has now moved into calmer waters with some excellent new models to tempt the public into the showrooms.
The good-looking new Panda and ingenious Idea have both been well received by the buying public and the Turin car giant is now recognised as ranking among the most improved car franchises in the UK according to a recent survey, having shot up nine places in the manufacturers' league table.
Newcomers apart, Fiat also has a stable full of models established in the UK marketplace and recently I set out to rediscover the Spirito di Punto, which is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary.
Renowned in its early days for good value, style and spaciousness, the Punto emerged in second generation form in the autumn of 1999 with a more sexy shape and more lively engines to tempt younger drivers to this practical little Italian job.
In the process Fiat has continued to regularly sell 50,000 plus Puntos in the UK each year and, last summer, introduced the third generation, designed to build on the successful progress made by its predecessors.
This latest product of the Italian carmaker bowed in boasting a 22-model line-up and six trim levels - Active, Active Sport, Dynamic, Eleganza, Sporting and HGT - created to cater for most people's requirements.
There are seven options available from the Fiat engine-room, four petrol and three diesel, including Fiat's extremely wallet-friendly and hugely capable, 1.3-litre Multijet turbo diesel power source.
In addition, there are two clutchless transmissions available, the Dualogic and Speedgear, the former being a continuously variable automatic transmission with selectable six-speed sequential and manual changes and the latter a clutchless five-speed transmission with manual shift.
For this particular exercise I opted for one of the other new engines in the pack, the FIRE 1.4-litre petrol engine which proved an extremely spirited and torquey performer.
Maximum power of 95bhp at 5,800rpm helps the Punto to achieve the 0-62mph dash in under 10 seconds, en route to a maximum speed, where legally allowable, of 109mph - proving that this little motor, which also pulls well in mid-range, is capable of taking care of itself among the wall-to-wall heavy metal of the motorways.
Not short on the fun factor, it responds to the urge of the nicely refined 16-valver via a fine, smooth-changing five-speed gearbox.
It's footsure in fast cornering too and provides confidence inspiring progress mounted on 14-inch alloys. The latest Punto also provides an agreeably supple ride, the car having benefited from some minor revisions to the suspension system. An increased ride height and the subsequent lengthening of the shock absorbers' travel gives much smoother progress over roadway imperfections than its predecessor.
I must confess that, at first glance, this Punto's makeover didn't strike me as so different from the car I drove in its homeland at the second generation launch in 1999, but a closer look revealed quite a bit of cosmetic attention with a proper front grille, large jewel headlights and a deeper airdam at the front and new tail light clusters at the rear catching the eye.
The interior furnishing has been updated and, while the Punto's legendary passenger space has not been compromised, revisions include a two-tone grey finish to the dash, new and more serviceable fabrics and higher grade equipment.
Standard kit on the Dynamic Plus test car included air con, trip computer, electric front windows, steering wheel mounted controls for the Blaupunkt six-speaker CD sound system and remote central locking, plus a fair quotient of cupholders and cubbyholes.
Safety also features highly on the Fiat priority list with ABS braking with Electronic Brake Force Distribution, Electronic Stability Programme and even a Hill Holder facility to ease the problems of hill-starting.
To date, more than five million Fiat Punto's have graced driveways across Europe and this lively, compact little performer still looks well equipped to keep up the good work of the past decade.
FAST FACTS
Fiat Punto 1.4-litre Dynamic Plus 5dr
Price: £10,395
Mechanical: 95bhp, 1,368cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 5spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 109mph
0-62mph: 9.9 secs
Combined mpg: 46.3
Insurance group: 7
CO2 emissions: 145g/km
BiK rating: 15%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles; 8yrs anti-rust; 3yrs paint