Next year's all-new Fiat Punto, codename Project 199, has broken cover virtually undisguised for the first time.

These latest photos shed many of the unique new styling secrets to be found on this vitally important new 'supermini', months before its official public unveiling.

While this car started with a fresh sheet of paper, built as it is on a new floorpan known as 'Small', and incorporating a fresh new exciting body design from the legendary Giorgetto Giugiaro, it does, at the same time, evolve the Fiat Punto's strong reputation for offering class-leading interior space. 

The Punto's familiar 'arching' body design can also clearly be seen in the bulging flanks of the new model.

The new Punto will be a vital player in Fiat's continuing strategy to stem their recent losses and revive their fortunes, and as such, its importance cannot be overstated.

Company insiders are however quietly confident that they have another exciting small car on their hands, one that can match the runaway success of the recent new Panda, and initial impressions certainly seem to back this judgment up.
 

This new Punto shares its underpinnings with the next-generation General Motor's Corsa / Barina, due to arrive a full year after the debut of the Fiat. 

The Punto appears to have all the ingredients required to be the leading contender in the segment for 'supermini' cars, a class that has become extremely crowded in the last few years with high quality products, which will keep this new stylish Fiat on its toes in all areas.

A bold new design grabs attention at the front. A larger bumper, designed to conform to new 2005 EU pedestrian safety regulations, which see the crumple-zones increased, is presented with radiator grilles reminiscent of the recently facelifted Fiat Barchetta roadster.

Fashionable larger headlamps remind the onlooker of the car's more expensive relatives: the Maserati Coupe and Spyder.  Their outward flowing lines are sure to make them an attractive, eye-catching feature.

The Punto's almost four metre long body sweeps upwards as the chunky lines chase rearwards to meet the haunched rear flanks, similar to those found on the cute Lancia Ypsilon luxury supermini.

With Fiat's class-leading knowledge in creating roomy, small cars, and the lessons learnt from the marque's new 'baby' MPV, the Idea, small quarterlight windows are inserted between the A-pillar and the door to provide a cab-forward design.

This arrangement forces the incorporation of very attractive, 'stalk' mounted external rear view mirrors, a feature that exudes a style usually found on higher-bracket sportscars.

The rear of the new car also appears on first glance very interesting, and evolves carefully the theme prevalent on the first three generations of Punto. While the newcomer retains the traditional high-mounted tail lights, the base of the units have been pushed upwards, allowing a tailgate that has been widened to the maximum for greater ease of loading and unloading.

The new Punto's launch range will offer the following petrol and diesel engines:

During 2006 a third diesel engine option will be added in the form of the new 1.6 Multijet, which will offer two stages of power output, 105 and 120 bhp. With diesel popularity continuing to explode across Europe, this third choice will give the Punto an unrivalled number of oil-burning options.

Abarth sportiness wiill be guaranteed by a 115 bhp 1.6-litre petrol unit, while, as is becoming the standard, a sporting diesel option will see the 150 bhp 1.9 Multijet offered.

Interestingly only the base versions will have 4-bolt 15 inch wheels. The intermediate versions and Abarth version have 5-bolt hubs with 16 and 17 inch wheels respectively.

Customer demand in the highly competitive 'supermini' segment continues to evolve rapidly, pushed on by a succession of new offerings from big car manufacturers globally. Now the latest bearer of the Punto name, which will set new engineering standards to compliment its up market pretensions, is expected to emerge as a favourite, and a key piece in the on-going revival of the Fiat brand.

by Edd Ellison