The Fiat Punto T-Jet has made its Brazilian debut at the 25th Salão Internacional do Automovel in São Paulo, where the sporty, turbocharged 5-door supermini is one of the star attractions on the spacious Fiat stand in the large halls of Latin America's most important motor show.

The Punto T-Jet will be soon available for ordering on the local market with all its highly sporty features, including a bodykit drawn from the European-specification Grande Punto Abarth. The car is an invitation fun driving combined with high performance and high technology.

The experience of driving a Punto T-Jet is unique. Its drivability is among the best to be found in supercharged engines – the 1.4 16V T-Jet engine has a maximum power of 152 hp and 21.1 kgfm of maximum torque. This is possible thanks to its low inertia turbocharger, allowing for quick responses to the command of the throttle pedal, regardless of the gear used. The turbocharged T-Jet engine (in 152 hp format) has already made its market debut in Brazil recently, in the new Linea sedan, and the Punto will become the second application for the power unit which is imported from Italy. Unlike the many 'dual fuel' engines available on the market, the T-Jet is only available in petrol guise.

The Punto is built in Brazil in 5-door format only, and the sporting T-Jet version will roll off the same production lines at Betim (Minas Gerais) as the current model which has proved popular with buyers in Brazil and Argentina. Fiat Automóveis hasn't revealed when the Punto T-Jet will go on sale, but it is expected to be in the local showrooms during the first quarter of 2009. For Brazil the Punto T-Jet will be fitted with the bodykit (bumpers, spoilers, side skirts and wheel arch mouldings) from the European-specification Grande Punto Abarth. Other unique features drawn from the Abarth model include the powerful front foglights, while European options list alloy wheels will be fitted.