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28.11.2002  FACELIFTED FIAT BARCHETTA TO BE UNVEILED AT BOLOGNA MOTOR SHOW 


The Bologna Motor Show will be the venue for the world premier of the new facelifted Fiat Barchetta, a model that represents a blend of great Italian sports tradition and the shape of things to come. The car claims hark back to a golden age of motoring and brings it right up to the present day. 

The style has changed outside and inside, though the underlying attributes of Fiat's open-topped sports car are unchanged. It still offers the a performance that returns the following figures for the 96 kW (130 bhp) 1.8 16v car with variable valve timing: 200 km/h of top speed and less than 9 seconds to speed from 0 to 100 km/h. 

The ageing shape is still mainly original, with a few extra details that add impact. The front is dominated by a new front grille, an enormous horizontal black mouth that makes the model look more aggressive. This impression is reinforced by a bigger exhaust tail-pipe, revised headlamps, more up-to-date bumpers at front and rear and foglights as standard throughout the range. 

On the outside, the new parts emphasise the dynamism of the model's design and sporty shape. Inside, the new Fiat Barchetta allows you all the thrills of a genuine sporty drive without compromise and without uncertainty. Fiat claim a comprehensive safety equipment package, complete with ABS, airbag and foglights - and a sophisticated Hi Fi system that includes RDS/EON, CD and MP3 file player, electric aerial, 4 speakers and double subwoofer (80 Watts). The subwoofers are located behind the seats to ensure outstanding reproduction even with the top down. 

The stylish open-topped sports car also features Titanium-coloured panels, air outlets and door handles. The cloth used for the seats and door handles and the embossing on the facia are also brand-new. 

The new Fiat Barchetta range comprises three versions and is due to go on sale next spring. 

Customers will also be able to customise their car by adapting the exterior and interior specifications. 

All in all, the Fiat Barchetta is a new driving experience: increasingly adaptable to customers' tastes, increasingly able to anticipate their needs. The level of customisation is further enhanced by an extensive options list. These include: 16" alloy wheels, sideskirts, roll bar and hard top. The hard top offers all the comfort and safety of a closed car and sweeps away the notion that open-topped cars are only for summer. 

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