Here's the new Punto / Corsa

dxg · Post by **dxg** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 10:00 pm

Just before the GM / Fiat tie-up went pair shaped (to the tune of GM paying $2billion - yup billion - to get out of the relationship), the next generation Punto and Corsa were co-developed. Fiat are the first to market, but the Corsa will follow very shortly. The Corsa has a different rear light position (under the c-pillars, in the traditional place), and I'm not sure what's different about its front end or its interior. The side profile (note the door intersection with the a-pillar and the wing mirror mounting location) is basically the same.

First pic as a teaser:

The rest are links because they're rather big:
http://img307.imageshack.us/img307/8170/33ni.jpg
http://img307.imageshack.us/img307/1593/28ro.jpg
http://img307.imageshack.us/img307/2223/16gs1.jpg
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/1129/54wv.jpg

As an ex-owner of a mark one punto, I loved it. I sort of liked the mark two's front end, but thought that the facelift (the current model) killed any sign of italian flair. This looks a lot better to me. I think the side profile is a triumph.

Opinions?

Deek.

Redline · Post by **Redline** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 10:08 pm

I'm really quite liking it. Very tidy piece of design, back end looks especially funky

I wouldn't buy one, but hey, at least it's a brand new car that hasn't been hit with the ugly stick.

mikegti · Post by **mikegti** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 10:55 pm

On the whole I like it. The front view makes me think of the coupe, which is good

I like the side view, apart from the wing mirror forwards - looks all wrong from that angle

the exhaust looks a bit odd on the rear view, and where's the boot handle?

(also looks like they need to make the door fit properly too!)

But I bet that the corsa will look hideous!!

R1CH · Post by **R1CH** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 11:01 pm

gotta agree,i dont think its a shockin lookin motor,not my pot of tea but a possible future classic for the fiat kids..

dino · Post by **dino** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 11:30 pm

Looks good!

I wouldn't buy one either but its nicer than the current model

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 4:57 am

Hey if the doors fit, it wouldnt be a fiat

And trust them to launch with a typically vomit-inducing colour... what is that..? brick red? urgh. Doesn't belong on a car! Though i suppose it hides the inevitable italian rust...

(once was a named-driver on a mk1 - pretty nice drive but build quality, as ever, was lacking in a number of places ... engine, gearbox and doors to name but three

- didnt like what they did to the design after that one so this is a nice slight return)

bit too much focus mixed in both at front and in side profile (or has ford stolen too much from them?) for it to be truly original, but that is quite a unique "face" on it if the light angling is ignored ... i like it

lets see what a hash has been made of the corsa shall we

(this is great its like chavwagons united)

toXXin · Post by **toXXin** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 10:23 am

I like that. It's a tidy bit of kit that oozes Italian flair!

As previously mentioned, the Italian flair has extended to the ill fitting door, and the Italian flair will be the reason why this and many other things will fall off in years to come!

Daz6n · Post by **Daz6n** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 11:59 am

Not as nice as the mk1 i don't think. That front end has a Maserati feel to it to me!!

R1CH · Post by **R1CH** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 12:05 pm

good god.just saw it.please tell me that door isnt properly shut

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 1:24 pm

Daz6n wrote:Not as nice as the mk1 i don't think. That front end has a Maserati feel to it to me!!

I *knew* that face was familiar! That's why it feels properly italian then...

(cant beat the iconic smoothery of the first one, taking the micra and melding it into something a little less toon town whilst still being friendly... such a leap from the Uno too, more so than mk3->mk4 polo)

dxg · Post by **dxg** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 1:24 pm

rich16v wrote:good god.just saw it.please tell me that door isnt properly shut

If you think that's bad, it's pretty much how my 9N was delivered to me when it was new.

I could dig out pics if you don't beleive me...

Deek.

PoloCornwall · Post by **PoloCornwall** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 1:46 pm

De-Baged
Lowered
Front and back spliters
And buy it in a half decent colour

dxg · Post by **dxg** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 2:04 pm

Some more pics have emerged:

3 door and five door together:
http://img314.imageshack.us/img314/4982/newpunto1ik.jpg
(The one in the background is the Fiat Idea - which is their mini-MPV bassed off the current Punto platform. It's been on sale here for about 18 months and I've only ever seen *one*).

I'm guessing this is a more standard spec:
http://img303.imageshack.us/img303/3342 ... to41lb.jpg
http://img303.imageshack.us/img303/339/newpunto38bk.jpg

Deek.

Si_GTi · Post by **Si_GTi** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 2:58 pm

Looks much better in blue than that "brick red" as Tahrey has christened it

plus IMHO Daz is right, the front with those headlights is very much like the Maserati GranSport that was featured on TG a couple of weeks back by Hammond.

Personally I see this as a big improvement over the looks of the current Punto, which like Deek pointed out, lost out heavily in the looks department when it was "facelifted"

Nice job, FIAT.

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 4:40 pm

not sure of the front 3 quarter shots and its still looking a bit focus-esque, but there's probably little you can do in terms of overall shaping these days without sacrificing interior room, safety or aerodynamics. There is, after all, a certain ideal shape that all cars will eventually be refined close to..

i would have called it vomit orange instead, except i saw that shade (the exact colour of alcohol poisoned puke) on a corsa a couple weeks back, and it was a fair bit lighter than that.
all the same it's still almost as bad as the awful muddy yellow colour the first punto was launched with!