Bangle Designed: 1995 Fiat Coupe
The Fiat Coupe (or Coupé, if you prefer) had styling that was a departure from the boxy Fiats (Lada square edges on them!) of the 1980s and it is quite striking in person or in print, particularly compared to some of the monstrosities that roam the streets today. The Coupe was never imported into the USA as a new car, so you’ll have to find a grey market import like this next one. Find this 1995 Fiat Coupe offered for $12,999 in Lake Forest, CA via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!
From the seller:
1995 Fiat Coupe
condition: excellent
cylinders: 4 cylinders
drive: fwd
fuel: gas
odometer: 92000
paint color: yellow
size: full-size
title status: clean
transmission: manual
type: coupe
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1995 Coupe Fiat by Pininfarina
The Fiat Coupé made media headlines in auto magazines during 1992, after several spy shots were taken revealing the car on test. Fiat had decided to produce a new coupé based upon the old Tipo platform when the Pininfarina factory was suddenly dormant. On its launch in January 1994, the Coupé was available with a four-cylinder, 2.0 L 16V engine, in both turbo (190 PS) and normally aspirated (139 PS) versions.
Both engines were later versions of Fiat’s twin-cam design and inherited from the Lancia Delta Integrale, winner of the World Rally Championship a record six times. 1996 brought in a 1.8 L 16V engine (not available in the United Kingdom, 131 PS), along with a 2.0 litre five cylinder 20V (147 PS), and a five-cylinder 2.0 litre 20V turbo (220 PS). Along with the new engines Fiat also made some minor design changes including the front grill, steering wheel, the door panel now included leather, the interior centre console was redesigned and the digital clock was replaced with an analog one.
Additionally, the Coupé featured independent suspension all round: at the front MacPherson struts and lower wishbones anchored to an auxiliary crossbeam, offset coil springs and anti roll bar; at the rear, trailing arms mounted on an auxiliary subframe, coil springs and an anti roll bar.
Yellow w/black leather
This car is in perfect condition.
with original 92.000 mls
w/books and records
Fully loaded
Sales price for these Spider is ex Lake Forest.
Please note, this car can NOT be registered in California due to California DMV regulations.
Anywhere else in other the 49 States, no problems to register.
This car is currently in transit from Bremerhaven/Germany and are due to arrive in L.A. in about 8 weeks.
See a better way to drive something yellow? tips@dailyturismo.com
I like the design of this car… from certain angles. Sometimes it looks like a stylish Italian exotic but sometimes it looks like a cheap Asian economy car to me. Lowering it by a few inches would do wonders for it though.
The import/export dealer selling this Fiat explicitly says that none of the cars they import are able to be registered in California. But where is the dealer’s only US office located? California. I understand it’s coastal with international ports and it’s halfway between Europe and Asia, but it’s just a strange choice to locate your business in the one place where you can’t sell your products.
Lastly, I wonder how cheap the dealer was able to obtain this car. When you factor in shipping and import fees, there can’t be much left on a $13K car.
If you want a museum piece, you’re right, there’s not much money left on the table (easy $10k car) but, if you are happy with a decent drivers car, that passes all of the UK inspections, then it’s a $2k car.
Factor in $2k for ro-ro shipping (not container) and someone else doing the taxes and paperwork. Then the shocking $1k to get it shipped to you in the US (unless you are a Texas resident and can pick up a 3 day temporary license) and for $5k you can have your own turbo fiat!
The gas fillers were always so cool on these! But remember, they are Fiat build quality. I always liked the yellow or blue ones myself.
Check out eBay in the uk. (.co.uk) if you don’t believe me. As for the shipping, I brought a car in to Baltimore from the UK and had it shipped by enclosed trailer to MN this Feb, so the prices are pretty current.
Better still, check out this exportable fiat…
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/373961841952?hash=item5711dcdd20:g:5vUAAOSw7WhitB1k
This seems like all the 20v turbo money to me.