One of the greatest things going on right now is how people in the US can import cars legally that we enthusiasts sadly never got when they were new.
One of my favorites is the Fiat Barchetta from the 1990s. This roadster was Fiat’s long-overdue replacement for the 124 Spider that was produced from 1967 up until the early 1980s. and is in my opinion one of the most stunning designs ever built by Fiat. What is interesting is that unlike the 124 Spider, which was designed by Pininfarina, the Barchetta was designed in house by Centre Stile Fiat.
The Pick of the Day a 1995 Fiat Barchetta, and one of 21 first-year launch-edition models. Finished in Burnt Orange Metallic with a black leather interior, the sports car is being advertised on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in Rockville, Maryland.
According to the seller, this Barchetta is newly imported from Italy and has just received a major service including a timing belt service. The Barchetta is powered by a 1.8-liter alloy-head 16-valve inline-4 engine rated at 131 horsepower linked with a 5-speed manual transmission.
According to period tests, the Barchetta covers 0-60 in around 8.5 seconds and has a respectable top speed of 124 mph. The car’s manual top is as easy as that on the Mazda Miata, and the styling of this car, when seen in person, is simply breathtaking. The details of the interior are retro awesome, with the body-colored door trim nicely contrasting with the black leather.
While some will complain about the Barchetta being front-wheel drive, the little Fiat is quite fun to drive and quite sporting, in most ways the equal on the road to the Miata.
The pictures of the car in the ad show it to be in practically show level condition. Even the underside looks spotless.
One of the best parts of owning a Fiat Barchetta is that even at an Italian car show, you are not likely to see another one. The car tends to stop people in their tracks when on display at such events, and outshines much more-expensive Italian cars.
In the modern roadster space within the future classics category of cars there are a lot of choices, with everything from the BMW Z3, the Boxster and Honda S2000 as choices, but the Fiat Barchetta stands out for its rarity.
At the asking price of $24,995, it offers a lot of Italian exclusivity in a car that is fun to drive, great to look at, and inexpensive to own.
To view this vehicle on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
