Fiat's entry back into open top two seaters was the result of the MX5's success but with front wheel drive can Fiat's Barchetta really compete with Mazda's MX5?
I had a yellow barchetta for 22 years. Bought it in 1995 just after it was introduced at the Geneva car show (I live in Switzerand). I loved it. Max. torque was, if I remember correctly, around 4200 revs and you could still go way beyond that. Great for sporty driving on windy mountain roads, fast shifting gears up and down. After 22 years I had the first real technical (engine) problem and the car wasn't worth anymore repairing it (too expensive). Several times we went on tours with barchetta clubs in Europe and on one such tour we visited the barchetta factory near Torino in Italy. After the barchetta died I bought an MX5-D. I liked the MX5 design better than the Fiat 124 which is based on the MX5 chassis. No question, the MX5 is technically a much better car than the barchetta was and I really enjoy having one. But that doesn't change the fact that I loved the barchetta. The wind in my hair is the same. What's left of it are plenty of photos and the memories.
When I was a Fiat salesman these looked fantastic in the showroom. The biggest hurdle the Barchetta had though was the left hand drive only . In the UK market it just put too many people off
When Jeremy said he didn’t ‘bond’ with the MX-5 and Hamster said the Barchetta made him feel special, no matter the fwd, I was quite taken aback. But there you go. It’s not the ingredients, it’s the chef
Since buying mine thirteen years ago Ive read or watched every review. One chap said he began to understand the Barchetta after 10 minutes, he thought you played with the back end on the slow as opposed to the accelerate cus the front was so planted. In regard to the engines I would have concluded exactly the opposite, the one MX5 1800 I drove seemed civilised and the same as every 4 cylinder of the time. PS I really can't imagine the Barchetta was the heir of the Fiat 124 surely it was the heir of the 850 spider and the subsequent X19.
The thing is, people often hear "front-wheel-drive" and think it's an undriveable log, but if you set it up right (and don't drive like you're expecting a rear-wheel-drive car), it's a pleasurable and agile experience.
Agreed. Fwd cars are some of the best. And for all those saying rwd is best... I'd agree if you're driving a commercial vehicle from lorries to 4 tonne curtain siders.
@@skylined5534 both have pros and cons, but Europe especially has a long and rich tradition of building FWD hot hatches, and yet I've never heard people complain about the Golf GTI saying "Oh it's a FWD car, it's bad". Suddenly an Italian marque makes a FWD car, and they all criticise it for being FWD.
That was a wonderful car to drive. I had one of those and a Corvette and I drove the X1/9. I'd likely still have it if it hadn't gotten stolen. Assuming it didn't rust away.
You make me want to drive one. Your Italian roots come to life every time you get behind the wheel of an Italian car. Always a pleasure to ride with you.
Beautiful camera work! As a Brit living in Canada these last 7 years I miss old Blighty, stunning rose tinted scenery behind a car I remember fondly. I had a Laverda 668 Diamante in the same colour, equally flawed compared to Japanese motorcycles but there was a certain something that made it special. On the right evening, on the right roads, on the right pulse, nothing beats that Italian essence. Love this channel, don't ever stop.
As far as the trailing arms, there is a world of difference between an Air Cooled 911's semi-trailing arms, and a FWD car's trailing arms. The geometries and intent are completely different. For example - trailing arms have no camber gain, unlike semi-trailing arms. Completely different!
I have 1 of only 5 Fiat Barchetta's registered on the road here in NZ in the original orange launch colour and styling (not the facelift model), which I purchased from the Lotus dealership here in Auckland. It was a 1 owner car out of Japan which Lotus imported into NZ themselves and they effectively restored it. I have other cars but for sheer pleasure and driving enjoyment you cannot beat it, it has personality plus and the kids love going for a drive in it. It turns heads everywhere I go in Auckland it as the locals have no idea what it is, and of course being LHD in a RHD country. It is great bang for your driving buck, anyone worth considering getting one won't be disappointed if you do. Great video Jack!
Owned an NA BRG Miata back in Canada then bought a ‘99 pre-facelift for 1700 Euros when I moved to the Netherlands to cure my roadster itch on a student budget. Miraculously it never really had any problems and passed the APK/MOT with flying colours during my 2 year ownership. Even though I loved my Miata more in every way - handling, dynamic, looks, aftermarket support…etc, the barchetta still occupies a special place in my heart. Great handling for backroads, ladies loved it and always want to sat in it, and the engines really comes alive at around 4500 rpm when VVT kicked in, and sounded way better than than 1.6 in the Miata (especially with a hard top). Just remember to change the variator with the cam belt service! I had to sell it when I moved again, and I miss it to this day. I considered getting another one of these again but it really had too little aftermarket parts for me to have even more fun with unfortunately.
Hey great! Thx for this! Loved the Barchetta when it came out. Colour "mandarin" (a kind of orange). Was looking at that and the BMW Z3 (?) at the time, even test drove a Barchetta for two days. Remember saying at the time, if I ever have a daughter thats the car I would get her for passing her driving test. Well my daughter is now 26 and there are no more Barchettas... And back in the days I ended up with a Porsche Boxter (due to career and fortune).
Had one of these for a few years, used it extensively for autocross and trackdays and won a few class championships in autocross. Never rated them before owning one but surprised a bunch of other competitors in the class. Fitted a proper rollcage which made a nice improvement to the handling.
I have owned the limited edition Riviera version with a hard top less than 39000 miles since 2006. This is such a reliable and beautiful car, I wanted one from launch and took 2 years to find the perfect one. Owning one is such a privilege ❤
Had a pre facelift Barchetta for 5 years, absolutely loved its rarity and looks but you're right about the engine. A FIAT/Alfa joint venture and I thought it was its worst feature. Recently bought an MG TF 1.8 for less than a quarter of the price i sold Barchetta for, 2 years ago and to me the much maligned TF is a far better drivers car. Its K-series is quieter, smoother , sounds better , and more rev happy. Not as rare as a Barchetta, not as common as an MX5 but considering their prices and driveability the TF is an all round better package than either of the other two
@@Vrefplus10 I beg to differ , Alfa was involved , that means you've to rev the nuts out of it to get anything to happen, Twin Spark is a similarly poor engine. People think because it's Alfa it'll be superb, far from the the case. Lampredi twin cam and FIRE engine are amongst the best engines in the world, because FIAT did them alone.
@@johnmoruzzi7236 fair point but Lancia also ruined the reputation of the Lampredi engine when they put a 16v head on for the Thema/Delta and suddenly they started snapping timing belts and doing big end shells. The 8v version in the Croma Turbo didn't seem to suffer those problems ?
This is the truth from a B owner of 5 years and counting.... Myth No1. Engine is rough and somewhat un Fiat,Lanci,Alfa like. From my experience, this is bolox. Change the cam belt and time the cams properly. Then check twice. Only there after are any further comments vaild. Steer clear of any garage that utters the words,'Do what???' If you can't do the work yourself. The weakest points on the whole car are: the gearbox is slow. rear suspension, pedals and the brakes. Different oil in the 'box, work WITH the suspension and not AGAINST it, mod the pedalbox, Vented discs and Green Stuff sorts the stopping. Good points: Engine, pulls like a 2t on speed to7,200, shell is extremely rigid with no scuttle shake, stearing, no torquesteer, seating and design. Mine is a tarmac terrier. I too looked at a TF as I vividly remember the Needel review. I agree the recipie for the TF ticks a lot of boxes. I would need a saw for my legs as I measure 6'5" Sadly a TF is out for me. FWIW, the Barchetta was never intended to be a sports car. It was intended to be stylish transportation to the beach, cafe or bar. A cheap trinket to be disposed of in a couple of years. Just like a cheap watch. The cat is out of the bag! Safe driving all. Bw Mike.
Awesome video. Very cool car. Thank you for showcasing this car I had no idea it existed. Keep up the good work. Love the design and that yellow colour.
Such adorable looking cars! I may be in the minority for preferring the facelift, but I do really think it looks quite a bit better than the earlier version, especially the front end, although that third brake light is no doubt an eyesore.
The Barchetta is more spacious inside than the Mazda Mx5 MkI (Type NA). For taller people this makes a significant difference. I stand about 6ft 2inches (188cm), and, as opposed to the Mazda, in the Barchetta I was able to see something through the windshield, I had enough room for legs and arms, and my head did not touch the closed roof. The engine was stronger, too. In my country at the time, the standard Mx5 offered 115 hp, whereas the Barchetta had 131. Thank you for taking us for your beautiful drives! I enjoy your comments and your passion for the Italian cars.
Loving the Italian car content, great to see the pleasure you get from Italian cars and it really comes through to viewers. Would be great if you could get a Fiat Coupe to review. Keep up the great reviews of quirky cars that seem to be forgotten by the mainstream!!
I bought one of those basically to drive it into the ground over winter until the inspection runs out. Now I got some semi slicks on there, new paint and I'm gonna take it to the ring next weekend. That car was just pleasently surprising all around, expected a boring to drive Cabriolet like my mates golf Cabrio 3, yet that thing brings so many smiles per gallon
And Ford Australia did the same thing with the Mazda, making a Ford Capri, which didn't take off very well sales wise, it had serious leak problems with the folding top, when the original Ford Capri we were sad to see it go!
The late 1980s/early 90s Ford Capri was based on the Mazda 323/Ford Laser mechaincals/platform with the body shell designed by Ghia and its internals designed by ItalDesign. The soft top did have problems very early on but was quickly and effectively addressed, however like most of these 'type of issues' they tend to stick like poo to a blanket - irrespective on whether the issue has been competently solved. The car did enjoy some success in the US as it sold 8,000 units during July to Dec 1990 and 22, 000 units in 1991 during it's first full year of sales - after which sales tailed off to 12,600 in 1992 as the Global recession began to bite. The Capri won the prestigious Motorweek TV award for "Best Convertible" in the United States in 1991 and 1992 and sold over 66,000 units over its short production period of 1989 to 1994 which is more than Fiat Barchetta sales over a 10 year period. During the five years it was on sale in Australia, the Capri consistently outsold the Mazda MX5 and was Australia's top-selling convertible.
Ahhh, che carina!!! Pensare che da ragazzo non mi piaceva per via della trazione anteriore... Ora invece me la farei volentieri una bella Barchetta.. magari arancio, e prima serie!
I’ve had my 2003 Facelift Barchetta for 9 years and love it. Best of all UK Barchetta Owners Club organise wonderful fun long week-ends away and are all good company. The Club is internet based with no annual fees. Members organise meet - ups to drive with others. We have a list of trusted Garages too. I really enjoy having my Barchetta.
I wish we had had these in the States. The MX5 (or, as we called them, Miata) is so ubiquitous as to be unexciting. The rebadged 124 was just that, a rebadge. Ho hum.
The 2016 Fiat 124 was not a simple rebadge of an Mazda MX5 (US Miata). The modern Fiat 124 used the MX5 body/chassis, but in place of the Mazda's 2.0 engine was fitted with a Fiat 1.4 litre turbocharged engine with a suitable matched 6-speed gearbox - which provides for a 'different drive'.
We went out to buy a Renault Laguna estate but saw a yellow Barchetta outside the Fiat dealer and bought it on the spot. We really loved that car. Took it round France a couple of times. To Scotland a few times. Kept it 2 years but in all that time it never went properly for more than 2 weeks at a time. Just glad that it was under warranty. 4 clutches, new drive shafts, new exhaust and the factory never bolted the fuel tank in place. Useless dealers. It failed in Bank Holiday traffic so we push started it and managed to get to the Fiat dealer in Chesterfield. Traded it for one of the first Abarth Grande Puntos - yes, I know another Fiat - but that ran perfectly for the next 2 years until it got traded for something else.
I love the Barchetta ❤ And I love your authentic Italian pronunciation Jack ! Despite all the reliability issues the Barchetta is still ten times more fun to drive than the boring MX-5…
Thanks for this Jack, I've often wondered what they drive like as they look so good I felt sure their would be a compromise in ride and handling. Great review and another one for my list of ones to own one day!
This weather really shows what this car is about. Especially in this color. And that steering is what matters here, for small town daily driving, not sliding or racing. This car is much more appealing when all you hear is Miata.
Wow! ,I have one in the same colour, all be it the 1996 version. Had it 8 years now, engine buzzes, gearbox is quiet, just the new floor took me 2 years to re construct. I had Both MX5 and the Barchetta, but for me the Fiat has the sexiest rear end. Great little car, now if i could just get in and out of it like i used to i would keep it.
My brother had one of these when i had an MX5. I always thought it handled quite well and was good fun with a lovely induction bark. A worthy adversary to an MX5
Australia missed out on these cars as they weren't converted to the 'other' side of the cabin. What a shame as it might have been a decent alternative. Great review,
Can't say I've ever seen one of those on the road 🤔..... Nice looking car but I'd be another sheep if I was in the market for a cheap roadster and buy an mx5... Or an older Boxer. Cracking stuff as always Jack 👍
Always funny to see that the moment you drive through the S-curve you suddenly wear a cap! Great car and the same chassis was used for the 2003 Fulvia coupe reboot.
Great vid again! - looking for a Barchetta / M100 Elan / MX5/MGB/TVR last year..... ended up with a 986 Boxter - would still love a Barchetta though just for the looks
Interesting how 'little' changed for Fiat between the 124 Spider and the Barchetta: same size, same weight, same power. It would be great if you could get a 124, Jack, and test it back-to-back with this one (or even not back-to-back).
I bought one new when they first came on to the UK market. (P707 TUF) Really enjoyed buzzing around the roads of Sussex. I don't think it's alive any more though. One of the cars I do wish I'd kept. I have a 1970 FIAT 500 now, which is just as much fun in very different ways. As for left hand drive? Other than car park ticket barriers, absolutely no problem at all, ever. Actually, the 500 is so small even the barrier's not a problem😀
The reason Fiat gave up on sports cars in the early 1980s , was the advent of the hot hatch. Not only were they becoming fashionable, but from a manufacturing standpoint they are so much cheaper to produce , due the FWD assembly with macpherson strut set up , enabling the complete engine / gearbox/ suspension/ brakes assembly to be installed in one manoeuvre. Not only that but hidden logistics savings in being able to be made on the same production line as their more bread and butter , standard cousins. So the wonderful 124 Spider and X19 sports models were farmed out to their body designers, having their own production facilities. The arrival of the MX5 proved a game changer in the market for a no nonsense, back to basics sports car , much in the traditional way of Lotus Elans , MG Midgets ,and Triumph Spitfires, albeit with improved modern mechanics and production technology. I think it surprised all the motoring pundits at the time, how well it sold. Certainly other manufacturers were quick to follow suit , MGF Lotus Elise , and of course the Fiat Barchetta. Thought this car the prettiest of the lot, at the time . Pity LHD only, and FWD , despite being so good as it was. What also was a pity , was why couldn’t Fiat switch the engine /transmission assembly around , behind the driver to create another X19 !
Driving characteristics can be change for the better with a coil over suspension kit from, let's say, Bilstein, KW or similar. Sportier tires will make a big difference too like the Bridgestone Potenza's. These will really help the car performance better due to extra grip on the road. Furthermore, back in the day one could buy a sport exhaust system from Supersprint. All very nice upgrades. It will sure make the car alive.
I ve 2. One up for sale and the other's to keep. I bought them on looks and styling alone. Nothing out there for the price comes close. These are works of art. They re modern classics and I'm not bothered whether the Mazda drives better or not as I drive mine for the pleasure and am not in a race. I had 2 Alfa 105s. My daily Punto handles better and better than the original 124 coupes/spiders. On top of which the Barchetta is still relatively affordable.
Another good watch Jack, very rare car indeed, as many have already said LHD only didn't help. Looked like a little motor boat to me. It would be interesting to see how you think a well sorted MGTF - Spark edition stacks up against this (I've had 3).
My wife has a 2004 facelift in ‘Speed red’ color. It has black leather interior, and was fitted with Novitec sport suspension and Supersprint exhaust. Sounds and handles absolutely fabulous, and would eat an Mx-5 alive around any bend. Basically a very very sexy go-cart..
Way more preferable to an MX-5, these 1.8’s liven up with a cat back exhaust, a free flow filter in the original airbox and removing that intake resonator
Nice review! I had one of these for a while and really liked it a lot. It does have more driver space than the MX-5. I am 192cm tall with long legs and would not fit into an MX-5, but the Barchetta was fine. 😉
I owned one of the last Maggiora-built cars (with a third brake light on the boot) for two years in the late 2000s. Build quality was better than the Fiat-built cars and it looked prettier. The biggest issue I had was the engine constantly throwing problems at me, in particular a constantly leaking cooling system, which spoilt the overall ownership experience. Ended up P/Xing it for a 916 Alfa GTV V6, which I still own after 14 years.
It's certainly pretty, but when it comes to the obvious MX5 comparisons ( front-drive / left-hand drive only ) - try finding suspension & engine upgrades, limited slip diff, let alone a roll bar! It is VERY pretty though. Great video - thanks.
I always loved the look - the yellow suits it perfectly. I had a 1990 Eunos Roadser and loved it and, while the Fiat and it were similarly priced, i felt the Madza offered more for the money. Mind you, my Mx5 was twelve years old when i bought it and there weren't a lot of used Barcettas around
Been waiting for you to drive one! I had one in '96 and loved it as it had the best steering of anything I've owned. Sadly the Fiat dealer curbed it massively when they took it for service and it was never the same after that despite full laser alignment.
The great thing is that it's not that fast (fast enough though) but you could still have a lot of fun in it. Which makes it more relevant today than ever.
@@markpink I thought that as well, I thought I was being a bit weird as the beautifully slight door handle was always a stand out feature whenever I've seen one, which isn't all that often to be fair.
I recently purchased a yellow Barchetta like the one your're driving. It's a 2002 with 42k miles that I paid €6800 for. I didn't buy it because I want a cutting edge sports car, I bought it for Sunday rides on the Spanish mountain roads and because it's eye catching and a bit unusual. I think that a bit more rebound damping would be nice on the car along with thicker sway bars. But given that my intention has never been to compete I'm fine with the fact that it's not going to beat a Miata or a Boxter. It's an enjoyable car on those Sunday rides and I'm happy with that.
I dont know if they did something with the engine there, but mine really comes to life at 4500 rpm, its quite lazy below that. So to get this thing moving you really need to move that stick quite a lot, you need to have some power to put in through bends. But thats great. And btw, its a great winter car on snow and ice, just go down on the tires, the original dimension is a bit wide on snow.
I wish they had continued to develop, or resurrect, the X-19. A mid engined modern mini Ferrari for the masses would have been better than an MX5 copy.
I had the pre-facelift one for 6 years, a silver Grigio SE with a wine red roof and wine red leather interior, bought it in Italy, drove it back from Italy. Most reliable car I've ever had, never let me down, except the VV developed a tappety noise. A stainless steel exhaust released its voice. Drove it all around Europe. Handling and feel not as good as the MX5 of the time. Suspension damping at high speed not too good. Steering is quick, lock to lock. The first owner was Peter Davis. I was the second. Where are you SE 1966?
Great video (again). I'd love you to review the closest competitor to the MX-5, the Suzuki Cappuccino. The same ingredients, independent suspension, RWD, but 70% of the size of the MX-5.
Oh good I love this car! Had a 96 or 97 in the early 2000 with an additional hardtop for winter and drove it all year round in Tyrol in the Austrian mountains… The FWD is in wintertime a big plus to get traction…😇 The only downside of this little gem is the variable valve timing…. it isn’t very relaiable and brook at mine two times … Then the car sounds like a Mercedes Taxi - why this part is in Germany/Austria known as the Diesel part and needs regularly attention… … but all forgiven when you cruise roof open over a snowy mountain pass 😇
Had the first generation one of these. Absolutely Loved it. Great fun and stunning looks. Most enjoyable car I ever had. Sold it for a Honda S2000 which was better made, much faster, rear wheel drive and more capable in almost every way. But i didn’t enjoy it nearly as much. The beautiful alloy pop out door handles on the Barchetta would freeze shut in the depths of winter!
Would love to see you drive a reliant scimitar ss1, its a curious roadster i have seen but never seen anyone provide a driving impression of. Often seen in offroad trials for some reason.
I had 2 1800Tis at one point! - One was my car and the other a Unipart company car as we supplied the parts for them. Loved them but they rattled quite a bit even if they did go like stink. I bought mine as it was the quickest 30-70 car I could afford for the Norfolk roads pre-dual carriageway. No weight over the rear wheels and very easy to spin them up. The 1800Ti couldn't cope with even 5mm of snow though unless you had a bag of gravel in the boot, then it was OK!
Thanks for reviewing this, I’ve always liked the look of the original Barchetta. I’d be curious to know if there are possible upgrades… Having said that, this review made me curious about a comparison or stand-alone review of the Alfa 916 Spider from the same era. Even though I drive a 996, I’d still love a 916 with Busso (and perhaps a few Alfaholics upgrades 😊)
I had a silver Barchetta with the rare Weissmann hardtop. I had it reupholstered in red Connolly leather with map pockets made in the backs of the seats, the door cards in black Connolly leather also with map pockets (this was all before sat navs). Stupidly I sold it and bought a Rover 45 - one of the most stupid things I ever did. The car handled like a go cart with Wernher von Braun engineering.....
I had two of them from 1995 to 2000. The first one was cursed! All the electric gremlins one would expect in a MG plus Italien rust issues. They never got the anti skid brakes to work and the dealer just disabled the warning light. Thus I ended up in a crash barrier on the Autobahn and ordered another one :) It was a fun car with quite a breaking distance and somewhat overpowered, it wasn't that easy to keep the front wheels from spinning even in second gear.
I feel like quite the outlier here from reading all the other comments, but I’ve always found this to be quite a dog in the looks department - something akin to a melted, modern, FWD MGB. That being said, it’s good to see you enjoy it as much as you did!
Nice video, very much agree with a lot of what you said, especially regarding the front end which really makes this car a lot of fun to drive - the car gives a lot of feedback and trust. The one thing I disagree on is the engine. While I agree the engine is quite uncharismatic, I thought the same of the 1.8 MX5 (NC), except the MX5 felt a lot weaker low-mid RPM. In the end I preferred the barchetta's engine. Also, while the barchetta's driver area might feels a bit small, there is way more leg room especially for the passenger. The trunk is more practical too. Oh, and it looks way better, especially the 1st gen :)
I bought a phase 1 of these in black (the best colour imho) new in Dubai. It desperately needed a turbo to make it exciting to drive and the air conditioning was so bad it was like an asthmatic penguin blowing on an ice cube lol. It was fun whilst a novelty but I didn’t regret trading it in for my Golf GTI. But respect to Fiat for stealing a bit of the MX5 slice. 👍
Haha had to laugh at Audi TT described as a failure - one of the most successful roadsters of all time. Manufacturers build cars to make money, not to satisfy the nuances of the 0.1% buying public who buy cars for their handling finesse. The MX5 sold well in it’s early years NOT because of RWD but because women thought it was cute and men recognised it was cheap and reliable. Now that those type of buyers have long-since moved on and Mazda is stuck with the traditional Lotus problem of making a great-driving car that only enthusiasts like yourself want to buy ie virtually no-one!
Enjoying your reviews, largely because of the great selection of cars. I came close to buying one of these - they are extremely rare here in Canada. Minor distractions for this pedantic viewer - 'so unique'. Unique is all or none. Also, the cut to the ESS's and there's someone else at the wheel... baseball cap disrupted the space-time continuum :-)
Absaloutly brilliant video jack ❤👍 what a beautiful looking car love the colour and style of her having had different cars in the past that were unreliable fiat is on my list of great cars brilliant
