The absolute favorite car I have ever owned. The view out of the curved & steep window on the fender was just priceless. It felt like driving a Ferrari from the 60s (especially with the hardtop). The key difference was the low maintenance costs. I think the insurance cost €25 a month. It consumed only 9 l/100 km - no matter how hard you drove it. And driving it was so much fun because of its light weight of only one ton. A set of disks and brake pads were 80€. Unfortunately, I wrecked it. It took me more than 4 years to get over the loss. I wonder how owning a Fiat coupe would compare to that experience....
Thank you for sharing your love for the Barchetta! I'm sorry that your one no longer exists though. I can't say how a Coupè would compare though... Planning to get one?
I bought my car in November of 1995, it had driven less than 3000km by the dealer. And to this very day, it's still my only car I have: I drive it summer and winter (with hardtop). And I still look behind me after parking! Over these past 27 years (I'm twice the age of my car so I have had it exactly half of my life!) it has cost me a small fortune to keep it on the road (eg. 3rd engine) but I still love the car very much!
Looking back at your car after you park it is what separates great design from the average… Three engines though? How many km did each last, I wonder 😳
@@Matteo_Licata the first engine lasted about 250.000 km before the oil pump broke. The second one maybe 100.000 km? (The speedo didn't always work and was also replaced a few times) It ended it's life last year after not checking the oil and after a rattle, a bearing came loose. Lesson learned!
I did exactly the same in 98 - except I bought it in Umbria, Italy and drove it back to London. It was so unique in the UK at the time. I bought one with a hard roof.
Bought a green one in 1999. Got destroyed by a drunk when parked in 2011. So sad that I immediately bought another one, but the green edition limited, with hard top and all. I have it to this day. Gorgeous as ever. One of the cheapest and yet the most loved of my little collection. I do not plan to sell it.
Indeed. Fiat left the USA in 1982, only to return thirty years later without much success. So none of the company's 90s models were ever exported to the USA, but if you'd really like a Barchetta, the earliest models are over 25 years old now, so you can import one :)
Because in large part of your videos I have barchetta 1996 a fiat coupe 16v turbo fiat coupe with the same engine as the barchetta and finally a Alfa romeo 166 3.0 v6 Busso Manuel thanks for the inspiration. Hard to pick put the coupe with the turbo is the most alive car I've ever had the pleasure of the engine is a master piece as you can tell by my cars I love deeply high reving Italian engines but taking the three cars leave the slow coupe and alternate the 3 card gives such joy I cannot describe with words having removed also not the sound isolation this trip makes driving thru the dolomites down to Lago de Garda is such a pleasure. Next time we tale a trip up from Greece fairy to Italy and driven Milan and towards Slovenia next time we take a trip you might be tempted to come drive my trio of cars. It would be my pleasure to share these with you:) I've been with you all the way from the start of you remember i was the one that suggested tondo a video pm the Busso. Thanks for the epic work bit fox the t-shirts I bought three and all three have lost the print you need to change producer of this as they are cool but only for a few washes..
Thank you very much for your support and your kind words. I’m glad my work inspired you so much and that you’ve built such a cool collection! Regarding the tees, I’ve indeed changed supplier, but I still don’t know whether the prints lasts longer or not. I now use Spreadshop rather than Teespring. Of course it would be great to meet you, as I’ve already done with other long-time subscribers!
Great video! And a special car to me… I bought a brand new 1997 Barchetta Series 1 in lovely broom yellow. It was a special order from a UK Fiat dealer (not all Fiat dealers were able to supply the car at that time). Absolutely loved it. During the four years we had it, we travelled all over Europe on our vacations. That included several trips back to Italy. Despite its humble underpinnings it was great fun to drive… really great memories.Thanks for featuring this lovely Italian gem… 👍
Bravo I remember thinking "if I had to take a spider I finally would choose a Barchetta" ... After a few years I finally bought my first spider and betrayed the Barchetta for a vintage Alfa Spider
I totally agree! The handles especially: not the most practical, but certainly the most stylish. Fiat really went the extra mile to make the Barchetta look the part... The orange launch color is my favorite, but it seems to be quite rare now.
I bought mine in Germany in 2002. Sadly, during the two years I owned it, the weather was horrible and I very seldom drove the delightful car, opting for my Lancia Lybra for business travel. I drove the Barchetta from Cologne to visit my sister south of Rome once. A looong drive in the Barchetta though driving with the top open there was delightful.
I think that's a bit over the top. Just think of the Fiat 2300 or the Dino... Or even the 850 spider and coupe. And those are just main stream cars. Fiat made so many exotic cars that are so gorgeous... And I am saying that whilst I owned a Barchetta
The first car I ever owned (in the version Lido), I was so poor I had to wait till I was nearly 23 to be able to put 5000€ together working here and there and get one but it was worth the wait, it put big smiles on my face every time I drove it, rolling the roof down and cruising on the hills that separated my workplace from home in the sunny afternoons of september is a sweet memory that'll always be with me... Pros are it's low maintenance cost, low insurance easy to fix mechanically but if you crash it you might as well throw It away since the body is kinda welded to the chassis and repairing may easily cost way more than what you initially payed it (which is what happened to my one). A couple of years after I crashed my one and used it's running engine to equipe a FIAT Coupé I paid nothing for, my mother whom always loved it bought a beautiful 2003 Barchetta "Naxos" making it the second Roadster in my family and the second Barchetta I extensivly used. Me and my GF are currently fantasizing about buying one for our day-off "escapes"...
That’s some great memories you’ve shared with me, thank you very much! I’ve owned and loved roadsters throughout my youth (that’s why the channel is called roadster life) so I can fully relate with your feelings.
I have one in that launch Arancio. 100% original, i had it certified by Centro Storico Fiat! I also have a 1998 Mx-5. Theres nothing better than roadsters
My love for the barchetta brought me here. Your superb videos, superb selection of topics and superb voice and style of storytelling keep me here. Thanks!
Bought a new one in 1996 in the UK. Left Hand Drive no problem at all, the car was very small. Red and with the black leather interior and absolutely loved it. Got hold of the hard top too...what a devil of a job fixing the fuse etc in the car for the heated screen though. 🙂 However, well worth it. A wonderful car and I wish I still had it. I changed it for a new Alfa 156 Twin Spark, also another great car. Today? Pootling around on sunny days in a 1970 FIAT 500, also LHD, and having just as much fun, albeit in a very different way. The 'little boat' Barchetta, a true Classic.
Another lovely and insightful video, Matteo. Loved it. Have to confess I've just learned about the second generation Barchetta! Didn't even know about it's existence. Keep it up, my friend!
Another joy to watch - would have loved a rhd version. I also hadn’t realised that the engine was as powerful- I had always thought it had a low power punto unit. Thanks again
I owned a 2004 Barchetta that I bought in 2010 when I was working near Treviso. It was a nice car and I have very fond memories of it, though I always had the feeling it was clocked (Which obviously was not the car's fault). At the end of 2012 I traded it in for a Demo Alfa Mito 1.6 Diesel. That was a too good of a deal and it suited my situation better but it did hurt none the less that I had to part from the Barchetta.
The old habit of clocking used cars is still alive and well, sadly. A friend of mine sold his Alfa 159 to a dealer when the car had around 200.000 Km. Now he's discovered the same car is still around, with a recent MOT made at 135.000 Km...
@@Matteo_Licata This is a common thing especially with well built cars like Alfa 159. And in Europe, especially here in Czech Republic it is something like a national sport. Even new car owners are adjusting odometers before its first technical inspection (4 years here). Same goes for leasing fleet cars. My absolute record is inspecting 159 2.4 JTDm which was clocked back from 660 000 Km to just 88 000. Must admit, that she did not feel at its last legs, but was very worn indeed. As we say when selling car... price is fixed, milage is negotiable.
This car look great but I think the X1/9 was the best sports car Fiat ever made. Beautifully balanced, a crisp 5 speed gear box and the seductive Bretone styling add up to a brilliant car!
I confess I never drove an X1/9, but it was a dream car.of my later childhood. However, for me the greatest Fiat sports car is the 850 Coupé or the 850 Spider. It is a competitive category.... Original 124 Spider, Dino Coupé and Spider, Barchetta, Coupé of the 1990s, 850s.... and more. All lovely. But for me the winner is the 850. As with the Moto Morini 3 1/2 Sport, the lack of power wasn't a problem; it was a part of the genius. You could drive at 100% most of the time and never break the speed limit. Perfect!
Hi, gianni agnelli the chairman of Fiat. He also owned many special cars. Will a make video about his cars and how impacted Italian auto industry or auto racing.
Thank you for your suggestion. The man's legacy is a complex one, and I'm not sure I want to go down that route with the channel. Regarding the cool cars Agnelli owned, it could be an idea. Footage and pics are rare though!
Excellent video - and car. Feels like it only came out recently. Perhaps you could do a video on Fiat 124 spider? I was hoping it would be a new Barchetta but it didn’t feel like a true Fiat to me. Thanks again
One day I happened to see Fiat's own Coupe version, it was stored in the design center's warehouse. Looked just as nice as the Maggiora one, and I agree it's a pity it wasn't made. Not making RHD was a mistake yes. The orange is my favorite color, but it seems few orange barchettas are left now
The coupe in the video was lovely. Shades of Triumph GT6 or MG BGT (both very positive references in my eyes). We have 2 convertibles in the family now, but I do believe that the advantage of topless cars is overrated. Here on the UK, one rarely sees a roadster with the roof open. I do love a roadster, but that little coupe is divine.
I was attracted by LHD for doing a few touring hols in Europe - and found it certainly up to the job. The plan was to keep it for just two or three years (France, Spain and of course Italy). That was in 2010... and it's still a keeper!
I bought a barchetta without knowing what they are as a winter beater, planning to basically just run it into the ground, I now have good looking wheels, ordered some semi slicks for it and it's getting a paint job now. Way to fun to drive, didn't expect that from a car based on a hatchback, really only expected a pinto with the roof cut off
Always loved the looks. Oddly, looking at that 166MM-inspired flowing 'water line' down the side, I started pondering if this in turn inspired a similar line along the Audi A5...
A very pretty car. I knew someone who owned one - although in the UK the lack of RHD models made them a little impractical. FIAT was really on a roll during the 90s - probably their most productive era since the late 60s. That coupe version looks great - like a modern day Triumph GT6. RHD conversions were available - although the dashboard modifications were rather crude.
Fiat Design really flourished in the early 90s, but sadly it would prove to be a flash in the pan, and by the end of the decade the whole group was already in trouble
You must be reading my mind...me and a friend are looking at buying one for a summer project.. Just before you released your Brera video I bought an S...! The Barchetta is a great looking car , and has aged well, would have been a genuine contender in the UK if it had have been available in RHD.
Beautiful car, i like its look much more than MX5 which is also nice looking car, but Barchetta just looks better. 👍 That orange is the best colour for Barchetta. Btw, love the look of those original steel-wheels, much more interesting looking wheels than those alloys in that later model. 😎
Very very pretty car ....reminds me a little of the Disco Volante/8C based recreation. I particularly like the rear end with the 6 lights Never knew they were built in such small numbers .. but were always a rare sight in the UK. Excellent video as always 👌 👍
Maybe it’s just that I’ve never seen one in person, only admired them from afar as an American could… but I actually appreciated the Tjaarda facelift. The deeper front bumper, to my eye, from photos and videos, made the Barchetta look lower at the front, giving it an improved stance to my eye. But I see why people prefer the original look, too.
I’m certain that if they’d offered a right hand drive in the UK I’d of sold loads but alas it never happened. I know some made a conversation kit but who’s want to buy a new car only to chop it up . Correct me if I’m wrong but I’m pretty certain I’ve spotted the slim line pop out door handles appear of the newly launched Alfa inspired Totem GT electric . Just goes to show there’s design elements that are timeless
Yes, the Barchetta handles have been used on quite a few “specials” over the years, including the Totem you’ve mentioned. It’s beyond me why Fiat didn’t bother making a RHD Barchetta… That is the kind of decision making that brought the company near bankruptcy at the turn of the millennium…
A nice little car that echos the Lotus Elan of the 60s. Being FWD and LHD only I'm not surprised you never saw them in the UK. I like the restyle model best and I tend to agree with other replies about the X-19 and The Fiat Coupe. Mazda made some great looking cars though and the MX5 was a true replacement for the best of British from 25 years before.
Full of interesting detail, as usual. I thought I knew this model well. I tok one for an extended road test back around the Millenium... It just looked so gorgeous and I was hoping for a modern take on the 850 Spider. I still think it is utterly lovely to look at.... despite some slightly "try-hard" features and details. I still smile when I see one. Sadly... It was simply not an engaging car to drive. It was like a Punto or a Brava but with added scuttle rattle. Back then (UK) a newish used one was around £10,000 at a dealer and it was just too much for just too ordinary a driving experience. LHD was not a problem.... Good video about a car I wish I could have loved. But I could not.
I am not sure why you did not find that car engaging to drive. The one I owned was brilliant to drive and all petrol heads I allowed to drive in it thought so as well. My Barchetta did not rattle either though I know they can have that problem.
Very interesting and quite lovely design. I never understood why Italian car companies have multiple companies working on one car. I would presume it would drive up the cost. I also believe that if a company can not start a "trend" all of the other that follow are sometimes not successful. Great episode and always learn something new.
The way the Barchetta was produced does seem weirdly inefficient at first glance, I agree. I don’t know why things were done that way though. Thank you for your appreciation, by the way! 👍
That's an excellent question. Fiat chose not to bother developing an RHD Barchetta because they believed too few such cars would have been sold. However, NOT making an RHD Barchetta ensured the model didn't sell well in the UK to begin with. Typical dysfunctional period Fiat management
I was never taken with the Barchetta - compounded by the fact, as you say, there was no right-hand version for the UK. But in 1996 I opted for the Fiat Coupé. That was an attention grabbing car at the time and remained quite rare to see on the roads, though I thought it was a little bit under powered.
The Barchetta was a wonderful car, an instant classic, it would have been devoured on the UK market in right hand drive. I have always wanted to ask a design insider.................How was it you think that the Fiat Group got into such financial difficulties in the 2000s after producing such a fantastic range of design-led vehicles in the 90s under Paolo Canterlla? They went into that decade with bland 80s hangovers like the Tipo and Tempra (which I sort of like), but the effort put into the 90s era was clear. For example the individual openings on an ordinary Brava, for the seperate lighting units within a compound curve, the panel pressing process must have cost a fortune, yet Fiat thought it was worth it for style. Or was it this cost that brought them down?
I’ve read quite a lot of material about Fiat in those days, and it seems that a combination of factors brought them down. Stronger competition, puzzling product decisions, and investments stretched too thin among too many marques and nameplates that struggled to sell in large enough quantities. Some great cars were made, but also plenty of duds… And by the turn of the millennium the cash had run out
I think the VW Golf had a hand in bringing both Italian and British cars to their knees. Italians never bought foreign cars before the Golf came along, but once young Italians started buying German cars then lifetime buying patterns changed forever, and Fiat found itself on the back foot. The British produced the Maestro.....oh dear me.
Always loved this,but in the UK left hand drive really hurted sales.Purists moaned about fwd but I wouldnt have been fussed.Ironically todays Spider based on the MX5 had right hand drive and rear wheel drive and still didnt get lucky....So sad thanks to those damn SUV's......
Interesting video once again. Unfortunately, this model was only available in LHD, in the UK. Obviously , due to the low production levels. I think the restyle of the later cars OK , but obviously the earlier car is more distinctive, so begs the question, “was it necessary?”. If they would have produced RHD for the UK , I think they would have prospered more here with much higher sales.
Always loved the Barchetta, a better drive than the 916 Spider Twin Spark in my opinion. I love the original model with the steel wheels, orange or yellow please
@@Matteo_Licata rare everywhere. I imported about 12 to the UK in the late 1990s from a Dutch dealer. Back then the silver with red leather and 15" alloy wheels was the spec that sold so I used my head over my heart
Potential overlap with the Alfa GTV Spider aside, was a 2-litre version of the Barchetta ever considered? Would not have minded a RHD Barchetta Coupe either by Maggiora or Fiat, even though the Barchetta was always going to be at a dynamic disadvantage against the sportscar opposition with its Punto platform. With that said for the benefit of both cars, what could have been done by Fiat to significantly improve the Punto (and by extension the Barchetta's) dynamics against its rivals during the 1990s like the 106 Rally and GTi or Clio Williams, if not have been at least as good dynamically as the bigger Bravo/Brava was said to have back in the day?
As far as I know, other engines for the Barchetta were never seriously considered. Coupé and RHD were indeed lost opportunities, typical examples of the poor decision making that would doom Fiat in a few years. Regarding the Punto’s handling, I can’t really answer, as I’m no chassis enginer.
A really nice car :), However considering that it was front wheel drive, I prefer the Fiat Coupe over the Barchetta. You have to do a crazy design to compensate the wrong wheel drive and I think the Coupe was better in that.
It is a good looking car even though front wheel drive doesn’t allow too much freedom with proportions compared to rear wheel drive cars, especially for roadsters.
A few tiny little coins in the basket from my side: - You should NEVER force a lot of handwork in shape correction / control onto a car design. It is economic suicide. As history seems to have proven since then. - That luggage rack actually hides the biggest weakness in the Barchetta's shape. The rear should have been a little more expressive / curvaceous. - I personally like the styling of the Coupe Fiat more, which was based on the same platform. No weak spots there as far as I am concerned. VROOM!
Smoothing out welds and joins was indeed something that fell out of favor during the 70s, as it was inefficient and expensive. But it shows just how much effory Fiat put into the Barchetta’s design.
From a design point of view, the Barchetta is more balanced than the Coupé. I find it very apt, very pleasant, timeless. A little gem to enjoy pleasant relaxing outings. For once, the update is nice too
Being LHD, one has to take extra care to be looking in the mirrors; that's when one really appreciates the view... I can't think of a more expressive / curvaceous rear!
One of the few Italian designs a find disappointing! Like a used bar of soap it lacks contour and surprise and does not by far reach the level of 124 Spider or Alfa "Osso di Seppia" excitement. The integrated wavy side trim line borrowed from the 60 year old Ferrari 166 styling looks awkward on a modern design and should have been embossed just like the designer originally intended for any good effect.
...bald ist unsere "bella nera" 30 Jahre jung ❤ mit jedem neuen Jahr lieben wir sie mehr!
The absolute favorite car I have ever owned. The view out of the curved & steep window on the fender was just priceless. It felt like driving a Ferrari from the 60s (especially with the hardtop). The key difference was the low maintenance costs. I think the insurance cost €25 a month. It consumed only 9 l/100 km - no matter how hard you drove it. And driving it was so much fun because of its light weight of only one ton. A set of disks and brake pads were 80€.
Unfortunately, I wrecked it. It took me more than 4 years to get over the loss. I wonder how owning a Fiat coupe would compare to that experience....
Thank you for sharing your love for the Barchetta! I'm sorry that your one no longer exists though. I can't say how a Coupè would compare though... Planning to get one?
I bought my car in November of 1995, it had driven less than 3000km by the dealer. And to this very day, it's still my only car I have: I drive it summer and winter (with hardtop). And I still look behind me after parking!
Over these past 27 years (I'm twice the age of my car so I have had it exactly half of my life!) it has cost me a small fortune to keep it on the road (eg. 3rd engine) but I still love the car very much!
Looking back at your car after you park it is what separates great design from the average… Three engines though? How many km did each last, I wonder 😳
@@Matteo_Licata the first engine lasted about 250.000 km before the oil pump broke. The second one maybe 100.000 km? (The speedo didn't always work and was also replaced a few times) It ended it's life last year after not checking the oil and after a rattle, a bearing came loose. Lesson learned!
I now realize that the oil indicator light didn't work 😬 unlike the airbag light which is lit for at least 15 years 😉
The door handles are a piece of art! Thanks a lot for this interesting video, ciao 🙋♂️
Yes they are! Thank you!!!
I bought mine from new in 1998 in Germany and brought it to the UK. Everyone loved it and I thought it was a great car. I miss it to this day.
I did exactly the same in 98 - except I bought it in Umbria, Italy and drove it back to London. It was so unique in the UK at the time. I bought one with a hard roof.
Bought a green one in 1999. Got destroyed by a drunk when parked in 2011. So sad that I immediately bought another one, but the green edition limited, with hard top and all. I have it to this day. Gorgeous as ever. One of the cheapest and yet the most loved of my little collection. I do not plan to sell it.
Cool. Excellent spec too! 👍
The Fiat Barchetta is a truly pretty little thing. I just love it’s looks.
A beautiful car that I never saw. Living in the states, FIATs were few and far between. Thank you for sharing 5:42
Indeed. Fiat left the USA in 1982, only to return thirty years later without much success. So none of the company's 90s models were ever exported to the USA, but if you'd really like a Barchetta, the earliest models are over 25 years old now, so you can import one :)
The Barchetta to me is a beautiful little gem in the automotive world
Because in large part of your videos I have barchetta 1996 a fiat coupe 16v turbo fiat coupe with the same engine as the barchetta and finally a Alfa romeo 166 3.0 v6 Busso Manuel thanks for the inspiration. Hard to pick put the coupe with the turbo is the most alive car I've ever had the pleasure of the engine is a master piece as you can tell by my cars I love deeply high reving Italian engines but taking the three cars leave the slow coupe and alternate the 3 card gives such joy I cannot describe with words having removed also not the sound isolation this trip makes driving thru the dolomites down to Lago de Garda is such a pleasure. Next time we tale a trip up from Greece fairy to Italy and driven Milan and towards Slovenia next time we take a trip you might be tempted to come drive my trio of cars. It would be my pleasure to share these with you:) I've been with you all the way from the start of you remember i was the one that suggested tondo a video pm the Busso. Thanks for the epic work bit fox the t-shirts I bought three and all three have lost the print you need to change producer of this as they are cool but only for a few washes..
Thank you very much for your support and your kind words. I’m glad my work inspired you so much and that you’ve built such a cool collection! Regarding the tees, I’ve indeed changed supplier, but I still don’t know whether the prints lasts longer or not. I now use Spreadshop rather than Teespring.
Of course it would be great to meet you, as I’ve already done with other long-time subscribers!
Great video! And a special car to me… I bought a brand new 1997 Barchetta Series 1 in lovely broom yellow. It was a special order from a UK Fiat dealer (not all Fiat dealers were able to supply the car at that time). Absolutely loved it. During the four years we had it, we travelled all over Europe on our vacations. That included several trips back to Italy. Despite its humble underpinnings it was great fun to drive… really great memories.Thanks for featuring this lovely Italian gem… 👍
That’s great to hear! 👍
Thank you!!!!
Bravo
I remember thinking "if I had to take a spider I finally would choose a Barchetta"
... After a few years I finally bought my first spider and betrayed the Barchetta for a vintage Alfa Spider
Door handles and rear light arrangements can only be the cute Barchetta..fab colour too! 🧡
I totally agree! The handles especially: not the most practical, but certainly the most stylish. Fiat really went the extra mile to make the Barchetta look the part... The orange launch color is my favorite, but it seems to be quite rare now.
I bought mine in Germany in 2002. Sadly, during the two years I owned it, the weather was horrible and I very seldom drove the delightful car, opting for my Lancia Lybra for business travel. I drove the Barchetta from Cologne to visit my sister south of Rome once. A looong drive in the Barchetta though driving with the top open there was delightful.
Cool! The Lybra was a good car too: well-finished and a nice drive, but saddled with an unappealing exterior appearance (to most people, at least).
What we can define "a understated perfect car", ..unluckily what people don't want from an Italian product
Barchetta is such a lovely car! ❤️
Very nice design , Barhetta is perhaps the best design that Fiat ever made. 👍
I think that's a bit over the top. Just think of the Fiat 2300 or the Dino... Or even the 850 spider and coupe. And those are just main stream cars. Fiat made so many exotic cars that are so gorgeous...
And I am saying that whilst I owned a Barchetta
I don't know if it's the best... But it's among the best, sure! Love it to bits
The first car I ever owned (in the version Lido), I was so poor I had to wait till I was nearly 23 to be able to put 5000€ together working here and there and get one but it was worth the wait, it put big smiles on my face every time I drove it, rolling the roof down and cruising on the hills that separated my workplace from home in the sunny afternoons of september is a sweet memory that'll always be with me...
Pros are it's low maintenance cost, low insurance easy to fix mechanically but if you crash it you might as well throw It away since the body is kinda welded to the chassis and repairing may easily cost way more than what you initially payed it (which is what happened to my one).
A couple of years after I crashed my one and used it's running engine to equipe a FIAT Coupé I paid nothing for, my mother whom always loved it bought a beautiful 2003 Barchetta "Naxos" making it the second Roadster in my family and the second Barchetta I extensivly used.
Me and my GF are currently fantasizing about buying one for our day-off "escapes"...
That’s some great memories you’ve shared with me, thank you very much! I’ve owned and loved roadsters throughout my youth (that’s why the channel is called roadster life) so I can fully relate with your feelings.
I have one in that launch Arancio. 100% original, i had it certified by Centro Storico Fiat! I also have a 1998 Mx-5. Theres nothing better than roadsters
Cool! The original Barchetta in orange is my favorite. I love roadsters myself, and that’s where the name of this channel originates
Had one. Loved it. Handbrake cable and door handles froze in winter though! Great fun and beautiful
My love for the barchetta brought me here. Your superb videos, superb selection of topics and superb voice and style of storytelling keep me here. Thanks!
So nice of you, welcome aboard!!!!
Bought a new one in 1996 in the UK. Left Hand Drive no problem at all, the car was very small. Red and with the black leather interior and absolutely loved it. Got hold of the hard top too...what a devil of a job fixing the fuse etc in the car for the heated screen though. 🙂 However, well worth it. A wonderful car and I wish I still had it.
I changed it for a new Alfa 156 Twin Spark, also another great car. Today? Pootling around on sunny days in a 1970 FIAT 500, also LHD, and having just as much fun, albeit in a very different way.
The 'little boat' Barchetta, a true Classic.
A nice car, but that orange/lemon paint job is beautiful.
Another lovely and insightful video, Matteo. Loved it. Have to confess I've just learned about the second generation Barchetta! Didn't even know about it's existence. Keep it up, my friend!
Thank you Juanma, great to hear from you!
That's a really nice design. I'm surprised I've never heard of this car before, but then again, I've never been to Europe.
You should :)
Yes, the Barchetta is a lovely car that deserved a wider success
Another joy to watch - would have loved a rhd version. I also hadn’t realised that the engine was as powerful- I had always thought it had a low power punto unit. Thanks again
Thank you for watching, glad you enjoyed it!
Interesting fact is that the Lancia Fulvia 2003 prototipo was based om this Barchetta platform.
Yes indeed. Man, what a wasted opportunity was that Fulvia!
I owned a 2004 Barchetta that I bought in 2010 when I was working near Treviso. It was a nice car and I have very fond memories of it, though I always had the feeling it was clocked (Which obviously was not the car's fault). At the end of 2012 I traded it in for a Demo Alfa Mito 1.6 Diesel. That was a too good of a deal and it suited my situation better but it did hurt none the less that I had to part from the Barchetta.
The old habit of clocking used cars is still alive and well, sadly. A friend of mine sold his Alfa 159 to a dealer when the car had around 200.000 Km. Now he's discovered the same car is still around, with a recent MOT made at 135.000 Km...
@@Matteo_Licata This is a common thing especially with well built cars like Alfa 159. And in Europe, especially here in Czech Republic it is something like a national sport. Even new car owners are adjusting odometers before its first technical inspection (4 years here). Same goes for leasing fleet cars. My absolute record is inspecting 159 2.4 JTDm which was clocked back from 660 000 Km to just 88 000. Must admit, that she did not feel at its last legs, but was very worn indeed. As we say when selling car... price is fixed, milage is negotiable.
This car look great but I think the X1/9 was the best sports car Fiat ever made. Beautifully balanced, a crisp 5 speed gear box and the seductive Bretone styling add up to a brilliant car!
The X1/9 is great, yes. I hope to film one soon!
I disagree, the Dino is the best sports car Fiat ever made ;)
I confess I never drove an X1/9, but it was a dream car.of my later childhood.
However, for me the greatest Fiat sports car is the 850 Coupé or the 850 Spider. It is a competitive category....
Original 124 Spider, Dino Coupé and Spider, Barchetta, Coupé of the 1990s, 850s.... and more. All lovely. But for me the winner is the 850.
As with the Moto Morini 3 1/2 Sport, the lack of power wasn't a problem; it was a part of the genius. You could drive at 100% most of the time and never break the speed limit. Perfect!
Hi, gianni agnelli the chairman of Fiat. He also owned many special cars. Will a make video about his cars and how impacted Italian auto industry or auto racing.
Thank you for your suggestion. The man's legacy is a complex one, and I'm not sure I want to go down that route with the channel. Regarding the cool cars Agnelli owned, it could be an idea. Footage and pics are rare though!
Excellent video - and car. Feels like it only came out recently. Perhaps you could do a video on Fiat 124 spider? I was hoping it would be a new Barchetta but it didn’t feel like a true Fiat to me. Thanks again
Thank you! Regarding the 124 Spider video, here you are:
th-cam.com/video/uGVgZfoZNps/w-d-xo.html
They should have made that coupe and perhaps tried harder to make right hand drive work. It looks fantastic in orange!
One day I happened to see Fiat's own Coupe version, it was stored in the design center's warehouse. Looked just as nice as the Maggiora one, and I agree it's a pity it wasn't made. Not making RHD was a mistake yes.
The orange is my favorite color, but it seems few orange barchettas are left now
The coupe in the video was lovely. Shades of Triumph GT6 or MG BGT (both very positive references in my eyes). We have 2 convertibles in the family now, but I do believe that the advantage of topless cars is overrated. Here on the UK, one rarely sees a roadster with the roof open. I do love a roadster, but that little coupe is divine.
I was attracted by LHD for doing a few touring hols in Europe - and found it certainly up to the job. The plan was to keep it for just two or three years (France, Spain and of course Italy).
That was in 2010... and it's still a keeper!
Cool! Great that you’ve managed to hold on to it, as good ones are only going to be rarer and more expensive as time passes
I bought a barchetta without knowing what they are as a winter beater, planning to basically just run it into the ground, I now have good looking wheels, ordered some semi slicks for it and it's getting a paint job now.
Way to fun to drive, didn't expect that from a car based on a hatchback, really only expected a pinto with the roof cut off
Glad you've started to cherish your Barchetta, these are rarer cars than one would think!
@@Matteo_Licata true, tho parts are getting rarer.
Lets just say I haven't seen one with a working clock in the wild ;)
Always loved the looks. Oddly, looking at that 166MM-inspired flowing 'water line' down the side, I started pondering if this in turn inspired a similar line along the Audi A5...
I always loved these. Seeing them in Tuscany in the late 90's I always thought they had so much panache.
They do :)
I am a die-hard MX5 fan, but I have to admit the Barchetta is prettier!
A very pretty car. I knew someone who owned one - although in the UK the lack of RHD models made them a little impractical. FIAT was really on a roll during the 90s - probably their most productive era since the late 60s. That coupe version looks great - like a modern day Triumph GT6. RHD conversions were available - although the dashboard modifications were rather crude.
Fiat Design really flourished in the early 90s, but sadly it would prove to be a flash in the pan, and by the end of the decade the whole group was already in trouble
You must be reading my mind...me and a friend are looking at buying one for a summer project..
Just before you released your Brera video I bought an S...!
The Barchetta is a great looking car , and has aged well, would have been a genuine contender in the UK if it had have been available in RHD.
My elderly auntie had a yellow Barchetta in the UK. I never asked...I just thought "Good on yer auntie" 😁
😃😄
Beautiful car, i like its look much more than MX5 which is also nice looking car, but Barchetta just looks better. 👍
That orange is the best colour for Barchetta.
Btw, love the look of those original steel-wheels, much more interesting looking wheels than those alloys in that later model. 😎
I’m a die-hard MX5 fan, but I’ll be the first to admit the Barchetta is prettier :)
Also agree on the steelies!
These were lovely
Very very pretty car ....reminds me a little of the Disco Volante/8C based recreation.
I particularly like the rear end with the 6 lights
Never knew they were built in such small numbers .. but were always a rare sight in the UK.
Excellent video as always 👌 👍
Maybe it’s just that I’ve never seen one in person, only admired them from afar as an American could… but I actually appreciated the Tjaarda facelift. The deeper front bumper, to my eye, from photos and videos, made the Barchetta look lower at the front, giving it an improved stance to my eye.
But I see why people prefer the original look, too.
I’m certain that if they’d offered a right hand drive in the UK I’d of sold loads but alas it never happened. I know some made a conversation kit but who’s want to buy a new car only to chop it up .
Correct me if I’m wrong but I’m pretty certain I’ve spotted the slim line pop out door handles appear of the newly launched Alfa inspired Totem GT electric . Just goes to show there’s design elements that are timeless
Yes, the Barchetta handles have been used on quite a few “specials” over the years, including the Totem you’ve mentioned.
It’s beyond me why Fiat didn’t bother making a RHD Barchetta… That is the kind of decision making that brought the company near bankruptcy at the turn of the millennium…
How many inconceivable strategic decisions has FIAT marketing made since the late 90s, dear Matteo? It is hard to understand
PS: TOTEM: 😋😋
A nice little car that echos the Lotus Elan of the 60s. Being FWD and LHD only I'm not surprised you never saw them in the UK. I like the restyle model best and I tend to agree with other replies about the X-19 and The Fiat Coupe. Mazda made some great looking cars though and the MX5 was a true replacement for the best of British from 25 years before.
They were sold by Fiat in the UK regardless of being LHD. My auntie bought one. They were fairly rare though against the all conquering MX5/Miata.
I’ve always liked the looks of the Barchetta
Full of interesting detail, as usual. I thought I knew this model well. I tok one for an extended road test back around the Millenium... It just looked so gorgeous and I was hoping for a modern take on the 850 Spider.
I still think it is utterly lovely to look at.... despite some slightly "try-hard" features and details.
I still smile when I see one.
Sadly... It was simply not an engaging car to drive. It was like a Punto or a Brava but with added scuttle rattle.
Back then (UK) a newish used one was around £10,000 at a dealer and it was just too much for just too ordinary a driving experience. LHD was not a problem....
Good video about a car I wish I could have loved. But I could not.
I am not sure why you did not find that car engaging to drive. The one I owned was brilliant to drive and all petrol heads I allowed to drive in it thought so as well. My Barchetta did not rattle either though I know they can have that problem.
Always learn alot from this channel, i felt this car was similar to the fiat 850.
Thank you!!!
Very interesting and quite lovely design. I never understood why Italian car companies have multiple companies working on one car. I would presume it would drive up the cost. I also believe that if a company can not start a "trend" all of the other that follow are sometimes not successful. Great episode and always learn something new.
The way the Barchetta was produced does seem weirdly inefficient at first glance, I agree. I don’t know why things were done that way though. Thank you for your appreciation, by the way! 👍
I have some driving POV videos with my Barchetta if you want to check it out. i rev the engine nicely so you can hear the sound of it
Sadly that Coupé hadn' t found the way to the dealers.
Why was the Barchetta only built in left-hand-drive despite being sold in right-hand-drive countries?
That's an excellent question. Fiat chose not to bother developing an RHD Barchetta because they believed too few such cars would have been sold. However, NOT making an RHD Barchetta ensured the model didn't sell well in the UK to begin with. Typical dysfunctional period Fiat management
I was never taken with the Barchetta - compounded by the fact, as you say, there was no right-hand version for the UK. But in 1996 I opted for the Fiat Coupé. That was an attention grabbing car at the time and remained quite rare to see on the roads, though I thought it was a little bit under powered.
The Barchetta was a wonderful car, an instant classic, it would have been devoured on the UK market in right hand drive.
I have always wanted to ask a design insider.................How was it you think that the Fiat Group got into such financial difficulties in the 2000s after producing such a fantastic range of design-led vehicles in the 90s under Paolo Canterlla? They went into that decade with bland 80s hangovers like the Tipo and Tempra (which I sort of like), but the effort put into the 90s era was clear. For example the individual openings on an ordinary Brava, for the seperate lighting units within a compound curve, the panel pressing process must have cost a fortune, yet Fiat thought it was worth it for style. Or was it this cost that brought them down?
I’ve read quite a lot of material about Fiat in those days, and it seems that a combination of factors brought them down. Stronger competition, puzzling product decisions, and investments stretched too thin among too many marques and nameplates that struggled to sell in large enough quantities. Some great cars were made, but also plenty of duds… And by the turn of the millennium the cash had run out
I think the VW Golf had a hand in bringing both Italian and British cars to their knees. Italians never bought foreign cars before the Golf came along, but once young Italians started buying German cars then lifetime buying patterns changed forever, and Fiat found itself on the back foot. The British produced the Maestro.....oh dear me.
@@timhancock6626 Maybe you're right.
Before Golf Italians preferred the French cars talking about imported cars
Always loved this,but in the UK left hand drive really hurted sales.Purists moaned about fwd but I wouldnt have been fussed.Ironically todays Spider based on the MX5 had right hand drive and rear wheel drive and still didnt get lucky....So sad thanks to those damn SUV's......
Interesting video once again. Unfortunately, this model was only available in LHD, in the UK. Obviously , due to the low production levels. I think the restyle of the later cars OK , but obviously the earlier car is more distinctive, so begs the question, “was it necessary?”. If they would have produced RHD for the UK , I think they would have prospered more here with much higher sales.
Indeed. And RHD was technically possible, with no serious hurdles. Fiat simply didn't bother to spend the money necessary.
Would you ever consider making a "comparison" video between the Barchetta and the other gem of the 90s from Italy, the 916 Spider?
It’s a brilliant idea, and I’ll see if I can organize such a shoot ;)
Sadly I didn't fit in it, it was a nice car!
Always loved the Barchetta, a better drive than the 916 Spider Twin Spark in my opinion. I love the original model with the steel wheels, orange or yellow please
Love the orange! Not the easiest color to find though, at least here in Italy
@@Matteo_Licata rare everywhere. I imported about 12 to the UK in the late 1990s from a Dutch dealer. Back then the silver with red leather and 15" alloy wheels was the spec that sold so I used my head over my heart
Potential overlap with the Alfa GTV Spider aside, was a 2-litre version of the Barchetta ever considered? Would not have minded a RHD Barchetta Coupe either by Maggiora or Fiat, even though the Barchetta was always going to be at a dynamic disadvantage against the sportscar opposition with its Punto platform.
With that said for the benefit of both cars, what could have been done by Fiat to significantly improve the Punto (and by extension the Barchetta's) dynamics against its rivals during the 1990s like the 106 Rally and GTi or Clio Williams, if not have been at least as good dynamically as the bigger Bravo/Brava was said to have back in the day?
As far as I know, other engines for the Barchetta were never seriously considered. Coupé and RHD were indeed lost opportunities, typical examples of the poor decision making that would doom Fiat in a few years. Regarding the Punto’s handling, I can’t really answer, as I’m no chassis enginer.
A really nice car :), However considering that it was front wheel drive, I prefer the Fiat Coupe over the Barchetta. You have to do a crazy design to compensate the wrong wheel drive and I think the Coupe was better in that.
It is a good looking car even though front wheel drive doesn’t allow too much freedom with proportions compared to rear wheel drive cars, especially for roadsters.
I'd say that Fiat solved the issue of the proportions really well: the Barchetta looks like a classic roadster, despite the FWD underpinnings
A few tiny little coins in the basket from my side:
- You should NEVER force a lot of handwork in shape correction / control onto a car design. It is economic suicide. As history seems to have proven since then.
- That luggage rack actually hides the biggest weakness in the Barchetta's shape. The rear should have been a little more expressive / curvaceous.
- I personally like the styling of the Coupe Fiat more, which was based on the same platform. No weak spots there as far as I am concerned. VROOM!
Smoothing out welds and joins was indeed something that fell out of favor during the 70s, as it was inefficient and expensive. But it shows just how much effory Fiat put into the Barchetta’s design.
From a design point of view, the Barchetta is more balanced than the Coupé. I find it very apt, very pleasant, timeless.
A little gem to enjoy pleasant relaxing outings.
For once, the update is nice too
Being LHD, one has to take extra care to be looking in the mirrors; that's when one really appreciates the view... I can't think of a more expressive / curvaceous rear!
@@davidfolds7125 interesting comment
Coupé Fiat was build on Tipo platform, not Punto.
if I type in roadser barchettas everywhere in austria for ~4k€
Good for you then, here in Italy they cost double that
Still the fiat coupé and bravo are the prettiest to me
But it's not the most seductive Fiat ever made!! This title belongs to Fiat coupe!!
That’s a matter of individual taste, but I do like the Coupé too, a lot! 👍
One of the few Italian designs a find disappointing! Like a used bar of soap it lacks contour and surprise and does not by far reach the level of 124 Spider or Alfa "Osso di Seppia" excitement. The integrated wavy side trim line borrowed from the 60 year old Ferrari 166 styling looks awkward on a modern design and should have been embossed just like the designer originally intended for any good effect.