So what's so special about it? Just another Coupe right? Well no, not really. Lets look at 280 bhp at 5360rpm with 285Ibsft torque at just 3250rpm. The standard car has 220bhp at 5750rpm and 228Ibsft torque at 2500rpm. Increases of 60bhp and 57Ibsft. How? Here's the shopping list: Unichip, auxiliary charge cooler, uprated intercooler, electronic bleed valve and a Supersprint exhaust. The power is delivered to the road with the aid of a Racelogic traction control system. This system constantly adjusts the power of the engine, searching for optimum grip through the wheels. With five settings and launch control it caters for varying driving styles. Braking improvements are provided by Tar-Ox 40 grooved ventilated discs and Tar-Ox 'green' pads giving the brake pedal a more confident bite. Internally there are few noticeable differences from a normal Fiat 20v Coupe.

The pull away off-boost is the same as the standard car and the low speed is the very noticeable Supersprint exhaust. It is a bit too intrusive and tends to "boom". Once I'd warmed the engine through it was time to touch the loud pedal. Immediate acceleration, no lag, just instant power. The traction control made the wheels stick to the dirty winter road. It has dragster speed in a straight line with taut and balanced handling through the corners. Owner Paul Francis claims to have out-dragged a Subaru Impreza STI recently - after driving his car I can well believe it.

I SPENT THE CHRISTMAS WEEK IN BAVARIA in an attempt to hide from Italian cars and eat as much snow as possible. Only one problem with that - no snow. There were, however, an impressive number of Italian cars on the German/Austrian border. Oldest was a black Fiat 124 Spider and the newest models were Alfa Romeo 156/166s and a couple of Lancia Lybras. I'll admit to being quite impressed with the Lybra. It's a Rover 75 clone with a Hyundai rear end but quite nicely proportioned considering it is being based on the Fiat Marea.

Only saw two Fiat Coupes, though, which leads me to believe that the Germans don't like them. I strummed through a few of the many German tuning magazines to find several featured. All had really nasty body kits, side vents, bonnet vents and other add-ons which, in all fairness, just destroyed the look of the of the car. I have only seen one acceptable kit for the Coupe so far. This was on an L&M modified car we featured back in issue 40 (December 1999). Although not to everyone's taste, it did make the car look special without going over the top.

This Portofino Blue 20v Turbo, also supplied by L&M (01494 538899), is fitted with the Fiat supplied body additions consisting of side skirts, front bumper, rear spoiler, lowering springs, strut brace, alloy gearknob and handbrake grip, and nasty grille. I say nasty grille because that is exactly what it is. It looks like the result of driving through a rabbit hutch and having some of the debris stick. The standard grille is much nicer and, in fact, a later Turbo Plus honeycombe grille will only cost you around £40. The body kit makes the sides of the car look fat and the rear spoiler is probably more useful as a large boot handle.

I do wonder why Fiat Coupes have not yet appeared in the Le Mans-Auto Italia Championship if Ron Davidson can compete in a modern Alfa GTV6 3.0 which is heavier than the 1310kg Fiat Coupe.

I was extremely impressed with the Coupe's power - all of it useable without screaming around at the red line. It was also completely normal and civilised off-boost. You could drive it around the town all day long with your Granny, the shopping and her dog, no hairs ruffled. Dump granny, and the dog and head out of town and let rip. Low down power pushes you back in the seat, the torque curve mid-range is immense through third gear, and fourth at 130mph with so much more left. The standard car will do 150mph, just what is this car capable of? Too easy to lose our license on the road but a giant killer on track day.

The Fiat Coupe is a good basis for a modified car because it is easier to make a fast car go faster than a slow one go fast. The model is becoming more accessible too, the 20v and especially the 16v are becoming quite cheap to buy. I recently noticed a 20v Turbo in Exchange & Mart for just £8500. 16vs are now as low as £6000. Coupes are generally quite reliable but the front wishbones on both versions soon need attention. Cambelts have been known to snap on the 16v so look carefully at a service history or if in doubt get the belt changed early. When changing the cambelt on the 20v, it is a good idea to have the cambelt tensioner bearing and the water pump replaced as a matter of course, since the official cam belt change involves an expensive engine-out job.