Our round-up of coupés begins with this, the Fiat Coupé of 1993-2000.
It was first offered in 2.0-litre 16-valve and turbocharged forms, but these were replaced a couple of years later by 20-valve five-cylinder versions. Today, it’s the 20v Turbo that hogs the classifieds, with prices starting from around £2000 (or £1000 for non-runners) and rising to £25,000 for the best ones.
We can think of tougher cars but the Fiat has its charms, not least those looks and that engine, which, in 20-valve turbo form, made 217bhp for 0-62mph in 6.3sec. It’s a strong unit but we’d change the cambelt and water pump every 50,000 miles.
When checking one over, make sure the rear coolant hose is secure. (It can let go without warning but the clamshell bonnet traps the steam so you only realise when it’s too late.) The Coupé is a nose-heavy thing that puts some strain on the front suspension, so make sure all is well there. Regarding the body, 16-valve models rust badly. Later cars are better but, even so, check the floorpan, especially.
The Coupé is a modern classic but we’d be reluctant to lavish too much cash on one. It’s why we were drawn, first, to a cherished 1998-reg 20v Turbo with 77,000 miles and a good service history, including a recent cambelt change, up for £3990 and then, following that, to a one-owner example with 89,000 miles and full service history for £2500. The catch? It was written off in 2010 with wing damage. Many potential bargains have been ignored for being a Category D but, since this one has a brand-new MOT with no advisories, it might just be worth a go.
Audi TT 2.0 TFSI Coupé, £4945: A Mk2 TT is less charismatic than a Fiat Coupé. But thanks to its rustresistant body, tough mechanicals and stronger resale appeal, it’s a car for risk-averse buyers. We liked thelook of this 2007-reg 2.0 TFSI coupé with 79,000 miles for £4945.
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Porsche reliability!?!
Least reliable car on our fleet was a Cayenne... go figure
Yum for the Fiat
The rest - meh.
As for the MG, always wanted a B, maybe one day...
And the 7 seater comparison? Anything other than the Range Rover. Wonderful in thier day, but I can't remember which day that was - Tuesday, or maybe Wednesday...the rest of the time it will be broken, and so will your bank account. Mind, the Porsche will also trash your bank account, and that's before it breaks down...
That MGB is not so cheap now...