The Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo has followed a similar value ascent to its great 1990s Italian coupe rival, the Alfa GTV. However, this particular example is a bit of a unicorn as it’s believed to be the only UK car built in 2001.
LANCIA FULVIA COUPÉ REVIEW
A very pretty car but also one with superb engineering behind it.
The Lancia Fulvia was arguably the last proper Lancia. It combined an advanced specification with strong performance and a great driving experience. The saloon was a bit hum-drum in the looks department, but the coupé was much more attractive – arguably better than Zagato’s Fulvia Sport. The Fulvia coupé experienced some rally success too with 1960s rally driver legend, Pat Moss at the wheel for some events. The HF is the lightweight vers
VITAL STATISTICS
Lancia Fulvia 1.6 HF Coupé
Engine 1584cc/4-cyl/OHV
Power (bhp@rpm) 115bhp@6200rpm
Torque (lb ft@rpm) 112lb ft@4500rpm
Top speed 109mph
0-60mph 9.9sec
Consumption 23mpg
Gearbox 5-speed manual
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
BODYWORK & CHASSIS
Corrosion is a menace, though thankfully not as much as with later Lancias. The front subframe has arms that come out from near the middle to the front of the sills. These arms can rot, as can the mounting on the sill. If rot is evident here, then it’s likely that the sill itself is suffering. Ignore the outer sill as it’s little more than a cover. Corrosion tends to strike beneath but is only visible (and repairable) if you cut the lower edges of the front and rear wings. Sills can be bought for about £115 each from David Ashworth, but restoration could easily cost £500 or more per corner depending on how bad the rust is. Wheelarches can also suffer, so check for filler-laden bodges or poor paint matches. The edges of the bonnet and boot are also moisture traps. Most HF models have some alloy panels, so look out for electrolytic corrosion where the aluminium and steel meet. The rear panel and rear valance are also worth inspection, as they can trap moisture and dirt thrown up from the road. Use a magnet to check for filler.
ENGINE
The V4 engine is an absolute delight, with a one-piece cylinder head for the two narrow angled banks. It is very tough, though 1600 units are highly prized by historic racers and can be worth £5000 on their own.
You need to see good oil pressure once up to about 40-50mph, but gauges may not be accurate. With the gearbox, watch out for failing synchromesh on second gear, causing crunches if you change quickly.
RUNNING GEAR
Lack of use can cause brake discs to corrode and calipers to seize – rebuild kits are available though. There is nothing to worry about with the steering and suspension other than general wear. Going slightly against the advanced specification, the rear suspension makes do with leaf springs, so check the springs and hangers for condition. The front suspension uses a transverse leaf spring.
INTERIOR
Much interior furnishing is now getting very hard to find, though seat material and carpets can be replaced by a good trimmer. Make sure the headlamp switch/indicator stalk works. These get overloaded so getting the headlamps relayed will protect circuits, especially if you intend converting to Halogen headlamps.
Rear lights can suffer internal corrosion, which causes earthing issues, and the lens plastic can degrade. Check for this.
OUR VERDICT
Drive one and you’ll understand what Lancia was once all about. The cars have a tough, well-engineered feel that is unexpected given what this fine company’s reputation has now become. Even the little 1.3-litre engine has 90bhp, so performance is strong and the handling excellent.
They’re robust enough to handle regular use too. In fact, it’s far better to use one than leave it standing, not that you’ll want to. They’re too much fun. Prices are for the 1300 – add at least 20 per cent for the 1600.
AUDI 100 COUPÉ REVIEW
The Audi 100 Coupé makes for a hugely underrated gem. Here's why...
When was the last time you saw a C1-series Audi 100 Coupé S? Not recently, we’d bet. Less than 3200 made it onto the UK market and, of those, fewer than 50 are thought to have survived. In terms of rarity, this is up there with the Iso Grifo and Aston Martin DBS it so closely resembles.
It matches the Grifo and DBS in terms of lounge-lizard looks, too. Back in 1973, when the car in our photos was first registered, it was considered to be little more than an overpriced Volkswagen lookalike, but today the car has matured into a svelte, hunkered-down GT that carries with it more than a whiff of 1960s Mustang. Simply put, it’s absolutely stunning, especially with our test example’s vivid metallic blue paint and delicate chrome.
Enough gawping. We need to go for a drive. Grasp the substantial chrome door handle, thumb the equally jumbo-sized push-button beneath and haul open the large, heavy door before stepping down into a world of 1970s Teutonic splendour.
Sink into the vast blue driver’s seat and pause awhile to drink in the details the almost comically huge steering wheel, the wood trim that calls to mind the teak you used to get on ’70s music centres, the Size 10 organ pedal throttle, and the quartet of green-on-black dials garnished with bright orange needles. Push the ignition key into the slot to the left of the steering column and the 1.9-litre fourcylinder engine coughs into life before settling into a slightly offbeat thrum that carries a vague timbre of the quattro’s trademark fivecylinder burble that would follow years later.
Then you go to snap your seatbelt into place, and puzzle over the apparently broken set-up missing its metal buckle. The penny drops…the Germans did things differently back then. Instead of a buckle, you loop the belt into a snap-jaw mechanism bolted to the floor. Well, it’s better than nothing… The gearshift is one of few chinks in the 100’s armour – the throw is very long and rather vague, and each gear hits home with an indistinct slush rather than a rifle-bolt click – but the 1.9-litre ‘four’ is a little honey that punches well above its weight.
The long-winded gearbox takes the sporting edge off the car, but the engine delivers a hardedged engine note as the revs rise, and there’s an impressive amount of feedback through that Ark Royal tiller of a steering wheel.
Handling is on the soft side, but there is an almost boundless supply of grip. The rearwheel drive chassis feels surprisingly lively, given that it’s a simple live axle; no doubt the rear end becomes quite entertaining in the wet.
As a consummate cruiser, however, the Audi impresses, despite its lack of a fifth gear. While 118lb ft of torque doesn’t sound like much, it comes on song at a relatively lowly 3500rpm, meaning motorway overtakes rarely require a drop down into a lower gear.
Audi 100 Trivia
- Just over 30,600 100 Coupés were sold during the C1’s production cycle. Its UK price at launch was a whopping £2418.
- All 100 Coupés were fitted with an advanced (for the time) brake stabilisation system that claimed to eliminate skids and unruly pulling to one side.
- There is a UK club dedicated specifically to the Audi 100 Coupé S.
- It is generally agreed that cars built up to 1973 used a higher grade of steel than those built from 1974 onwards.
- The 1.9-litre engine in well-maintained cars routinely covers more than 100,000 miles without a rebuild, with 150,000-milers by no means unheard of.
AUDI COUPÉ REVIEW
Launched in 1981, and closely related to the groundbreaking Quattro, here’s a sporting choice that’s still temptingly cheap.
The Audi Coupé was a welcome new addition to the UK new car price lists in March 1981. Its slightly upscale price of £7475 might have put it in direct competition with more powerful rivals, such as the 3.0-litre Ford Capri and BMW 323i – but with its Quattro-esque styling, and all the kudos that came with it, and the whiff of imported exclusivity that was still attached to Audi in the early 1980s, here was a car that offered a unique set of qualities in the coupé battlefield.
Heart of the Coupé’s appeal was its off-beat, non-turbo five-cylinder engine, which originally was available in 1921cc carburetted form, developing 115bhp. You either loved its warbling soundtrack or you were disturbed by it.
The range was quickly developed in two directions – in 1983, a more potent 2.2-litre 136bhp five-pot was introduced, and the following year, arrival of the facelifted model was marked by the addition of an 1.8-litre entry level. Improvements included new bumpers, and a softer, more aerodynamic grille to complement its new higher quality dashboard and switchgear.
Also new in ‘84 was arrival of the four-wheel drive Quattro version – and that proved highly popular in the UK, despite its high price. The Coupé remained on sale until 1988, by which time an impressive 174,687 had been built.
VITAL STATISTICS
(GT5E)
Engine 2226cc/5-cyl/OHC
Power 136bhp@5700rpm
Torque 137lb ft@3500rpm
Maximum speed 120mph
0-60mph9.1sec
Fuel consumption 26-34mpg
Transmission FWD, five-spd manual
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Four cylinders good
The 8V 112bhp 1.8-litre Audi Coupé’s engine was donated from the Volkswagen Golf GTI, and is, therefore, a well known quantity. It’s strong and well respected, and as long as the cambelt is changed every four years or 40,000 miles, and the oil changes have been religiously adhered to on at least an annual basis, don’t be afraid of odometer readings of more than 150,000.
Five cylinders better
Like the four-cylinder version, the top of the range Coupés prove strong and reliable over huge mileages. They are sensitive to regular oil changes, and if the hydraulic tappets are noisy, that’s a sign it’s been less than rigorously maintained.
Cooling critical
The five-cylinder Coupé has quite a small side-mounted radiator, and cooling capacity can be marginal. Make sure there are no signs of previous overheating, and that the fan cuts in at temperature. Also, it’s advised to do a full coolant change at least once every two years, as the waterways can clog up. Also water pumps aren’t that long-lived – five years on average.
Corrosion is a killer
Unlike later galvanised Audis, the Coupé can rot like an Alfasud on a trip to Blackpool. Vulnerable areas are the boot floor, thanks to a leaking bootlid, the windscreen surround, and there can be issues with the front strut tops, too. Later models have plastic sill extensions, so check closely for hidden grot behind them.
Quattro maladies
The four-wheel drive system deserves a buying guide all to itself, and although it’s rugged and long-lived, it’s not infallable. Watch out for whining differentials, and driveline clonks – these are easy tell-tales that all is not well. Walk away if there’s uneven tyre wear, or mismatched brands are fitted.
Don’t get caught short
The main concern with these cars is that so many parts are simply no longer available. So don’t shrug off a cracked headlamp or bumper, because you’ll be searching hard for a replacement. The same is true inside – and although most switchgear and fittings are reliable, they are nigh-on irreplaceable. Seat trim is the same – it wears out on the bolsters and you can’t replace it.
OUR VERDICT
Forgetting the whole ‘Fire up the Quattro’ phenomenom, which is ancient history now, here’s a car that combines fabulous oh-so 1980s styling, rugged mechanicals, charismatic power units, the option of four-wheel drive, and a surprising amount of interior room.
If you’re expecting sports car thrills, then be prepared to be slightly disappointed. The Coupé’s steering is a little on the remote side, and the handling feels a bit saloon-like (unsurprising, considering it’s so closely related to the 80). And even in the most powerful 2.2-litre fuel injected form, none of them is particularly quick – instead you could be generous and say ‘brisk’.
Prices of good Coupés are picking up after too many years in secondhand-land, but they are still good value compared with the more exotic (in classic terms) Ford Capri or Volkswagen Scirocco. And as for ownership, it could be argued that the more mature Audi trumps both of those alternatives.
Our pick of the range would definitely be a pre-facelift 2.2-litre GT 5E, although the later interior is a far nicer place to sit. But any one will give you many years of classic enjoyment.