After the axing of the Fiat Coupe in 2000, the Italian brand's range was left without a coupe. And that's where British designer Peter Norris steps in with a new study that envisions a future sports car model for Fiat. However, this concept would not necessarily make a successor to the affordable Fiat Coupe, as the car carries a Pininfarina badge, thus hinting to a more luxurious model.
The study is a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive luxury sports car that aims to embody the essence of the Italian thoroughbred. Judging from the drivetrain layout, this concept would be more of a successor to the 1960's RWD Fiat Dino rather than to the late 1990s FWD Fiat Coupe designed by Chris Bangle.
The coupe sports a sleek profile and a very low roofline, which make the wheels seem colossal. It also has an aggressive stance thanks to the massive wheelarches, while the front end brings to mind modern-day Aston Martins, especially the shape of the headlights and the upright bumper. The rear features C-shaped LED light units and central exhaust pipes that give the coupe an elegant look.
The designer explained that the project started as “a reboot of the Fiat Coupe”, representing a vision of a present day model. An ex-Fiat Coupe owner, Peter Norris changed his mind halfway through the project and switched to a luxury coupe, hence the Pininfarina badges on the car.
“I used to own a Fiat Coupe 16v Turbo, and whilst it frequently broke down and cost me a fortune in repair bills, I just didn’t have the heart to get rid of it. I still turn my head every time one drives past me,” Norris told Carbodydesign.
“The Pininfarina styling inside as much as outside just oozes with Italian flair and really was, and still is different to anything else on the road. Some people have referred to it as a 'baby Ferrari'. So I began sketching out ideas for a Fiat Coupe for 2012. After roughing out the body in 3d I changed my mind and decided that I wanted to build something that was more of a luxury rather than a budget sports car and wondered what a car designed by Pininfarina under its own badge might look like, and so it evolved from there,” Norris concluded.
By Dan Mihalascu
Source: CBD
