I saw a repeat of the Top Gear police car episode the other day. Whilst watching it I thought, this makes the Coupe look silly and crap! If it had been one of those 'buy a certain type of car for under X amount' challenges (it could have been different 90's Coupes) that would have been so much better.

When I first got my Coop, someone called it a boy racer car. Apart from the usual 'looks like a Ferrari' comments, what do you think is the overall public opinion of the Coop? Modern classic? Or old Fiat?

i have NEVER had the term boy racer applied to a coupe!

my older coupes always turned heads, little boys asked there mums if its a super car, people glance over from there euro box and look at me envoys

i think the black one is going to get a different reaction, any may well apper to the younger croud, I do think that its going to attract more people trying to have a go at the traffic lights

i think the over all persecution of a coupe is a)its a alfa b)it looks expensive c)wow that thing relay moves

I think that the reputation of the coop has suffered a little lately and it does seem to be a bit more of a boy racers car. This is obviously due to their price at the moment.

I think it's up to all of us to try and change that perception by respecting, caring and loving our coupes.
To be honest, I think it is beautiful and it's the coop's rarity that I love the most so a few boy racers aren't going to spoil my enjoyment of this future classic.



(I feel like 'Land of Hope and Glory' should have playing in the background during that little homily!)

I was really surprised, after all, mine has only got the LE side skirts on!

Someone once asked me how much it cost to make my car look like that. I replied that's what it looked like when it rolled out of the factory.

Most people I've met don't really know what it is. I've never had any negative comments.

No one's actually called my car a boy racers car (except my mum and she thinks all cars are stupid anyway!) but you do get a lot of chavs in corsa's and the like having a go at lights.

Most people I have met don't seem to know what the coupe is either.

When I first bought mine a bloke out walking his dog felt moved to comment on how much he liked it! Suppose I don't look like a boy racer (my burberry cap was in the dry cleaners), but the first time since I owned a classic beetle that someone has commented.

Driving home on Friday a boy in an E46 M3 was ogling the coupe (obviously envious that I'd spent 10% of the cash and got a 10 times better looking car). I gave him a cheesy grin and thumbs up, booted it to give him a 5-cyl warble and got a straight 6 howl and a big smile back.

at work i get a few "hairdressers car" comments and the usual "it's only a fiat" and "its always breaking down". i used to defend it all the time to the point people think the only thing they can wind me up about is my car. there are a few others who've had very high-powered cossies and the like who respect it, and know that virtually the only time it's off the road is when i choose it to be.

as for boy racers, i dont get that comment since a quick blat with a colleague with a "sorted" (in his words) civic type r - once i'd killed him very easily he's been remarkably quiet since.....

i look back at the car-park and see all the mundaneo's and vauxhall/volvo boxes, and she stands out like a regal queen amongst dirty chavs...i love her, and i don't give a fccuk what other people think......

I've only ever had good reaction to it.
No-one really knows what they are.
And the ones that do really know their qualities.

It attracts attention by "boy racers" at lights etc. But thats easy to deal with

People just dont believe that mines now 10 or 11 years old.

Up here in my neck of the woods, the coop is quite rare.
It does turn heads. Some who know me think it cost me a small fortune.

All in all up here any way, I do tend to get favourable
comments & glances

I will say however, now & again when i go to fill her up with fuel, if there is a boy racer with a silly wee car
looking like its just crashed through the ripspeed section in Hellfrauds filling up as well, more often than not I get totally ignored.
I have to admit though due to my wicked sense of humor, I tend to stand there with a stupid grin on my face

I have teenage kids, both of them think it's "smart" but they don't know anything about it at all, when they see a Subaru or the likes, they think that looks "smarter"! I then mention that the coop is probably faster than the old Jap thing they are drooling over and I'm talking crap!
I don't really care what people think of it, even in my LE's sorry looking state (it's seen better days and is a work in progress) it still looks fantastic, stands out without the need for tea tray spoilers or stupidly loud graphics and exhausts. It's a work of art, I think the transition between the car Bangle designed and the car that left the factory gates was ideal, Bangles original final drawings of the coop were great, but the final "watered down" version of the concept is subtle, stylish, fabulous looking from almost all angles and the fact that is really still doesn't look old out on the road speaks volumes.

It's only when I tell people it's a Fiat that I get any negative comments, until that point, most people are fascinated by it.

Let the riff raff have their fun in the coop, it's fallen to a price now where any chav can afford one, when they kill them or can't afford to run them, they will either be scrapped or fall into the hands of those of us who love the car, there is no harm in letting the numbers dwindle a bit, it happens to all classics before they hit full classic status.

It's without doubt Fiats best effort to date, there have been other real classic Fiats, but I still think the coop pips them, even the 500, that will be a classic, but not as we know it, and not as much of a classic as the coop, Strada Abarth, original 500, 124 coupe etc.

We know what we have, let them stay a mystery.

Gareth

Best looking car for the money, without a doubt.

Just a shame they are getting sold on ebay for as less as £350.

That is going to cause issues to the image.

All my mates loved it, i felt like a hero driving it, when listening to prodigy's new album, track number 2.

im going to get another, but im spending 3k or more this time boys...

i was also able to have my childhood dream, of driving the whitsands road, (cliff face) in a sports car of my choice.

and it felt, sounded, went, amazing.

Respect to coop's....the love is still there.

friends and fo... did think it was 10k, when i first got it sooo.

Cant beat yellow though, it looks a world beater.....

just a shame mine wasnt to be...

As some of you have said most people dont know what it is and just stand there staring at it, once you say its a Fiat they look at you and say 'A Fiat? wow what a nice looking motor!
I only get neg comments like 'fart in a tin , fix it again tomorrow or did the AA bring you in today from the guys at work. I just laugh as these guys all drive crap motors -how can you take the pi** when they own things like a Saxo , clio , old rav 4 , civic , megane , corsa , yaris and they are all basic bottom of the range standard models!
Outside of work i get nothing but super comments on what a smart looking car, thats maybe because mine is Speed Red not pink.

I wouldnt say grabs the attention of only younger crowd. I've had an elderly couple follow me into Tesco's just to ask what it was and comment how nice it looked.

Respect

I was parking outside my house one day, and a boy of about 8 or 9 years old said "WOW nice car!" Made my day that did!

I've got a GPX600 and a C-Max too. Use a C4 Grand Picasso on business. My customers and my PA call it 'the posh car'. Little do they know it was purchased locally 16 months back off Ebay fully-sorted for just £1200.

One girl i know said when ui pulled up in the carpark to use shop,she said wow is that your sports car?you have to take me out in this.
I always get looks as i change gear[dv and genral good sound of a coupe with induction and full sytem eshast]
People see my bright yellow car rolling up the road and in my area i have the only coupe so people love it,puts s mile on my face to know that everyone looks at my car and refers to it as a sports car,all the scoobeys in my area do my head in so im glad people rate my coupe and put it up there with the other best cars in the area.
I have found that more girls look at my coupe that 0ne of the 50 scoobys driving round my niebourhood.
If you took the fiat badge off the bonnit,people would think look at that sports car aint it nice,it is only when some peoplke know its a fiat it sometimes put them off,they are shallow tho,if they did more research they would realise how much of great car it is for a even greater price.

More than one person has even remarked that I must have put the Fiat badges on for a giggle. I rewarded this 'informed response' with a higher profit margin.

Without doubt the attention my Coop gets is nothing but good.
I always let the wife know my little story when ive been out in it.
She also now loves it! never before has she liked cars let me tell you!.

There is nothing else you can buy for the price of a decent Coop that can make you feel as "special" while your driving or looking back at her when u park up than these.

I didnt get too many comments when i first bought her but now its everytime i go out nearly.
Window down other day slowed down for speed bump, lad shouted NICE CAR!
middle aged woman day after in fuel station was looking at the coop as i was filling up her 2 kids were looking at it.
She said " Your loking at that car arnt you?... Its nice isnt it" i just smiled.
Day after Wifes aunties nephew and his pal came over to have a look and wanted me to take him out in it.
~He thought it was a Ferrari or Maserati until informed. still loved it mind. Especially when i gave it a quick Blast.
The look you get from the younger ladies is very amusing Although that could be just me

i was at pertol station in scruffy clothes[working on mates coupe],anyway i know the guy in the petrol station and he is a bit of a twat.
I went to pay for fuel and i was only putting £5 pound in,number 2 i said,he laughed at me and said you must have the wrong pump mate.Of course i had by now clocked what he was getting at[someone lkie me cant have a car like that]i said numbher 2,he said laughing what that sports car,i laughed and said yes mate thats the one. and his jaw dropped.
I have had dealings with him in past,last time he seen my driving was in my diesel old pug 106 and i just love it when you can feel the jealouse in the air.
You know what i mean,maybe he thought i should be putting more that a £5 in a car like that?Was only going down the road tho.

lol nice 1 jim

After what it cost's to keep a coupe in good health £5's about all I can afford to put it her too!

£5 wouldn't have got me from the petrol station to home in my 16VT, what a thirsty little tike she was! Still, got me nearly home very quickly!

Gareth

As i`ve said many times before,getting the thumbs up from kids when I drive by just makes my day,they know a cool car when they see one .

I keep meaning to take my mate (who`s had an E46 M3 and now has an Audi S3) a run in the Coop to see what he thinks of the attention it get. I can`t imagine getting the same amount of appreciation from kids in his type of cars,no matter how good I know they are .

Baz

Genrally i look at coupe,even before i owned one and i think that is one fresh looking car.
Get in and i think yea this is a sports car,stylish car.
Dont get the same feelouing when i get in my mates scooby or other mates evo.I think instead this dash is made of some cheap plastic

When I first saw the coupe at the 1998 Tour de France I thought it was fantastic and thought I wish I could have a car like that! Some years later I bought my first coupe and found the Forum. Onhear I heard people talk about Evos and Subaru Imprezzas, I thought I must find out what an Imprezza is like. I have to say I was disappointed, big time. The reaction of my son's school mates is that it is super cool and everyone I meet is impressed by the car. It is a car that needs a lot of TLC but it is worth it

Without doubt! It looks faster than most cars stood still! I saw my first coop when they came out (old see!) it was a pace car (or track side car of some description) at a race meeting I went to in Spa, and knew then I was going to have one, it was just a case of when.

Most people I know think it's a fab looking car, but their perception of it as a car, is generally fairly negative (old Fiat issues with reliability, rust etc)

Now I've just fixed my central locking issue, I love it even more!

Gareth

I had a small lad (About 4 or 5) knock on the window whilst I was waiting outside Tesco, asking what the car was !
Must admit, I don't think if I was it's parent, I'd encourage kids to go asking questions of strangers, but at least he had some taste

The first time I visited my g/f, I parked on the street (It couldn't make it onto the drive without grounding) and a neighbour (About mid 80's) came up and said 'I like your car'.

At petrol stations, forecourt staff have asked what it was and said it looked like something special, and were amazed when I toled them it cost just £4k.

At work, someone was ribbing me that I must get paid too much, when I pointed out that both of my cars put together cost less than her Golf

When parked outside my Brothers last week, two older people stopped and stared at it for about 5 minutes in the middle of their mid afternoon walk.

The Coupe is something special. Yeah, people will joke about it if you put a loud exhaust on it, or silly skirts, but most of the time, I think they just admire a great bit of machinery, and the piss taking is just casual jealousy

Long live the Coupe

The last time sometime someone asked what mine was, I said 'a Fiat Coupe', he said 'yeah, it's obviously a Coupe, but what is the model name?', in a really patronising manner s though a) I didn't know to describe a car by it's model name and b) I didn't know what model name meant. Hmmm. He then proceeded to 'inform' me that the the first ones weren't turbos, and it was only when the 20v came out did they do a turbo. Er, OK mate. But it generally gets the right kind of attention, feels like driving a supercar sometimes, which is nice. I even like it when chav-packed corsas pull into the petrol station and evryone in the car strains to get a look. I've no doubt some of them are saying it's one of those things off top gear, but I can always tell there's that latent respect. All good.