Abarth Grande Punto

An affordable price tag is no barrier for entry to our Performance Car of the Year showdown – as the Abarth Grande Punto proves. At £13,500 it’s the cheapest car here, and it arrives fresh from victory against the Vauxhall Corsa SRi in an Auto Express test.

Sitting alongside our other Italian thoroughbred, Lamborghini’s LP560-4, it doesn’t look out of place, either. Its gleaming white body, racy red stripes and big wheels tick all the right boxes. With a modest 155bhp from its smooth-revving 1.4-litre engine, the Grande Punto struggled for outright pace on the circuit. As a result it propped up the timing sheets after our hot laps, but that tells only half the story.

It may have finished bottom in our final standings, yet the Abarth’s well balanced and grippy chassis makes it surprisingly enjoyable on track. We also revelled in its strong Brembo brakes. However, the ESP cuts in too early and it can’t be fully disengaged, while the electric power-steering is light on feel.

The hot supermini makes more sense on the road, where its supple suspension pays dividends by providing decent comfort.

Its compact dimensions also inspire confidence on narrow lanes, making it a hugely capable and comfortable junior hot hatch. However, its keys were always the last to be picked up on this test…

CLICK HERE FOR AN EXCLUSIVE ON BOARD HOT-LAP IN THE ABARTH GRANDE PUNTO