There is no denying it. The small sports cars of the 1980s and early 1990s were, and still are, 'little bombs' that can do a lot of harm if driven without too much judgement. There are many young and somewhat reckless drivers who have experienced first-hand the dangers of these bundles of power and lightness that forty years ago many called 'little boxes' or 'coffins with wheels'.
Yet even after so many years, the fascination of these little aspirated sports cars remains undeniable. Names such as Autobianchi Y10 Turbo, Fiat Uno Turbo, Ford Fiesta RS Turbo, Mini Turbo De Tomaso, Renault Supercinque GT Turbo and Volkswagen Polo G40 still manage to make hardcore driving enthusiasts dream. In this first instalment, we begin to get to know the Italian Autobianchi Y10 Turbo and Fiat Uno Turbo more closely.
Of the others, including the legendary Peugeot 205 GTi, we will deal with them in the second instalment. Following a strict alphabetical order, we start with the 1985 Autobianchi Y10 Turbo, which uses a four-cylinder 'thousand' (1,049 cc to be precise) engine, supercharged by an IHI turbine with an intercooler and sodium-treated exhaust valves. Autobianchi Y10 Turbo, the front view But the beauty of this car is not so much the engine characteristics, interesting as they are, but the more general numbers in its data sheet.
Yes, because if 85 PS and 122 Nm seem little to you, don't forget that the weight is only 840 kg , while the wheelbase measures 2.15 metres and the body is 3.39 metres in length, 1.
5 metres in width, like the other Autobianchi Y10s . In short: there is enough power to challenge what is in fact a real city car , but one that can reach a top speed of 111 mph and sprint from 0 to 62 mph in 9.5 seconds .
Performance aside, would you like to put into perspective the exhilaration given by the red profile on the bumpers, the oversized rims, the sports steering wheel and many other details, but above all the 'Turbo' lettering at the base of the side? Autobianchi Y10 Turbo, the rear view Autobianchi Y10 Turbo, the interior Unforgettable, in this respect, was the Martini version. Feeling like a racing driver was instant. Autobianchi Y10 Turbo Martini Around 2,500 Autobianchi Y10 Turbos were produced between 1985 and 1989 and today have a value of more than €10,000 (approx.
£8,400) for cars in excellent condition, i.e. perfectly preserved or restored.
The Fiat Uno Turbo i . e. , also from 1985 and also with three doors, is a bit of a big sister to the Y10 in the sense that it is bigger and more powerful, as well as having fuel injection instead of carburettors .
Fiat Uno Turbo i.e., the front view Produced for a good nine years, it also underwent a major restyling.
But let's start at the beginning and with a number: 845 kg , only 5 more than the Y10 with a power output of 105 PS and torque of 147 Nm. If the Y10 goes relatively fast, the Uno just goes fast: 124 mph top speed and 8.3 seconds to sprint from 0 to 62 mph.
Beaten by the Peugeot 205 GTi 1.6 (122 mph and 9.1 seconds), also beaten by the bigger Volkswagen Golf GTI 1.
8 (117 mph and 9.6 seconds); only the Renault 5 GT Turbo goes faster, by virtue of 115 PS, for 125 mph top speed and 8 seconds for 0-62 mph. The Uno's engine is a 1300 cc four-cylinder derived from that of the 128, to which the engineers added a turbine, injection and electronic ignition, and mated it to the Ritmo 105 TC's five-speed manual gearbox.
Fiat Uno Turbo i.e., the rear view The wheels are 13-inch (with Abarth hubcaps) with 175/60 tyres.
Nowadays, tyres like these are practically only made for historic cars. Red and black are the dominant colours inside, while outside it's a blaze of Turbo i.e.
lettering: there are plates in front, on the side, behind. Fiat Uno Turbo i.e.
, the interior But it is the driving that makes it worthy of the fame we spoke of at the beginning. The Uno Turbo i.e.
has to handle so much hp and torque, in relation to the capabilities of its chassis. That's why, when you step on the accelerator pedal too hard, the Uno doesn't just understeer, the Uno pulls a real straight line on the tarmac. And if by chance you lift your foot too quickly, it immediately transfers the weight to the front until it wants to overtake you with the rear wheels .
The Uno Turbo i.e. demands respect and driving ability.
Fiat Uno Turbo i.e. second series Produced in around 20,000 examples and in two series on a Fiat Uno basis in the years 1985-1989 and 1989-1993, the Fiat Uno Turbo can today be sold for up to €20,000 (£17,000) for virtually perfect cars.
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