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This is part of the ItalianCar.net archive - go to ItalianCar.net now NEWS ARCHIVE Punto goes topless in Geneva
One of Europe's leading styling and design companies, Fioravanti, has revealed not one, but two proposals for an open top version of the new Fiat Punto, the car that will herald the return of the Italian car maker to Australia in the middle of this year. The first car, the Fiat Punto Skill, is the star of the Fioravanti stand at the Geneva Show and would appear to be the ideal small car for Australia, with its combination of a flip-top glass roof that drops down behind the seats in a matter of seconds and a 'Ute' style load bay that makes it ideal for the Australian outdoor life style. The rear window drops vertically into the same storage area as the roof and may also be left in the raised position as a wind-block. The flip-top roof uses technology and design that Fioravanti developed for the Ferrari Superamerica and enables the Punto Skill to combine a hard top, open top motoring and a massive 750 litre load area that isn't affected by the roof, something none of its conventional rivals can match. The B-pillar that enables the flip-top to work also provides roll-over accident protection and a useful mount for items such as speakers for the audio system. The second topless Punto designed by Fioravanti is a more
conventional coupe-convertible, with the roof still flipping down into
the vertical position, but with a conventional boot and boot lid at the
back. The convertible model of previous Punto was
one of the most popular versions of Fiat's small car, so it is no surprise
that ideas for a roofless version of the new car should appear so quickly
after the launch of the new Punto. © italiancar.com.au 19/03/06
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