At the UK launch of the Fiat Bravo in the summer of 2007, I asked Steve Norman (then Marketing Director Worldwide for Fiat Group) whether there would be an Abarth version of the C-segment hatch. Steve’s answer was a categorical no. “We are serious about tbe Abarth brand’s sporting intent. We got it wrong in the past with the likes of the Stilo Abarth. That was more about bodykits and badges than genuine performance enhancement.”
It seems that Norman was true to his word. No Bravo Abarth has broken cover to date and the 500 and Punto models are acknowledged as proper sports-bred machines.
I was reminded of our conversation when I learned of Renault’s plan to revive the Gordini brand for some of its Renaultsport models.
Steve Norman is now Senior Vice President, Global Marketing for the Renault group and I find myself wondering whether Gordini will be more about badges and bodykits or whether it will represent something truly unique. I’m hoping for the latter but we’ll know more when the Twingo Gordini breaks cover this week.
During times of recession, the public like to fall back on traditional and trusted names, so playing the nostalgia card with Gordini seems like a wise move for Renault - but only if it amounts to more than special blue paint and white stripes.
I’ll be watching closely…
Oh well, now we know.
It’s just posh RS Twingo with twin-go-faster stripes (do you see what I did there?) - what a load of tosh!
Autonut | 25 Nov 09 - 11:53