The Greek Car and Driver magazine (no connection to the US mag) did a very interesting comparison test of the Fiat Punto GT and he VW Polo 16v, in their issue of March 1997. Not a normal road test, mind you, but a track test, in the test track of Aeginio, near Katerini, in Macedonia, near Salonica.
The drivers for the occasion were three racers:
Yiannis Panourias, 26 years old, has a racing experience of over 45 races. In 1995 he raced uphills, while in 1996 he won the Group N Championship in uphill and circuit racing.
Nikos Nikolouzos is 22 years old, and he first raced in 1989 with a kart. In 92 and 94 he was the Greek Karting Champion. In 1993 he started racing a Reynard 903 F3, and in 1994 he was 6th in the Greek F3 Championship. In 1995 he recorded the fastest ever lap in Tripolis track, and then he raced internatinally, in the GP circus, at Monte Carlo, Zantvoort Donington. In 1996 he raced in the Italian F3 Championship, where he ended 17th among 45 racers.
Panos Hatzitsopanis. Born in 1973, he races the Greek Cinquecento Trofeo. He was 6th at the Pititsa uphill race, in 1995, as he was in Tripolis track, and he was 4th at Rally Acheos and winner of Rally Lamias. In 1996 he was 2nd overall in the Greek Cinquecento Trofeo.
From left: Panourgias, Nikolouzos, Hatzitsopanis
The Punto with 22,000 kms already under its belt, was in urgent need of new tyres. On the other hand, the brand new Polo 16v was also in need of new tyres, so the magazine ordered two sets of Uniroyals: The RTT-2 in 205/50-15 for the Polo and the Rallye 580 in 185/60-14 for the Punto. On the Punto, the tyres were mounted on white Sparco wheels. The shocks where changed on both cars with brand new adjustable yellow Konis, and the springs were traded for two sets of Eibachs. For the lubrication duties, the Castrol RS2 guarded the engines. (This note for all the people who thought that the "racing" stickers on the Punto indicated a racing GT!)
On the Track
These two cars are designed with a different filosophy, but having one common target, in this mechanically minded society: The absolute performance. From there on, there are a few similarities, but also a great deal of differences between these two. The turbo engined Punto GT has 136HP to offer, while the newly arrived 16-valve normally aspirated Polo has "only" 100HP. They both belong to the same market segment, they both have same displacement, and a similar price and standard equipment.
The Punto GT
After only two very quick laps, the Punto comes back to the pits with its right front tyre almost showing its innards! The left turning track had asked for its toll! Especially after the shocks were changed, the car was transformed, and it was able to trasnfer its power better to the track. It was most obvious at the left corner, immediately after the straight, where all the drivers were coming with over 160 km/h (100 mph), in fourth gear, and they braked hard. The rear end of the GT was staying firmly planted to the track. Then they would downshift to 3rd, then to 2nd, staying on the right side of the track, so that they would turn aggressively into the apex of the corner.
We must also blame here the "badly" designed front suspension geometry, which not only produces problems to the correct control of the car, but also makes the tyre work harder, which have to compensate with 136 horses, the absolute top number in this segment. While still talking about suspension geometry, we can view the differences with that of the Polo, which was able to do lots more laps on the track, and did not need a new tyre, while its difference on the track was less than a second, to the Punto.
Pressing the car beyond the "everyday" limits, there were at least two parts of the car that suffered: The brake pads and the gearbox. OK, we agree... What was asked from the brakes, was over the top, but they still were referred to with nary a good comment. But, the question here is, why the german brigade did not suffer under the same circumstances?
As for the gearbox, it is a known black mark, even in a normally used Punto GT. However, in the track, the insufficent gear lever feel will soon tire your right hand, make you nervous and reduce the absolute lap times.
Click on above image to view a fine Punto GT wallpaper!!!
The Polo 16V
...and suddenly... the German "laws of horsepower" came to an end! What better example than the smallish engine of only 1400cc's which is normally aspirated and produces 100 HP?! Would you ever imagine that a gothic product would ever race against an italian machine? No! Not even in your wildest dreams! But, here's proof that Wolfsburg has been a little crazy lately, disputing the domination of the Punto GT. How? A normally aspirated 16 valver against the italian turbo steamroller, a nice low torque curve against the violent explosions of power and very careful design of the suspension.
Maybe the small engine of the Polo was not breathing too well above 5.000-5.500 rpm, maybe even its power was inferior to that of the Punto GT, but all these coincided with the fully understanding that what makes one the fastest in a track is not necessarily the absolute horsepower.
Not one of the three racers could find anything to blame on the Polo's attitude in the track. The first enthusiasm with which they first met the Punto, soon was displaced by the mildness of the Polo, which, talking in absolute numbers, was only slower at about 6/10 of a second, on each lap!
and if you want to be a perfectionist, add to this the higher profile tyres of the Polo, which made the engine less eager to rev. So... Goliath vs David: 0-2!
Click on above image to view a fine Polo GT 16V wallpaper!!!
Polo 16V
|
Nikolouzos |
Panourgias |
Hatzitsopanis |
| 1 |
2' 00" 35 |
1' 59" 85 |
2' 01" 53 |
| 2 |
1' 56" 69 |
1' 57" 08 |
1' 57" 08 |
| 3 |
1' 57" 45 |
1' 55" 74 |
1' 56 86 |
| 4 |
1' 57" 25 |
1' 55" 63 |
1' 56" 34 |
| 5 |
1' 55" 91 |
1' 54"13 |
1' 55" 79 |
Punto GT
|
Nikolouzos |
Panourgias |
Hatzitsopanis |
| 1 |
1' 59" 02 |
1' 57" 87 |
2' 00" 22 |
| 2 |
1' 56" 16 |
1' 55" 13 |
1' 56" 13 |
| 3 |
1' 55" 66 |
1' 54" 72 |
1' 55" 23 |
Because of the premature wear of the Punto's tyres, the drivers did only 3 laps each, instead of the 5, which were at first planned.
