Described by Autocar magazine as ‘the thinking driver’s Mazda MX-5’, the Barchetta (‘little boat’) was launched in 1995, some five years after its Japanese rival. 
 
Although never manufactured in right-hand drive (although some conversions exist), the car was marketed in the UK and attracted a committed following, who enjoyed its exclusivity, its looks and its sweet handling. The body panels were manufactured and attached by hand, so this is a chance to own a handmade classic!

This one has few very minor cosmetic issues to address, but has had an engine rebuild approximately 2500 miles costing €2,400, and has no evidence of the rust which for which the model was notorious.  

One of only 260 Barchettas made in 2005, this example is one of the last of its kind. It was imported new to the UK by the first owner, and is offered for sale by only the second owner, who bought the car in the UK, in 2012, before emigrating to France and re-registering the car there. 
 
At its home in (southern) France, the car was kept in a dry barn and never used in the wet. The vendor has now moved back to the UK, the car’s paperwork has been updated with the DVLA. The new number is the original which is HJ55 LZA. UK registration is now complete and the current V5 is available.
 
There’s a reassuring file of paperwork, including a number of invoices dating back through the car’s life in France. 
 
The car has an MOT valid until January 2023.  

Having recently returned to the UK, the vendor is now moving house again and doesn’t have space to keep the car at his new property. 

The Barchetta’s interior is functional rather than luxurious, but this one is clean and tidy. 
 
The figure-hugging seats and the elegant trio of retro-styled dials make the Barchetta a welcoming place to be. The seats have been cleaned with germicidal at a cost of £120 and are now in near new condition now. 

The footwells have been protected by rugged overmats, matched to the body colour, with no visible damage to internal painted panels which are a feature of the car design echoing vintage sports cars of the 40s. The steering wheel, dashboard and dials all look very good for their age.  

In the boot, the liner is in very good condition while underneath it is a spare wheel, which looks unused, complete with all the original tools in their correct slots. 

The Barchetta always stood out from the crowd and from its more numerous competitors, the MX-5, Rover’s MGF and BMW’s Z3. The attractive styling has held up well, and it’s still a pretty car at an exceptional price.

This car’s blue metallic paintwork looked good in the bright sunshine on the day of our photo shoot, but there are a few obvious issues. The paint lacquer is coming away on the front offside wing and on the panel in front of the bonnet but this is an easy fix and does not detract from the overall condition of the exterior. There’s a slight dent on the front, just above the radiator grille which would easily push out. The body panels were attached by hand as they were so difficult to match.

The badges show signs of the car’s age, as do the number plates, although these should have been replaced with new UK ones by the time of sale and badges are cheap and easy to buy. 
 
 Keen-eyed Fiat observers will note that the wheels are not the usual Barchetta ones, but the vendor understands that these were a factory option specified by the original owner at the time of purchase. 
 
 They all look to be in excellent condition, with no evidence of corrosion or kerb damage. Two new front tyres have recently been fitted, while the rears have plenty of life in the them. The missing wheel hub cover has been replaced as it fell off on the way to the photoshoot. 

The soft-top has some damage to the rear window panel, on which the vendor has affected a temporary repair, but he assures us that the hood remains watertight. There are few stains and marks. He has had a number of (varying) quotes for replacement of this and will pass on the details of these to the new owner. With the this done and the damaged paint resprayed you will have a great car.
 
 The soft-top is quick and straightforward to raise and to lower. 

Based on Fiat Punto mechanicals, the Barchetta has always been a practical proposition to run and there are no documented reliability issues. 
 
With a 0-60 mph time of under nine seconds and a top speed of 124 mph, the car is quick and renowned as a fun drive. It is well balanced on the road and with the new engine will push the limits of it’s stated top speed! 

This one starts readily and pulls away as it should, and the engine benefits from having had a full rebuild in 2018, since when it has done only around 2,500 kms. This included a new cam belt, new fuel pump, new water pump, distributor and regrinding of the valves and tappets. The vendor also spent around £1000 to correct issues with the ABS brakes prior to the last MOT. 

The vendor assures us that the car drives and handles beautifully. The last MoT came with a couple of advisory notices: a slight leak from the (original) shock absorber, and slight pitting on the brake discs, neither of which are particularly urgent issues, but which the new owner may wish to address. 

The car is fitted with a Cobra alarm system (see pictures – it’s that little box on top of the battery), but this has been disconnected – the vendor says it’s an easy job to reconnect this. 
 
 At present the radio is not working, but the vendor intends to investigate this before selling. The case for the detachable front of the stereo is in the glove box. 

Sometimes dismissed as a trendy curio, the Barchetta deserves a renewed appraisal. 
 
With its pretty lines, sporty handling and reputation for reliability, it’s a practical and attractive proposition. Left-hand drive might require care when overtaking on UK roads, but is a positive advantage for urban-dwellers, as it means entering and leaving the car from the kerbside. 
 
Good examples are increasingly hard to find, and it’s not a common sight on UK roads. With summer on its way, now must be time to take advantage of the car’s under-rated status. Diminishing numbers of this last year of manufacture will guarantee a sound investment for a small outlay and lots of fun too!  

This example has a few cosmetic issues to address, but has clearly been looked after throughout its life, and that engine rebuild, and file of paperwork should reassure the new owner that trouble-free, wind-in-the-hair motoring is just waiting to be enjoyed.