Holden Barina Turbo here

GM Holden is ready to take on Ford’s new Fiesta ST with a turbocharged Barina hot hatch that will go on sale in November.

Motoring.com.au spotted the first shipment of new Barina Turbo models arriving at Holden’s Melbourne HQ today, and our sources have confirmed a local launch is just two months away.

The Barina Turbo will be a direct competitor for hot light-size hatchbacks like Ford’s new Fiesta ST, which was launched here last week priced from just $25,990, as well as Peugeot’s almost-as-new 208 GTi (from $29,990), Skoda’s Fabia RS and Volkswagen’s benchmark Polo GTI (both from $27,990).

Unlike all those turbocharged front-wheel drive models, however, the Korean-built Barina Turbo will benefit from local chassis tuning by Australian engineers at Holden, which is believed to have undertaken significant, ride, handling and steering upgrades.

First revealed as the Chevrolet Sonic Z Spec concept at the 2011 Detroit motor show and then in production form a year later, the Barina Turbo has been available since late last year in North America, where it’s known as the Chevrolet Sonic RS.

Australia’s version should be almost identical, apart from the grille, badges and the local tuning program, which is now a key part of the introduction of all imported Holden models, starting with last year’s updated Barina Spark and Barina CDX, and this year’s facelifted Cruze, new Trax compact crossover and new Malibu medium sedan.

The Barina Turbo is powered by the same 103kW/200Nm 1.4-litre Ecotec turbo-petrol engine seen in the larger and heavier Cruze and should therefore provide ample performance.

However, it’s not in the same league as the Fiesta ST, the 1.6-litre EcoBoost turbo-petrol four in which produces 132kW/240Nm as standard – and 149kW/290Nm in overboost mode.

But while three-door manual-only availability makes the Fiesta ST (and 208 GTi) a purist’s hot hatch, the five-door Barina Turbo is expected to be offered with both six-speed manual and automatic transmissions – unlike the 132kW/250Nm 1.4 turbo Polo GTI, which is a seven-speed dual-clutch DSG-only proposition with three and five doors.

The Barina Turbo’s closest rival, therefore, is probably Suzuki’s five-door Swift Sport, which comes with a 100kW/160Nm 1.6-litre non-turbo four-cylinder engine matched with manual and CVT transmissions, priced from $23,990.

Like the 1.6-litre naturally aspirated Barina CDX flagship hatch (from $20,490), the Turbo will come with GM’s MyLink voice-activated infotainment system as standard, enabling navigation directions downloaded through a smartphone to be shown on the car’s touch-screen and personalised connectivity of Pandora and Stitcher internet radio apps.

Differentiating the hottest Barina from mainstream models cosmetically will be a more aggressive front bumper with fresh foglight designs and a specific grille, a similarly amped-up rear bumper with lower black mesh insert and chromed twin exhaust outlets, a rear spoiler, different side skirts, unique mirror caps and Turbo badging.

Outside the engine bay, mechanical changes will include specific 17-inch alloy wheels, a lower ride height, firmer suspension, sports-tuned dampers, retuned sports exhaust system and shorter final drive ratio.

Inside, Barina Turbo buyers will score new front sports seats, a flat-bottom sports steering wheel with thicker rim, a different gearshifter (in manual models), aluminium pedals, specific instrument cluster graphics and special trim colours for the dash and door inserts.

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