IT started life in Fiat's sporting baby the 500, progressed to the larger Panda and is now available in the latest Punto.

And despite only having two cylinders and less than 1,000cc the TwinAir Turbo engine is just as dynamic in its latest incarnation.

The Punto might be a much bigger car with far more weight than the other two models but the TwinAir amazingly makes light work of it and just as in the 500 puts some fun back into motoring.

And the bonus is that it will still achieve more than 67 miles per gallon and is so clean you don't have to pay any road tax.

Fiat knew it a had a winner when the TwinAir took the International Engine of the Year title for 2011 and showed just how successful downsizing could be in the race for economy and cleaner cars.

Despite only having two cylinders it delivers like a car with four and does so in such a distinctive manner you can't help but like it.

And even though it's more refined in the Punto this 875cc free-reving engine still has that distinctive trademark sound which has made it a winner.

From behind the wheel its lively buzz gives it a real sporting feel, although perversely you normally feel as if you are driving much faster than you actually are, which is no bad thing.

Mated to a slick six-speed gearbox the TwinAir engine gives the Punto a top speed of 107 miles per hour and a 0-62mph acceleration time of 12.7 seconds, although as I said it certainly feels much quicker than that.

A host of special features mark the TwinAir out from the rest of the new Punto range, including gloss black mirror covers and door pillars, dark tinted privacy glass, special alloy wheels and distinctive colours.

The other star of the new Punto range is aimed fairly and squarely at drivers who really value economy above all else.

It may only come with a five-speed gearbox but the new 85bhp, 1.3-litre Fiat Punto Multijet 2 Turbo diesel promises a staggering 80 miles per gallon and again, thanks to its CO2 emissions of just 90g/km, there is no road tax to pay.

Despite bucking the current trend for six or even more gears the Multijet 2 is both relaxed and refined and in top gear is remarkably quiet.

The new Punto range has been given a facelift for 2012, with features like the addition of colour-coded bumpers, a new grille and a completely fresh look to the interior.

And right now there are some special deals on to make the range - which comes in a choice of five trim levels - even better value for money.

The entry-level Pop, for example is priced at £9,900 but there is currently £1,400 off that price bringing it down to just £8,500.

If you buy the TwinAir, normally £12,100, you can get £1,000 off plus £1,035 worth of extras at no additional charge.

The £1,000 off also applies to models in both Easy and GBT trim, although in these cases you get £1,090 of extras free.

Fiat is looking to boost the sales of Puntos this year, and with offers like these running until the end of September is definitely going the right way about it.