2017 Fiat 124 Spider: A Fancified, Turbocharged Mazda Miata
Fiat's Mazda Miata-based roadster gets the 1.4-liter turbo four-cylinder from the 500 Abarth, kicking out 160 horsepower.
Here it is, in the flesh and officially unveiled: The 2017 Fiat 124 Spider. Looks like a Mazda Miata, doesn't it?
Yes, as has been promised since the newly-redesigned Miata was first conceived, the iconic roadster has spawned an Italian-badged variant. Wearing the "124 Spider" badge, first applied to a Fiat back in 1966, this new roadster shares its chassis, suspension, some body panels, and nearly all of its interior with the Miata we've grown to love.
What it doesn't share is the engine. While the Mazda makes do with a naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter four pumping out 155 horses and 148 lb.-ft. of torque, the Fiat 124 Spider gets a unique engine. Namely, the 1.4-liter turbo four from the Fiat 500 Abarth. In the Spider, this mighty mini motor makes a claimed 160 horses and 184 lb.-ft. of torque—a torque increase of 14 lb.-ft. over the output of the manual-transmission 500 Abarth. We have yet to determine whether the drop-top Fiat will have the same raucously loud exhaust that's the 500 Abarth's hallmark. The Spider will offer either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic gearbox, just like its Miata brethren.
The 124 Spider's interior will be immediately familiar to anyone who's had seat time in a 2016 Miata. The dashboard, gauges, center console, and infotainment system are all identical to what you'll find in the Mazda. Fiat promises a plethora of available luxury amenities that were unfathomable during the original 124 Spider's run, including adaptive headlights, blind-spot monitoring, and a backup camera with rear cross-path detection.
The Fiat 124 Spider will come in two trim levels, the base-level Classica and the more lux Lusso. A third spec, the Prima Edizione Lusso, is limited to the first 124 examples of the breed, wearing an exclusive Azzurro Italia shade of blue with a tan leather interior and some commemorative kitsch like dash plaques and jewelry.
Fiat hasn't announced pricing on the 124 Spider just yet, but judging by the spec sheet and option list, we anticipate the car will be positioned as a slightly-more-upscale variant to the $25,000-and-up Miata. Fiat promises the 124 Spider will go on sale in the US in the spring of 2016.
http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-sho.../a27376/2017-fiat-124-spider-official-photos/
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