Fiat 124 Spider (2016-2019)

In days gone by, Italian cars were characterised by two things: rust and a certain amount of wherewithal when it came to handling. Indeed, it seemed once Italian manufacturers had worked their magic on the chassis, suspension and steering, even family saloons with the puniest of engines would suddenly become fun to drive.

So when Fiat Chrysler Automotive announced a modern day version of its classic 124 in open-top Spider guise in 2015, the automotive world took a collective gulp in anticipation. It almost didn’t seem to matter it would be a joint

venture with Mazda and therefore be little more than a re-cloaked fourthgeneration MX-5 (ND).

However, actual sales were more crucial and here the Fiat proved fatally flawed. With a price tag nudging £30,000 (for the Abarth), the 124 Spider was significantly dearer than its Japanese stablemate, so only Fiat stalwarts showed interest and the plug was pulled at the Hiroshima production line just three years after launch.

The happy ending is that the pretty convertible is only now receiving the adulation it deserved, with those shared Mazda underpinnings seen more of an asset than a negative. Not only that, but because so few were sold it’s become somewhat exclusive, which means values can only go one way from here. In short, if you buy now, you’re unlikely to lose money. If that’s not a good reason to buy a car, we don’t know what is!

Being scarce, it’s hardly a buyer’s market, but nevertheless as little as £9000 will be the starting price for the base model in

Lusso spec. More desirable Abarths are much rarer, but as a guide, if you go searching with £20,000 in your pocket, you’ll be in the right ballpark.