FIAT, MAZDA GET IT RIGHT WITH JOINT PROJECT
Cross between 124 Spider, Miata expected to widen the fan base for two-seat roadsters
CARLSBAD, CALIF. “Wasn’t that our turn back there?” “You mean this one? Up here?” “No, I meant that, back … oh, um, never mind.”
The great thing about a tiny vehicle is that you don’t need much pavement for a U-turn. But when the road’s off-camber, and there’s scant seconds in the clear, it takes a certain level of agility to pull it off with panache. Fortunately, the Fiat 124 Spider we’re driving has the same balanced athleticism as its platform-donor.
The long-awaited progeny of the Fiat/Mazda joint venture has finally arrived — and it’s up against considerable expectation.
Not only does the new Fiat 124 Spider have the legacy of the world’s bestselling sports car of all time to live up to, its own predecessor — the original 124 Spider — was Fiat’s most popular model here. Of the 200,000 Fiat 124s produced from 1966 to 1980, 170,000 were sold in North America.
Oh to be sure, there’s some grumbling and gnashing of teeth from the Mazda MX-5 Miata faithful. They’re outraged by the addition of heated seats and a retractable hard-top and consider anything past the secondgeneration Miata a travesty. But Mazda is a small company, and loaning out the bloodlines of the world’s most successful sports car helps bring in the dollars needed to ensure it continues in good health.
The Spider is a cultural melting pot of car development; the Japanese bones are wrapped in Italian sheet metal and the available Abarth add-ons are pure Mopar muscle. There’s a 7.5-centimetre longer, more aquiline nose and the rear has been enlarged by five centimetres to add an extra 10 litres of trunk space.
That extra length means more weight; the Spider is 50 kilograms heavier than the MX-5. Fiat’s engineers put their own stamp on the chassis, increasing the stiffness with re-tuned springs and dampers, and adding a larger anti-roll bar.
Instead of the naturally aspirated 2.0-L four-cylinder of the MX-5, the Spider is powered by the same 1.4-L turbocharged four-cylinder engine as the Fiat 500 Abarth. With 160 horsepower (165 in the 124 Abarth) and 184 pound-feet of torque, it’s more powerful than the Mazda, and more importantly, there’s more torque.
It’s mated to the six-speed manual transmission from the previous MX-5, as the longer gear ratios are a better match for the extra torque.
Opting for the available sixspeed automatic transmission — FCA-Aisin engineered — adds $1,405 to the price. Only the upper-level Abarth automatics will receive paddle shifters.
There’s a slight fuel-consumption bump over the MX-5, which is rated 8.8 L/100 km in the city and 6.9 on the highway for the manual, or 8.9 city/6.5 highway with the automatic. The Spider is officially rated at 9.0/6.7 (manual) or 9.3 city/6.5 highway (automatic).
While the materials and available choices differ, the cockpit is virtually the same as the MX-5. There are extra lashings of wrapped and stitched leather, depending upon the trim level, and more liberal use of aluminum and gunmetal trim. But ergonomically speaking, if you’ve ever driven a Miata, everything in the cabin will be familiar, right down to the console location of the media controllers.
Our day began in the base model Classica, with the manual transmission and cloth upholstery. The manually adjustable seats are well bolstered and comfortable, but they’d be a snug fit for those of generous proportions. A push of the start button, which is standard across the lineup, and we were off.
There’s a healthier engine note from the turbo-four than the Miata’s naturally aspirated one, and more readily available torque. Power is doled out in a nice, linear progression instead of arriving all at once, so it’s a very civilized car in which to endure SoCal rush-hour traffic. Once we were out of the city, our route wound up and through the hills above San Diego, with plenty of tight hairpins to challenge both driver and suspension.
The Fiat’s suspension setup is stiffer than the MX-5’s, but combined with the extra size and weight, the result is very supple yet immensely capable handling.
The shifter is delightful, with perfectly placed throws, and the clutch take-up is nicely weighted, being neither too light nor grabby.
Swapping for a mid-range Lusso with six-speed automatic, we settled down for a more leisurely drive. Heated leather seats, rear-view camera, rainsensing wipers, 17-inch wheels and silver roll bars are some of the added features at this trim, which FCA believes will be the volume seller.
Our time with the Abarth models was limited to a closed autocross course. Aside from the scorpion badging, the Abarth has a matte-black hood, which not only helps manage heat exchange in the engine bay, but also helps reduce glare for the competition driver. Recaro seats, gunmetal wheels, chrome quad exhaust tips, and the black side sills and skirts are all unique to this model. The powertrain is the same, save for the five-horsepower boost and the Sport mode to optimize throttle response.
Similar to the MX-5’s available Sport Package, the Abarth comes with a mechanical limited-slip differential, front strut tower bar, Bilstein performance shocks, drilled pedals and available Brembo brakes.
Driving this car hard around a large course with plenty of sweeping turns and tight chicanes is an absolute blast. I particularly enjoyed the six-speed manual model equipped with extra Mopar performance parts, including a strut tower brace, a tunnel bracing kit, a dual-mode performance exhaust and an anodized bypass air valve that hissed as wickedly as a viper.
Will the Fiat 124 Spider scavenge the MX-5’s sales? Perhaps, but it’s more likely to widen the two-seat roadster fan base by offering a different set of choices.
Pricing starts at $33,495 for the base Classica, $36,495 for the Lusso, and $37,995 for the Spider Abarth.
Marking the 50th Anniversary of the original Spider is a special edition Prima Edizione, of which only 124 will be produced. It features commemorative badging, exclusive leather seating and Bronzo Magnetico paint; It will be priced at $42,190.
At time of publication, the first Fiat 124 Spiders have just docked at Vancouver and should be arriving in Canadian dealerships shortly.