Roadster offers spiffy alternative to edgy Miata
It’s hard to come up with a viable Italian/Japanese mashup. Caruso karaoke? Nah. Sushi pizza? Don’t t hink so. How about a Fiat/ Mazda sports car? Hmmm … might be on to something here.
FCA, in its i nfi ni t e wisdom, jumped in bed with Mazda to bring us a redux of the beloved Fiat 124 Spider, a fourcylinder roadster that was in production from 1966-1982. If you need to build a tidy, low- priced two- seat droptop, you go to the source. The 2017 Fiat 124 Spider uses the bones of the feted new- gen Mazda MX-5 Miata, and it is built in the same Hiroshima plant.
But how different is the Fiat from the Mazda? Does this re-skinned Miata have some Italian brio in its soul? I’m heading to Grand Bend, Ont., in a Rosso Passione (passionate red) Fiat 124 Spider Lusso to find out. After all, red convertibles and summer beach towns go together like Sangiovese Riserva and a steaming plate of spaghetti.
To the Miata’s swoopy wedge profile, the Fiat is all retro, echoing the Pininfarina bodywork of the original. It shows squared-off corners, faired headlights, power domes in the hood and a faintly grinning trapezoidal grille. This is the luxury-trim Lusso model that starts at $36,495, and for that we get 17-inch wheels (over the standard 16-inchers), silver windshield surround, fog lamps, dual chrome exhaust, auto headlights, fog lamps, rainsensing wipers, rear- view camera, Mazda’s seven- inch touch screen with rotary controller, heated seats and a cabin swathed in leather.
In place of the Mazda Miata’s naturally aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine (155 horsepower, 148 poundfeet of torque) Fiat drops in its own Italian designed-andbuilt 1.4- L turbo four that makes 160 hp and a robust 184 lb-ft of torque. Fiat has also re-tuned the suspension to its own specifications. A sixspeed manual transmission is standard fare; a six-speed auto is optional.
I open the trunk and throw in my overnight bag, knapsack and a few other items. The extra 10 L of capacity over the Miata’s boot is noticeable and welcomed. Sliding into the seat is déjà vu. Save for the ritzier trim and a more cushy chair, this interior is all Mazda — which is all good.
The driving position is spot on, the HVAC controls work with expensive precision, and the interface with its Germanic rotary controller adds a touch of upscale flair. And of course, the tossover-the-shoulder fabric top is brilliant in its simplicity.
Time to fire up this wee slice of Italian nostalgia and feel the “passione” within. Wait … what? Where’s the raspy exhaust note? This same engine in the Fiat 500 Abarth sounds like a nest full of angry hornets. For that experience you’ll need to go for the edgier $ 37,995 124 Abarth, which also gets sportier suspension tuning, limited-slip differential, sport seats, unique wheels and body bits, plus an extra four horses. This Lusso appears to be tailored for a more mature demographic, one that my wife claims I have no hope of ever being a part of. Fine. I’l l make my own loud exhaust noises. With the Fiat’s red bonnet pointed northwest, I head for the Halton Hills, where a blast over some of my favourite twisty back roads should reveal its character. I bid the cows good morning and pick up the occasional bird song over the oh-so-polite exhaust.
As with the MX- 5 Miata, the Fiat’s short-throw shifter is a tactile delight, although this tranny is actually from t he previous- generation Miata as the new, lighter unit couldn’t handle the little turbo’s torque. Indeed, the essence of the Mazda l i ves within this Italian kissing cousin. Driving it is all about economy of motion, small steering inputs, wrist- flick shifts and a tip of the right foot to execute heel- and- toe rev matching, thanks to those perfectly placed pedals.
But the differences make themselves known, too. And there are many. The Fiat exhibits less body roll when tucking into the bends, and the ride shows more compliance than that of the Mazda. Likewise, the steering is a little less darty. The seats are more comfortable and there’s more sound insulation. It’s like Fiat has toned down the unbridled eagerness of the MX-5 to bring us a less frenetic, GT version.
Ah, t he engine. More power and torque can only be a good thing, right? Yes and no. In the mid- range, this 1.4- L turbo pulls hard, but the window of opportunity is relatively narrow when compared to the linear and rev- hungry delivery of the Miata’s 2.0- L naturally aspirated unit. Drop below 1,700 rpm and this tiny Italian four- pot closes up shop. You’ll be banging on the door for a while: Turbo lag, I know thy name.
So I kept the revs in the meat and enjoyed this terrific roadster on a day and on roads for which it was perfectly tailored. Adding to this tester’s “grand touring” cred was the $4,200 Premium Collection that bestowed navigation, terrific adaptive LED headlights, auto- dimming mirrors, Bose audio, rear park assist, blind-spot/crosstraffic detection and more.
Some sports car purists are getting all whiny about the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider. They posit Fiat took the purest of roadsters — the best Miata yet — and added a boxy body, at least 70 kg, made it quieter, more comfortable, and gave it effortless top-gear passing power.
Well, yes it did. And in doing so it created a thoroughly enjoyable and viable alternative to the edgy Miata, and one that will bring a different demographic to the party. I say bravo.