Abarth 124 GT
Carbonfibre hard-top adds little to an already fun package
THE GREAT IRONY ABOUT THE modern mainstream roadster is that by utilising a conventional monocoque construction but without a roof panel in place, it is intrinsically less rigid, and therefore less dynamically adept, than the term ‘sports car’ would have you believe. That doesn’t apply to drop-tops with a tub-style build – Elises, Mclarens, etc – but it does, sadly, to Fiat’s Mx-5-based roadster, the 124.
That doesn’t stop us loving the Abarth version all the same, because its playful chassis, complemented by the amusingly rorty 168bhp 1.4-litre turbo engine, is a giggle-aminute when combined with a B-road and a warm summer’s day. What’s a little rear-view mirror wobble among friends, anyway?
However, this new GT model looks, on paper at least, to take the 124’s appeal even further. By screwing a carbonfibre roof panel in place, torsional rigidity is said to improve – although Abarth hasn’t revealed by how much. The car retains its fabric roof too, but lighter OZ wheels (by 4kg each) offset the extra 16kg of the new hard-top when it’s fitted.
When I first heard of the GT I got all excited, thinking it could be a more civilised 124 Rally. I was imagining proper seats, a driving position that didn’t mean I had to look over the cant rail, and a much more focused chassis. But the GT is no such thing. The increase in rigidity is hard to detect on smooth roads, although it does feel like there’s a small difference. Other than that it’s the same old loveable Abarth 124. But given a hefty chunk of that car’s appeal comes from top-down motoring with a simple unlatching of the roof, I’m not sure the tiny improvements here are worth it – even before the ten per cent price increase to £29,565.