First sight of Fiat 124 Spider 19 | 11 | 2015
FIAT HAS LIFTED the lid from its all-new 124 Spider, which is scheduled to enter Scottish showrooms next autumn. It will come as now surprise, now you've seen the photo, that the car is the result of a joint project between Fiat and Mazda: the 124 Spider shares the same platform as the latest generation of the Mazda MX-5.
Unveiled at the Los Angeles Motor Show the new rear-wheel drive, two-seat convertible Fiat will be powered by a 138bhp version of the Italian giant's 1.4-litre MultiAir II petrol engine. It will be mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.
Though Fiat has yet to confirm performance figures, it's expected the 124 Spider — which returns the famous name to showrooms for the first time in almost 50 years — will hit 62mph from standstill in around 7.3secs. That would match the more powerful 2.0-litre MX-5.
And don't be surprised if the Fiat is pitched slightly higher in price than the Mazda: the current MX-5 starts around £19,500.
Interestingly, the US market will get a 158bhp version of the 1.4 MultiAir, but no decision has been made as to whether that power unit will come to the UK.
Related: Roadtest — Mazda MX-5 1.5 Sport Nav
Slightly longer than the MX-5, due to its slight increases in the front and rear overhangs, the wheelbase of the Fiat remains the same. And while the windscreen, header rail, manually-operated fabric roof and the rollover protection are carried over from the Mazda, the Fiat has a set of completely new body panels.
Inside the cabin, it's very MX-5. Not only does the architecture mirror that of the Mazda, but the Fiat also gets a reskinned version of Mazda’s 7in touch-screen infotainment system on higher-end editions.
The front of the Fiat gets a hexagonal grille and three-piece LED rings designed to echo the original 124 Spider's round headlights. Likewise, the bonnet boasts two 'power domes', again mirroring the original model.
Perhaps the most noticeable styling difference from the Mazda is the Fiat's pronounced kick up over the rear wheelarch. At the rear, the Italian soft-top also gets rectangular tail-lights which incorporate reversing lights in their centre; another recent Fiat styling trend.
Another nice styling cue carried over from the original 124 Spider is the decision to mount the Fiat badge on the bonnet, rather than have it hanging from its vertical edge.
It would be fair to assume, in time, the range will be supplemented by an Abarth version, potentially with around 170bhp.
Related: Fiat debuts new pick-up
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Jim McGill