2017 Fiat 124 Spider: Fiata

I’ll admit right up front that I was a bit disappointed with the specs of the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider that have gone official. I was hoping the car would have significantly more power than its MX-5 cousin, but that isn’t to be. The 124 spider has 160 hp, only 5 hp more than the Mazda. What the 124 does have is significantly more torque with 184 lb-ft of twist – 24% more than its cousin.

The car will put power to the ground via a 6-speed manual or 6-speed auto transmission. Another thing the 124 Spider has is a completely new body; the two cars don’t share any body panels. The 124 is actually bigger than the MX-5 with a larger trunk. I suspect that larger size means more weight negating the power and torque gains to some extent.

Buyers can get the Classica or Lusso versions that differ in trim. Classica buyers get cloth seats and a 3-inch touchscreen. Lusso buyers get leather seats and a 7-inch touchscreen. That engine I mentioned before is right out of the Fiat 500 Abarth, and an Abarth version of the 124 Spider is still rumored.

Pricing is unannounced at this time, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s an Italian premium for the car compared to the Miata.