THE PROS & CONS
- What’s Best: The handling and steering qualities are first rate.
- What’s Worst: The power is up over the MX-5 but turbo lag is an issue with the 124 Spider.
- What’s Interesting: Rather than just re-badging the MX-5, Fiat has done a nice job of creating a vehicle with different dynamics.
Readers who were around back in the late ’60s may remember a movie titled, The Italian Job.
Flash forward to the present and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has created its own ‘Italian job’ in the form of the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider, an Italian take on the iconic Mazda MX-5 roadster.
The 124 Spider is part of a joint venture between the two automakers, which sees Mazda supply the platform, various parts and the assembly line in Hiroshima, Japan for a new Fiat offering that pays homage to another classic sports car that at one time was quite popular on this side of the pond.
Rather than just re-badging the MX-5, Fiat has created a two-seat roadster that has different dynamics than its Japanese counterpart. The looks are also slightly different as every piece of sheet metal on the Spider is all new.
Of course we’re talking about the original Fiat 124 Spider, which returns for 2017, 50 years after its original introduction.
The current Spider was designed in Turin, Italy and borrows cues from the original one, a Pininfarina design considered by many to be one of Fiat’s most beautiful cars of all time. It was produced from 1966-80.
The new Spider bears a striking resemblance to the MX-5, but interestingly, all the body panels are different.
Fiat has taken design cues from the original 124 Spider that debuted 50 years ago.
And while looks are important when you’re talking sports cars, it’s how they perform that’s crucial and Fiat had to get things right when you consider the MX-5 is the best-selling two-seat roadster of all time and the reigning World Car of the Year for 2016.
Those are big shoes (or should we say wheels?) to fill and Fiat on most counts has succeeded.
Oh, there are a few nits to pick, such as the 50 kilos of extra weight in the Spider and a hefty dose of turbo lag with the 1.4-litre MultiAir turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine.
Unlike the naturally aspirated 2.0-litre engine in the Mazda MX-5, Fiat has turbocharged the 1.4-litre MultiAir four-cylinder engine in the Spider.
It is the first application of this engine in a rear-wheel drive vehicle and it delivers 160 hp and 184 lb/ft of torque, both upping the ante on Mazda’s naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre four-banger, which returns 155 hp and 148 lb/ft of torque.
On the positive side of the ledger, the body of the Spider is slightly longer than the MX-5’s by about 140 mm, resulting in a trunk that has 10 litres more cargo room — a bonus for anyone who wants space for the odds and sods needed for a weekend get-away.
And thinking of that, the 124 Spider proved to be the perfect car for just such an occasion — particularly on a beautiful October day when the leaves are starting to change to a brilliant red hue here in southern Ontario.
Drop the manual top (it’s light and a snap to put up or down in seconds), crank up the heater a notch when you feel a chill and enjoy the ride.
Our tester for the week was the mid-range 124 Spider Lusso, which comes with a base price of $36,495.
With options like the $4,200 Premium Collection that has a host of features like auto-dimming mirrors, headlamp washers, automatic headlamp levelers, navigation system, nine-speaker Bose audio system, Sirius XM satellite radio, rear park assist and more, the as-tested price jumps to $43,585 including $1,795 for freight and PDI.
On this trim, leather heated seats, air conditioning with automatic temperature control, a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system among other features are standard.
The base model is the 124 Spider Classica, starting at $33,495, and nicely equipped in its own right.
But the creme-de-la-creme in the lineup is the top-shelf Abarth edition, priced at $37,995.. The power is up slightly on this trim level to 164 hp and paddle shifters are available, the only trim to offer them.
At this level, you’ll also be able to get a Brembo braking package and sporty Recaro seats.
That beautiful Abarth sound that we first noted in the Fiat 500 Abarth is just as wonderful this time around.
Our 124 Spider tester with Lusso trim had a beautiful Saddle tan-colour leather interior.
The MX-5 is offered with no additional charge for an automatic transmission. With the Spider, on the other hand, an automatic transmission is a $1,495 upgrade.
While the cabin of the Spider is a bit of a tight fit for those of generous proportions like myself, it’s far from uncomfortable. The seats are nicely bolstered and legroom is adequate, even for my six-foot frame.
The saddle tan-coloured leather interior in our tester was particularly attractive. In all, the Spider cabin may be a touch more on the upscale side than the MX-5.
The trunk is 140 litres. That little bag is the tire inflator kit.
On the road, you also notice some differences between the two.
The suspension appears a bit stiffer in the Spider and there is slightly more straight-ahead power once you get over the turbo lag. Handling is simply wonderful as the car stays firmly planted, even on the tightest of corners. Steering is also nicely weighted and predictable and I just loved the manual shifter with its short throws, much like the unit on the MX-5.
With cars so similar I’m sure I’ll be asked which one I would choose, Fiat or Mazda?
These 17-inch alloy wheels are an upgrade on the Lusso trim over the 16-inchers on the base model.
That’s a tough call since they both bring different qualities to the table.
So, I’ll have to sit on the fence on this one and just say I’d be happy to have either one.
Whichever way you go, you can’t go wrong; you’re getting a super two-seat roadster at a reasonable price.
The 124 Spider, shown here in mid-level Lusso trim, adds these silver roll bar headers and dual-tip chrome exhaust from the base Classica edition.
Fiat 124 Spider 2017
BODY STYLE: two-seat sports car.
DRIVE METHOD: front-engine, rear-wheel drive.
ENGINE: 1.4-litre MultiAir turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine (160 hp, 184 lb/ft of torque) with six-speed manual transmission or six-speed automatic.
FUEL ECONOMY: 9.0/6.7/7.9 L/100 km city/highway/combined.
CARGO VOLUME: 140 litres.
PRICE: Classica $33,495; Lusso $36,495, Abarth $37,995. As tested $43,585 including $1,795 freight.
WEB SITE: www.fiatcanada.ca
Show Comments
Keyword: Fiat brings Italian flare to the roadster market