Fiat Will Make An Abarth 124 Spider

Fiat 124 Spider (Credit: Fiat)

Already, Fiat is answering the calls of many enthusiasts by using the new MX-5 Miata’s platform, but adding more power. If that’s still not enough, the Italians will be releasing an Abarth 124 Spider. It will be the halo car for the Fiat name, showing that the Italians are all about making you happy behind the wheel.

This is great news, because for some drivers, they’re only happy when there’s loads of power at their disposal. Instead of just being a rocket strapped to a sled, the Fiat Abarth 124 Spider brings to the table almost perfect balance and the kind of handling ability dreams are made of. This will be the car you want to take to the track for some hot laps, or up the winding canyon road for more fun than a visit to Six Flags.

Nothing official has been released about the car’s looks, but expect it to be more aggressive in appearance. Likely, it will have more aero parts, including a front splitter and rear diffuser. Expect larger air vents for the front fascia as well as at the back end of the fenders, helping the brakes stay cool during hard use. The wheels should be dark and meaner-looking, and red brake calipers are a pretty sure shot. Other elements designed to communicate the more potent nature of the car will also be present.

The engine right now is a bit of a mystery. The regular version of the roadster already uses the MultiAir engine from the Abarth 500, which far surpasses the new Miata’s output. Most think the likely candidate is the unit from the Alfa Romeo 4C, but detuned a little. If true, the 124 Spider Abarath would be pretty fast, maybe going from 0 to 60 in the neighborhood of five seconds.

According to a report from Auto Express, Abarth will start making more high-performance cars that aren’t based on Fiats. Whether any of those vehicles will reach North America remains to be seen, but one can hope.