Fiat & Abarth 124 Spider: driving test and video
Posted on 20-06-2016 to 16:00 by CasperH – 64 Comments”
Fiat has two variations of their two-seater 124 Spider, and we could both try out. But which one is the most desirable?
[ First look, then read? Watch the video HERE! ]
Before we talk about the car itself, a small piece of history. The Fiat 124 Spider was, there never will come, were it not that there is a strange guy in the lead at the Fiat Group. That strange guy called Sergio Marchionne. It was Sergio (a.k.a. The turtleneck sweater) who ensured that the relationship between the Fiat Group and Mazda under high voltage. When the Japanese started with the development of the MX-5 ND, in fact, a deal was concluded with Alfa Romeo: the Japanese would the car develop, after which Alfa Romeo is an own roadster would build on the basis of that car. They got the chassis from Mazda, but then had to have the car in Japan to build. In that way, had Alfa Romeo less development costs, while Mazda more cars of the band, could not get roles in their Japanese factory.
But Sergio went over time across for are: Alfa Romeo, if no cars are build outside of Italy, that would be bad for the brand image. The Japanese, of course, about the falls, because that had the profitability of the MX-5 case is also calculated on the basis of a load of roadsters for the Italians. And so came the plan to the promised car under the Fiat logo on the market. However, the Fiat sells its cars to the 500-label. And there was never a two-seat cabrio-500 with rear-wheel drive, so something else had to be devised.
The classic
There was looked at what Fiat in the past had sold, and there was the 124 Spider to the front. What if there is a retro-design with the 124 Spider jacket on the basis of the MX-5 signed? That retro design sells also great on the 500!
And so it came to pass. The result was at the end of last year to the world shown. unlike most of you, I was not a fan of the design when I only the photos had seen. But now that I have the thing here for me see I come there all the way back. This is one of the most successful retro designs we’ve ever seen. The car looks choice, but at the same time, there is a lot of recognizable of the former 124 spider. The headlights, the nose, the logo orientation on the back cover, it does just all. What a beautiful little carriage, this became, especially in the stunning Azzuro Italia of our “Lusso” executed testauto, which is also on 17 inch rims instead of the standard 16 inch.
We “must” first with the 124 Spider on the step, halfway through the route this short, in exchange for the Abarth 124, for a drive through the Italian hills in the neighbourhood of Verona. Regardless of the appearance, there is more difference with the MX-5. But that is not the interior. The only really big difference is according to me the steering wheel, that is a bit thicker than the MX-5. Furthermore, it is actually all exactly the same. So it’s nice and clean, but with very little storage space. A small box under the armrest and a slightly larger box between the front seats are really the only possibilities to get your stuff to lose. No glove compartment, no boxes in the door. Da’s a bit difficult. However, there is a fairly spacious cargo area where we have two flight cases plus a load of loose items are easily lost.
To the extent practical things. I set my chair in on my 1 meter 85, which I in spite of the Japanese roots of this car is not even all the way back have to go with my chair. That is nice, but at the time I got there, a note about want to make begins, the cameraman Martijn to complain: he is slightly longer and sits with his knees almost clamp against the dashboard and there is no way to solve the problem. Now I understand why there is no glovebox is mounted. Do you want a 124 Spider drive, find a girlfriend up to 1,80 otherwise you get arguments about who should drive.
Motor seen, there is a choice of a 240 Nm and 140 bhp MultiAir four-cylinder. That’s it, that’s all the choice you have. If you want more than you need for the Abarth, but that we will discuss later. I start the engine with the starter button and we are on our way towards the Abarth. Of course I want to be fast so we try to smooth progress. And that is fine. The car is smooth enough (0-100 in 7.5 seconds) to sit to pop on the Italian roads. The handling is really brilliant to mention, that for a large part, of course, is due to the low weight of 1050 kg.
The car dances wonderfully by the curves, in which the state is particularly eager to submit and the rest of the car meekly follows. Wonderfully balanced and a nice predictable, which is also the boundary of the existing grip. It is notable that this Fiat 124 Spider is no moment of discomfort, but also no time, too many heels, or drawn. The only thing the car fails, is the power to play a little with the balance of the rear of the car. Upset generate work actually only with brute force, but that is the only downside on this its a nice balanced roadster. What a fine carriage!
Gallery: Fiat 124 Spider
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The scorpio
The Fiat 124 Spider comes to my taste so just a little bit of power shortage, but fortunately, is to find the solution in the form of the Abarth 124 Spider. The same basis, but than a little crazy, you could, this Abarth can describe. The men at Abarth are generally a simple assignment: to take a standard Fiat product and make it a car that you have a huge grin provides.
We have Fiat 124 Spider net on the side, and a gentle smile forms at the moment that I in the direction of the Abarth 124 Spider loop. What a crazy appearance. The red mirror covers, the red details in the grille, the wildly styled exterior and in addition: the matte black hood. It’s a tad over the top. Maybe even raunchy. But you can’t help but laugh, this is going to be fun!
A quick look in the interior reassures me: just like the Fiat has the Abarth that we be given a manual gearbox. The automatic transmission is nice, but not the best companion when you erase. The manual gearbox shifted trip in the Fiat and that will be in the Abarth. The details are also in the interior to be found everywhere. A plaque between the front seats with a technical drawing, red stitching, Abarthlogo’s where they fit: nice. Time to go for a drive.
The cube in the Abarth is the same 1.4 MultiAir, but with 250 Nm of torque and 170 hp to the rear wheels to let go. This should allow for a slightly faster sprint, namely 0-100 in 6,8 seconds. In addition, the whole car just a little tighter, with a Bilstein suspension and standard 17-inch “Razor”wheels. Time to bring the start button to print and watch what this little creature in the house.
Noise, that is immediately evident. The car sounds just as loud as our testauto looks like. I turn on the sport mode but directly in, and the traction control off. We don’t have much time, so maximum enjoyment is the motto. We turn right onto a road on which we first through a small village. The men of Abarth told me in exchange of the cars with a smile that there is a discount taken is with the local police. Nevertheless, I decide to not speed along the two speed cameras, driving and the speed limit to respect. Apart from the sound, there is actually little difference with the 124 Spider, the car does not feel hard a lot harder or something.
After the village we go straight a road that is regularly used as part of a hillclimb circuit. Time to put the gas can on it to throw it, and it will be immediately clear that this Abarth very eagerly to the gas depends. A few wider turns to be relaxing on the edge of grip taken. Immediately I feel that I have with this car is the ass a little easier with the gas. The higher we get, the more tighter the bochtencombinaties and the Abarth can dance with a lot of fun through it while the exhaust screams, collapses, whines and creaks of fun. That smile is now a huge grin become, interspersed with laugh out loud after yet another delicious doorgegleden bend. What a cute Spider! Sadly, we have the Abarth so to hand, because this can I still have a few hours on end.
Gallery: Abarth 124 Spider
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The only danger is now that I have the Fiat 124 Spider no hit more to find. I have the Abarth key just reluctantly returned to a friendly Italian lady, who provided me with a kind of meewarige smile in the direction of “our” Azzurro Italia Fiat 124 Spider guides. Although I garish will miss, I find that 124 secretly, or more beautiful. Not only because of the color scheme, but certainly also because of the just what cleanere design of the bumpers. And once on the road for the last part of this introduction is actually only the engine noise. That 140 hp small block is also all a lot of fun and 99% of people will never want to slip and pop it with a car like this. For those people, it is the Fiat 124 Spider is already fun enough.
Do you want a Fiat 124 Spider do that from the 33.995 euro and that is still over 4000 euros more than the MX-5 in the base cost. Is fair to say that the Fiat standard and equipped. We would still recommend the Lusso package checking, especially for the nice leather and the 17 inch wheels. That costs another 2000 euro extra.
If you want to pop and slide and crazy than you must for the Abarth, which is 45.495 euro cost. The Abarth is also available with a DCT automatic transmission, that is 2000 euro more expensive. Not the cheapest toy in the world, but so terribly fun! Movie!