Fiat unveils MX-5-based 124 Spider

Production Cars 19 Nov 2015

Fiat is reviving the 124 Spider model nearly 50 years after its introduction with a lightweight, fun-to-drive roadster based on the new-generation Mazda MX-5.

From its Japanese counterpart, the 124 has borrowed the platform and the interior, while the exterior has been completely revised.

While the wheelbase of the two cars is the same (90.9-inch – 2.31 meters), the length has been increased by 5.5-inch (14 cm) up to 159.6-inch (4.05 meters), which gives the Italian roadster classic-inspired proportions.

The design, developed at Centro Stile in Turin, Italy, includes many styling cues that recall the original 124 Spider: from the muscular front and rear fender, to the sharp horizontal rear lamps, to the powerdomes on the hood.

The 124 Spider’s suspension uses a double-wishbone layout in front and a multi-link in the rear, specifically tuned for greater stability while braking and turning. Steering is light and responsive with the use of an electric power assist (dual pinion) system.

In North America, where it will be launched in summer 2016, the Fiat 124 Spider will be equipped with the proven 1.4-liter MultiAir Turbo four-cylinder engine, the engine’s first application in a rear-wheel-drive vehicle. The engine delivers 160 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. of torque, and is available with a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic transmission.