New Fiat Spider 124

[leafman60]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/enthusiasts/2017-fiat-124-spider-caught-undisguised/ar-AAeSzhL?ocid=HPDHP

[rocker59]

For 2017.  What's taking them so long?

I guess there was a delay of game when FIAT switched the branding from ALFA to FIAT.

I want to see the Turbo'd Abarth version!

[segesta]

"Spy" photos that include a scenic background and an attractive couple?

Seems like everything in media today--from Bomb-Looking Clock Boy to Mattress Girl to Pope-Meeting Immigrant Girl to Anti-Muslim Trump Questioner Guy to, yes, auto spy photos--is a plant, a fake, a Potemkin Village.

Rant over. Cool car.

[fotoguzzi]

a bit of a Maserati-ish appearance.
that's funny!

[rocker59]

"Spy" photos that include a scenic background and an attractive couple?

Seems like everything in media today--from Bomb-Looking Clock Boy to Mattress Girl to Pope-Meeting Immigrant Girl to Anti-Muslim Trump Questioner Guy to, yes, auto spy photos--is a plant, a fake, a Potemkin Village.

Rant over. Cool car.

Yeah.  Those are some pretty lame "spy photos".  They look like posed photos that were purposefully pixelated, after the fact, to make them look fuzzy.

[rocker59]

a bit of a Maserati-ish appearance.
that's funny!

If anything, the 2016 Miata looks as much, or more "Maserati-ish" than the "spy photos" of the 124..





But I can see what they mean about the tail lights.

[Bill929]

When you see them side by side the GranTurismo dwarfs the Miata - it is 38 inches longer and 2000 lbs. heavier.  It has a real (as in usable) rear seat and close to 3x the bhp (155 vs. 454).  And that intoxicating Italian V-8 exhaust note...   

[rocker59]

For sure.  But, you can't deny the Maserati lines cribbed by whoever penned the new Miata's bodywork.

[Groover]

I think they should have kept the fin/bulges on the back end corners from the original body style, as well as the tail light shape of the 80's generation (more aggressive). The new rear blends in too much with everything else being pointed out on this thread. The front works however, I think it's a good mimic of the original. I wish these car designers would ask me for approval before putting things out on the road... it's making me mad 

[Bill929]

For sure.  But, you can't deny the Maserati lines cribbed by whoever penned the new Miata's bodywork.

The Fiat Group owns Maserati (as well as Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Chrysler), and has a contractual relationship with Mazda, so I'm sure some of the GT's Pininfarina body work trickled down to the Miata/124.  Can you blame them?  Several motoring publications list the GT as one of the most beautiful automotive shapes around and the Miata is arguably the best "affordable" sports car out there. 

[LowRyter]

I must say that I am a bit underwhelmed. 

Glad it doesn't have an Alfa Duetto badge on it.  My guess is the designers looked at what they had to work with and decided the Alfa treatment was a no-go. 

And it doesn't look as sweet as the old 124 either. 

[canuck750]

My sister had a FIAT 124 in the 70's. good looking car, reliability, build quality, piece of s**t. The convertible top flapped and leaked, the windows leaked, interior was crappy even by 70's North American big 3 standards. Then the engine needed a major overhaul before it even had 60,000 miles on it.

My wife had a 2008 Miata, kept it for four years, it was bullet proof, I would take the Japanese alternative any day over the lovely Italian offering.

[cruzziguzzi]

Looks like a BMW Z series slipped a Miata a Mickey.

Definitely not the "retro" Spider I was expecting.

Todd.

[jackson]

Fiat will probably sell a lot of these convertibles.  Fiat has come a long way since they left the USA marketplace in the early 80's.  I like cars as much as I like motorcycles.  A little over a year ago, I bought a Fiat Abarth coupe with the 160hp turbo engine; installed a Unichip ECU piggyback to give it another 40hp and 240 lbs of torque and it accelerates & corners like a scalded ape on steroids.     Lot's of fun to drive since it weighs less than 2500 lbs.  Never had the first problem with the car in 15 months of ownership.  I'm happy to see Fiat coming out with more exciting new products.

[rocker59]

My wife had a 2008 Miata, kept it for four years, it was bullet proof, I would take the Japanese alternative any day over the lovely Italian offering.

The new Miata and 124 are a shared project between FIAT and Mazda.  They're the same car, built with many of the same parts.

The new 124 should be good.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Then the engine needed a major overhaul before it even had 60,000 miles on it.

She probably drove it like a Chevy, probably maintained it like one too. I put 126k miles on a Fiat X1/9 - ran it like it was stolen 90% of the time, changed cam belts and did other maintenance religiously. Still strong running when I sold it. 

[stmike]

I just bought one of these last week, but mine says Miata on it.
A close friend had a 124 back in the day, and I enjoyed driving that one too.

[Rox]

The new Miata and 124 are a shared project between FIAT and Mazda.  They're the same car, built with many of the same parts.

The new 124 should be good.

I was excited about the 124 till I found this out. It's not that the Miata is bad ( it's actually awesome) but that it's just another rebadged other car. Kinda takes away that special thing. The 500 was based off a Punto but at least another Fiat . The 124 is off a Mazda. Kind of a curve ball. That's just me though.
I have an Abarth and love it. Quirky as hell but love it. If the 124 makes me as giddy as my Abarth I can probably get over the Mazda thing. 

[not-fishing]

My sister had a FIAT 124 in the 70's. good looking car, reliability, build quality, piece of s**t. The convertible top flapped and leaked, the windows leaked, interior was crappy even by 70's North American big 3 standards. Then the engine needed a major overhaul before it even had 60,000 miles on it.

My wife had a 2008 Miata, kept it for four years, it was bullet proof, I would take the Japanese alternative any day over the lovely Italian offering.

Yeah well I've had two Italian cars, a '74 X1/9 that I put 100,000 miles on without major trouble although I did put a hot-rod cam, exhaust and intake in and a '79 Alfa Spyder for over 100,000 miles.

Sure the regular maintenance for the Italian cars were more effort I did much of it myself but they were one heck of a lot better car than my '84 Toyota top of the line Supra that ATE CAMSHAFTS at 34,000 miles (mfg defect) then KATO'd the engine at 110,000 with a dropped valve (another mfg defect).

I'm not impressed with Japanese cars, they just have fewer small failures and a bigger Advertising budget. 

Mark

[Sasquatch Jim]

 The fat spider is a neat looking car if you're into cars.  When I buy something with that many wheels I prefer a truck.
  A simple uncomplicated truck.

[Don Ivey]

Well, I'm more excited by the new Alfa Guilia than anything on the horizon.  With a Maserati/Ferrari engine putting out about 500hp.  Best thing I've seen since my '87 Milano Verde.  Too bad it's going to cost about $90K.

[LowRyter]

It's a shame we can't get the Alfa Hatch that was used as the WSBK pace car.  And it's a shame there isn't an affordable Duetto or Sprint.  I am not interested in a cramped BMW wannabe when I can get a Camaro for half the cost. 

The Miata is a nice little car but might be a little horsepower challenged. At one time they said the Italian-badged version would have an Italian engine; perhaps that's why they dropped the Alfa version?

[rocker59]

It's a shame we can't get the Alfa Hatch that was used as the WSBK pace car.  And it's a shame there isn't an affordable Duetto or Sprint.  I am not interested in a cramped BMW wannabe when I can get a Camaro for half the cost. 

Holy crap, man!  If you're cross-shopping Camaros with ALFAs, you're missing the point.

7lbs per horsepower and 3.8sec 0-60.  The Guilia is no slouch.

I haven't seen specs, but since it's a mid-size sedan designed to compete with cars like BMW's 3-series, I don't see how it will be "cramped".  Especially when comparing to a new Camaro.

The Miata is a nice little car but might be a little horsepower challenged. At one time they said the Italian-badged version would have an Italian engine; perhaps that's why they dropped the Alfa version?

The FIAT 124 will have FIAT engines.

They moved the project from ALFA to FIAT because it was determined that ALFA should stay "all Italian", whereas FIAT customers would be more accepting of a "world car".

[jcctx]

The old 124 was better looking; at least to my old eye!!!

[LowRyter]

Holy crap, man!  If you're cross-shopping Camaros with ALFAs, you're missing the point.

7lbs per horsepower and 3.8sec 0-60.  The Guilia is no slouch.

yea.  4 series, 6 series, Guilla.  For sure would cross shop it to a 2016 Camaro. 

[rodekyll]

Back in the day I passed on the 124 and went straight to the car that defined Fiat to a generation -- the mighty 128!   

[Dogwalker]

the mighty 128!

You can say it. Every modern front weel drive - transverse engine car owes its mechanical scheme to the 128.

[Peter from Sch'dy]

You can say it. Every modern front weel drive - transverse engine car owes its mechanical scheme to the 128.

I might but the mini got there first.

Best,
Peter

[rodekyll]

I'd have thought the '62 Austin America (BMC-A engine mfg in Spain iirc) had that title.  Fiat gave us the flintstone-brake-special 128 in '69.

[Groover]

My dad had a Fiat 128 Rally back in the late 70's, then then my older brother took it over but we sold it before I was driving. Looked exactly like this one, but it was white: Cool car, revs to no limit pretty much. That's how those old Fiats are.