Fiat 124 Spider (2016)

In May 2012, Mazda and Alfa Romeo — at the time a subsidiary of the Fiat Group, now Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) — announced a joint venture to manufacture a common rear wheel drive platform. The companies would "develop two differentiated, distinctly styled, iconic and brand specific, lightweight roadsters featuring rear wheel drive", with the two variants offering proprietary engines unique to each brand.[10]

In December 2014, FCA's Sergio Marchionne determined Alfa Romeos would be manufactured only in Italy,[11] saying "some things belong to a place. Alfa belongs to Italy," adding "I remain committed to that architecture, with our powertrain. I'm not sure it will be with Alfa. But it will be with one of our brands."[12]

At the time, Alfa Romeos were manufactured only in Italy, while Fiats were manufactured in Italy, but also globally — from Tychy, Poland, to Toluca, Mexico.

With their prior agreement in place — for FCA to market a roadster based on the MX-5 to be manufactured by Mazda at its Hiroshima factory — FCA conceived of marketing a Fiat badged variant in lieu of the Alfa Romeo variant.[7] In August 2016, FCA formally announced the Fiat 124 Spider based on the Mazda ND platform.[13][14]

The 124 Spider, rear

In December 2016, the Detroit News stated "in partnering with Mazda’s MX-5 Miata to resurrect the classic Fiat 124 Spider, Fiat Chrysler not only gained a halo sports car for its struggling Italian brand, but likely saved the most celebrated small sports car of the past 25 years (the MX-5)" — citing the markedly increased cost of developing a new car at the time[15] and "the costliest wave of government regulation since the 1970s."[15]

In January 2019, FCA announced that the Fiat 124 Spider was to be withdrawn from the market in the United Kingdom with immediate effect. The Abarth 124 Spider continued to be sold, but this too was withdrawn from the UK market in April 2019.

On December 23, 2020, Stellantis announced that the 124 Spider and 500L will be withdrawn from their North American model lineup after the 2020 model year and will not return for 2021, as is the situation with 500L and 500X (all the models are expected to sell into 2021 until stock depletion).[16]

The 124 Spider is powered by Fiat's 1.4 litre MultiAir turbocharged inline-four, producing 140 PS (103 kW; 138 hp) and 240 N⋅m (177 lb⋅ft) of torque[1] in European specification—and 160 hp (119 kW; 162 PS) and 184 lb⋅ft (249 N⋅m) of torque in North American specification.[3] The 124 manual transmission is from the third generaton MX-5's six speed transmission to cope with the turbo's torque.[17]

Multiair is a hydraulically actuated variable valve timing (VVT) engine technology enabling "cylinder by cylinder, stroke by stroke"[18] control of intake air directly via a gasoline engine's inlet valves. Developed by Fiat Powertrain Technologies, the technology bypasses a primary engine inefficiency: pumping losses caused by restriction of the intake passage by the throttle plate, used to regulate air feeding the cylinders.[19]

At the 124's debut, Fiat marketed a 124 Spider Anniversary edition, with 124 units carrying the designation—to commemorate the 50th anniversary of original 124 Sport Spider. Including features of the 124 Spider Lusso Plus trim, the edition also includes chromed mirrors, red '124' badge on the front grille, interior numbered plaque, red exterior and black leather interior.[21]

Abarth 124 Spider

The Abarth 124 Spider is a performance version of the Fiat 124 Spider (2016). It features an upgraded version of the 124's 1.4 litre MultiAir Turbo engine tuned to produce 170 PS (125 kW; 168 hp) at 5,500 rpm and 250 N⋅m (184 lb⋅ft) of torque at 2500 rpm.

Jeremy Clarkson, in his "Driving" column of The Sunday Times, gave the Fiat 124 Spider three out of five stars, saying that "You'd expect the Fiat, being Italian and all, to be sportier and more manic than the MX-5, but actually it's quieter and less fun."[22]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fiat 124 Spider (2016).

• Official website (USA)
• 2017 Fiat 124 Spider First Drive Review: Incredibly Inevitable (Motor Trend)