The Abarth 124 Spider is just a re-bodied Mazda MX-5, and after the recent updates from Japan, it doesn't even have a power advantage. However, Abarth makes much better race cars, like this GT4 prototype.
Once in a while, we get some awesome camouflaged prototype sightings from the Monza track in Italy, unique cars. The 124 GT4 qualifies.
You'd never know that this is based on a leisurely 2-seat convertible from the way it looks. The bodywork is so aggressively styled, with vents over the wheels and a severe infusion of ground effects aero.
The GT4 also looks wider and longer than the road model, and that's because... it is. The body kit hugs it onto the race track, and we can't wait to see the camouflage to come off. There's also a new fascia that sucks air through the bottom, as the main grille is blocked off. Another noteworthy feature is the fixed hardtop with a quick-fill gas cap attached. The back view reveals massive vents extracting heat from all four wheels and an oversized diffuser. Don't you wish the road-going Abarth was even 30% this aggressive?
Magic is also happening under the hood, where the standard car's 1.4-liter turbo engine has been swapped for the 1.75-liter used by the Alfa Romeo 4C. As if that wasn't enough, it's also been tuned to produce 380 horsepower whereas the standard Abarth 124 would only get 170 HP.
Motorsport magazine reports suggest the track debut of the Abarth 124 GT4 will happen in April 2019 at the Italian GT Championship. Unless we're mistaken, that includes Ferraris, AMG GTs, and Huracans. Scary stuff for a 4-cylinder job!
Of course, the horsepower numbers and GT4 participation have not been confirmed by the Italian automaker. But listening to the exhaust of the 124, it's clear that this is no one-make race car like the MX-4 Cup. And all the other vehicles we mentioned are also at Monza, testing their own setups.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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