Abarth 124 Spider vs. 595 Competition Drag Race Is About Traction

On paper, this race is very close and actually favors the 500-based hatchback. It's light and has a 180 HP version of the engine fitted to the roadster, which is 10 HP down. Both come with manual gearboxes and have similar tire configurations.

Fiat says the 595 Competition will do 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 6.7 seconds while the 124 Spider needs 6.8 seconds. But Top Gear's drag race proves that it's the other way around.

As anybody who's ever looked at a drag race knows, rear-wheel-drive cars have a huge advantage. As you accelerate, the momentum of pushes the back down and lifts the nose of any vehicle. So FWD hatchbacks lose traction while your typical BMW becomes faster.

That's what's happening here. The 124 Spider has better traction in first gear. After that, the 595 Competition's driver messes up a shift and loses even more time. So what the manufacturer says is very close turns out to be a landslide victory for the Miata-based convertible.

Of course, drive skill also plays a part, since both are manual. At the end of the day, the twin Abarth models are all about the way they make you feel, not drag racing down an empty runway. They'd probably even lose to a BMW 320d xDrive.

Speaking of which, we have to mention that even though the Abarth model is marketed as a lightweight sports car, it's still 90 kg (198 lbs) heavier than the MX-5 with the 2-liter engine. As standard, the Abarth model features a cool body kit and gunmetal gray 17-inch wheels. The red and black Alcantara interior is also standard, although it's painfully obvious that everything except the badges was made by Mazda.