Photo: Fiat
"Unlikely” is how Olivier Francois describes the possibility of making a new 124 Spider, and we’re not surprised. The Mazda-based roadster is no longer available in the United Kingdom over poor sales, and the rest of the world isn’t hurrying to buy it either.
So why is the future of the 124 Spider so uncertain? “It is not what I’d call a pure, absolute Fiat, but for now, it remains an interesting opportunity.” This brings us to the Toyota-BMW partnership that brought us the GR Supra, a disappointment for previous-gen Supra enthusiasts and a minimal effort from Toyota’s part given the BMW inline-six powerplant.
Fiat, by comparison, decided to swap the SkyActiv-G for a turbocharged four-cylinder from the MultiAir family. The 1.4-liter engine is available in two states of tune, topping 164 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. Abarth describes this output as enough to “leave a lasting impression on the track,” and that’s an uncanny exaggeration by all accounts.
For all its rights and wrongs, the world needs more fun little roadsters such as the 124 Spider. These cars might not be as profitable as the 500X crossover or a UV such as the Jeep Grand Cherokee, but nevertheless, they’re the exception to the norm and that’s what makes these cars so special. Mazda, however, is the leader of the segment with the MX-5.
Speaking of which, care to guess what’s the pricing difference between the two half-brothers in the United States? The Mazda is $25,730 excluding destination charge, packing 181 horsepower and 151 pound-feet from the get-go. The non-Abarth version of the 124 Spider is $25,440 for 160 bhp and a bit more torque than the MX-5. Given these circumstances, which of the two would you take home?
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