autoevolution
 

New Fiat 124 Imagined as a Mercedes-Benz Would Make for a Decent SLA-Class

The truth is that beyond all the design issues the new Fiat 124 might raise with some people (OK, most people), the real problem with the new roadster has to do with its engines.
Fiat 124 meets Mercedes-Benz SL 1 photo
Photo: Theophilus Chin
We know the chassis has all the chances of being great, since it shares its underpinnings with the wonderful Mazda MX-5, but the engines are a little underwhelming, to say the least. It should still be a fun car to drive, no doubt about that, but you can’t help feel that it could have been much more than that.

Theophilus Chin, self-proclaimed “automotive manipulator,” has obviously been watching the current edition of the Los Angeles Auto Show, carefully filing every new model that was being launched there. It seems that, out of the impressive list, two somewhat similar cars (joined by the optional absence of the roof) have caught his eye: the all-new Fiat 124 we’ve been talking about and the facelifted version of the Mercedes-Benz SL roadster.

Being an “automotive manipulator,” Theophilus Chin began manipulating the two world premieres and ended up with one car instead of two. The result can best be described as a Fiat 124 with a Mercedes-Benz SL snout. It can also be described as a tentative SLA-Class roadster that will probably never happen.

The few really great things about the Fiat 124 are the fact that it’s a small, light, and nimble car, but the most important thing is that it has rear-wheel-drive. If the current Mercedes-Benz nomenclature were to be respected, the fictional SLA-Class we’re talking about would have to be based on the current MFA platform that can be found under every A-Class, CLA, B-Class or GLA car out there. As we all know, these vehicles come with either front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive. So there goes half the fun.

Mercedes-Benz actually used the SLA name before, but it was for its Vision SLA concept, a tiny two-seater shown in 2000 and based on the A-Class of that time, which we all know how exciting it was. Mercedes-Benz decided against it, and so the name was never used again. Until now. We hope we didn’t startle some evil spirits or something.

But never mind that, tell us what you think of this weird little concoction.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Vlad Mitrache
Vlad Mitrache profile photo

"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories