2017 Fiat 124 Spider: All Hail The Fiata
By Paulo Acoba
The 2017 Fiat 214 Spider. The body from a Miata with the from Fiat. All hail the Fiata!!!
When you use someone else’s car to underpin your own creation, you’re going to try your darndest to inform the public that it’s really something entirely new and that’s exactly what Fiat Chrysler is trying to do with this reveal. Earlier today (Nov. 18, 2015) FCA pulled the wraps a day early off its 2017 Fiat 124 Spider. Last year we got inklings and rumors that a partnership was brewing between Mazda and Fiat and today we finally get to see the fruits of its labor. More powerful, sporting a silky Italian dress and with an open top, the Fiat 124 Spider is ready to prove the motoring community it’s ready and totally not a Miata.
Perhaps one of the more redeeming qualities that’ll get people heading over to the Fiat dealership then to Mazda is that 1.4 liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder from the 500 Abarth underneath the hood. With 160 HP and 184 lb-ft of torque, the Fiat 124 trumps the MX-5 by 15 HP and more importantly by 36 lb-ft. We’ve posted a video of the Fiat’s exhaust note in the Abarth to remind you what’s possible when you straight pipe the exhaust from the factory. Maximum flow and minimum restriction is the name of the game and while Fiat probably quieted down the 124 Spider…you can make it sound absolutely raucous.
The exterior pays homage to Fiat’s that have come before this one especially on the hood with a pair of elongated, rounded humps (a throwback to DOHC?)
Inside, no surprise it’s all Mazda Miata except for some badges where they really couldn’t place a Fiat badge.
As for those few special edition ones, those will go for a premium.
"To celebrate the return of the classic nameplate, the first 124 vehicles will be offered as a limited-edition Prima Edizione Lusso, as shown at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show. Each will be individually numbered with a commemorative badge and available in exclusive Azzurro Italia (Blue) exterior paint with premium leather seats in Saddle. Owners who purchase a Prima Edizione will also receive limited-edition items, including wearables and a poster. For more information about ordering a Fiat 124 Spider Prima Edizione, interested customers can sign up for updates at fiatusa.com"
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On paper, if at first you asked us what we thought about such a collaboration, we would’ve said it would never work and Fiat should make their own car. But now that we see it “in the flesh”…it makes sense. This is certainly a sign of the times when a car company can collaborate across multiple platforms to open source a chassis onto their body with their own engine and make it work. You’re guaranteed a good ride thanks to Mazda’s engineering, but you’ve got that Italian heart and style intact. Well done Fiat and hat tip to you too Mazda.
*- H/T to RandomDeception for “All hail the Fiata.”