Fiat 124 Spider (2016)
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The Fiat 124 Spider (Type 348), nicknamed the Fiata, is a front-engine, rear-drive, two-passenger roadster manufactured by
Mazda , commonly referred to as simply Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Fuchū, Hiroshima, Japan. In 2015, Mazda produced 1.5 million vehicles for global sales, the majority of which (nearly one m ...
for FCA, having debuted at the 2015
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for model year 2016. Largely based on the fourth generation Mazda MX-5 Miata roadster, and manufactured alongside the MX-5 at Mazda's Hiroshima plant, the 124 shares its platform, mechanicals, interior and top mechanism with the MX-5 — it is distinguished by an FCA engineered and manufactured turbocharged Multiair engine, uniquely tuned shock absorbers, unique exterior styling and slightly increased length and cargo capacity over the MX-5. The ''124'' nameplate and exterior styling details recall the
Pininfarina Pininfarina S.p.A. (short for Carrozzeria Pininfarina) is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder, with headquarters in Cambiano, Turin, Italy. The company was founded by Battista "Pinin" Farina in 1930. On 14 December 2015, the Indian ...
-designed
Fiat 124 Sport Spider The Fiat 124 Sport Spider is a convertible sports car marketed by Fiat for model years 1966–1985. Designed by and manufactured at the Italian '' carrozzeria'' Pininfarina factory, the monocoque, front-engine, rear drive ''Sport Spider'' deb ...
, manufactured from 1966 to 1985.


Background

In May 2012, Mazda and
Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. () is an Italian luxury car manufacturer and a subsidiary of Stellantis. The company was founded on 24 June 1910, in Milan, Italy. "Alfa" is an acronym of its founding name, "Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili." "A ...
— at the time a subsidiary of the Fiat Group, now Stellantis — announced a joint venture to manufacture a common rear wheel drive platform. The companies would "develop two differentiated, distinctly styled, iconic and brand specific, lightweight roadsters featuring rear wheel drive", with the two variants offering proprietary engines unique to each brand. In December 2014, FCA's
Sergio Marchionne Sergio Marchionne (; 17 June 1952 – 25 July 2018) was an Italian-Canadian businessman, widely known for his turnarounds of the automakers Fiat and Chrysler, his business acumen and his outspoken and often frank approach, especially when dealing ...
determined Alfa Romeos would be manufactured only in Italy, saying "some things belong to a place. Alfa belongs to Italy," adding "I remain committed to that architecture, with our powertrain. I'm not sure it will be with Alfa. But it will be with one of our brands." At the time, Alfa Romeos were manufactured only in Italy, while Fiats were manufactured in Italy, but also globally — from Tychy, Poland, to
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. With their prior agreement in place — for FCA to market a roadster based on the MX-5 to be manufactured by Mazda at its Hiroshima factory — FCA conceived of marketing a Fiat badged variant in lieu of the Alfa Romeo variant. In August 2016, FCA formally announced the Fiat 124 Spider based on the Mazda ND platform. In December 2016, the ''
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'' said "in partnering with Mazda’s MX-5 Miata to resurrect the classic Fiat 124 Spider, Fiat Chrysler not only gained a halo sports car for its struggling Italian brand, but likely saved the most celebrated small sports car of the past 25 years (the MX-5)" — citing the markedly increased cost of developing a new car at the time and "the costliest wave of government regulation since the 1970s." In January 2019, FCA announced the Fiat 124 Spider was to be withdrawn from the market in the United Kingdom with immediate effect. The Abarth 124 Spider continued to be sold, but this too was withdrawn from the UK market in April 2019. On December 23, 2020, Stellantis announced the 124 Spider and
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were to be withdrawn from their North American model lineup after the 2020 model year and would not return for 2021, as is the situation with 500L. These models were expected to sell into 2021 until stock depletion.


Specifications

The 124 Spider was powered by Fiat's 1.4 litre '' MultiAir'' turbocharged
inline-four A straight-four engine (also called an inline-four) is a four-cylinder piston engine where cylinders are arranged in a line along a common crankshaft. The vast majority of automotive four-cylinder engines use a straight-four layout (with the e ...
, producing and of torque in European specification—and and of torque in North American specification. The 124 manual transmission is from the third generation MX-5's six speed transmission to cope with the turbo's torque.Car and Driver
the previous-gen Miata’s six-speed gearbox to cope with the turbo’s torque
access-date: 12. October 2017
''Multiair'' is a hydraulically actuated
variable valve timing In internal combustion engines, variable valve timing (VVT) is the process of altering the timing of a valve lift event, and is often used to improve performance, fuel economy or emissions. It is increasingly being used in combination with var ...
(VVT) engine technology enabling "cylinder by cylinder, stroke by stroke" control of intake air directly via a gasoline engine's inlet valves. Developed by Fiat Powertrain Technologies, the technology bypasses a primary engine inefficiency: pumping losses caused by restriction of the intake passage by the throttle plate, used to regulate air feeding the cylinders.


Engines and performance

''Note: MT6 = six speed manual transmission, AT6 = six speed automatic transmission.''


Engines and performance, North American models

''Note: MT6 = six speed manual transmission, AT6 = six speed automatic transmission.''


Limited editions

At the 124's debut, Fiat marketed a 124 Spider Anniversary edition, with 124 units carrying the designation—to commemorate the 50th anniversary of original 124 Sport Spider. Including features of the 124 Spider Lusso Plus trim, the edition also includes chromed mirrors, red '124' badge on the front
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, interior numbered plaque, red exterior and black leather interior.


Abarth 124 Spider

The
Abarth 124 Spider The Abarth 124 Spider is a performance version of the Fiat 124 Spider (2016) manufactured by Mazda for FCA under the Abarth marque. It was introduced at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, along with the racing car Abarth 124 Spider Rally. Final asse ...
is a performance version of the Fiat 124 Spider (2016). It features an upgraded version of the 124's 1.4 litre MultiAir Turbo engine tuned to produce 170 PS (125 kW; 168 hp) at 5,500 rpm and 250 N⋅m (184 lb⋅ft) of torque at 2,500 rpm.


Reception

Jeremy Clarkson Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson (born 11 April 1960) is an English broadcaster, journalist, game show host and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for the motoring programmes '' Top Gear'' and '' The Grand Tour'' alongside R ...
, in his "Driving" column of ''
The Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, w ...
'', gave the Fiat 124 Spider three out of five stars, saying that "You'd expect the Fiat, being Italian and all, to be sportier and more manic than the MX-5, but actually it's quieter and less fun."


Sales

* ''2016'' : (Europe) + (United States) + (Canada); * ''2017'' : (Europe) + (United States) + (Canada); * ''2018'' : (Europe) + (United States) + (Canada); * ''2019'' : (Europe) + (United States) + (Canada); * ''2020'' : (Europe) + (United States) + (Canada); * ''2021'' : (United States) + (Canada) That is more than 36,500 units, and probably around 40,000 worldwide.


References


External links

* (USA)
2017 Fiat 124 Spider First Drive Review: Incredibly Inevitable
(''Motor Trend'') {{Mazda MX-5 124 Spider (2016) Roadsters Cars introduced in 2016 Rear-wheel-drive vehicles Retro-style automobiles