Skip to main content

Fiat is turning the Miata into a Boxster-slaying enthusiast-focused roadster

Fiat Abarth logo
Ronan Glon
Fiat is putting the final touches on the Mazda Miata-based 124 Spider, and a new report finds the Turin-based automaker’s next project is to develop a more powerful version of it.

While the regular 124 will be powered by a Fiat-sourced 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine, the Abarth-massaged model will benefit from a turbocharged and direct-injected 1.7-liter four-banger lifted straight from the Alfa Romeo 4C parts bin. The mill will be tuned to make approximately 200 horsepower, and while that’s nearly 40 less than the 4C, it’s almost 50 more than the Miata on which it is based.

Whether the Abarth will be equipped with the 4C’s six-speed dual-clutch transmission or ship with a more enthusiast-focused six-speed manual gearbox is an open question, and ultimately, Fiat could choose to offer both options. Regardless, adding forced induction should allow the 124 to hit 60 mph from a stop in less than five seconds, a figure that will make it faster than a base model Porsche Boxster.

The extra power will be complemented by Abarth-designed suspension components that will make the ride stiffer, beefier brakes on all four corners, and a less intrusive traction control system.

Visually, the Abarth will stand out from the regular 124 thanks to a much more aggressive look characterized by deeper bumpers on both ends, a specific grille, four round exhaust tips, and an air diffuser integrated into a new rear bumper. Of course, model-specific emblems and alloy wheel designs will round out the exterior modifications.

The regular Fiat 124 Spider will most likely be presented to the public at the Los Angeles Motor Show that will open its doors in November, but the Abarth model will be kept under wraps until the start of next year’s Geneva Motor Show. If the rumor turns out to be true, look for it to land in showrooms in approximately a year as a 2017 model.

Editors' Recommendations

Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot Citroen reach an agreement to merge
Peugeot 308 GTi

This morning, Wednesday, October 30, Fiat Chrysler (FCA) and Peugeot Citroen (PSA) announced they were in talks about a possible merger that would create the fourth-largest automaker by volume in the world. Several hours later the story was updated on the Wall Street Journal website with a report that the two sides had come to terms, pending ratification by both corporate boards.

By the terms of the agreement, Peugeot’s CEO Carlos Tavares would become CEO of the merged company, and FCA chairman John Elkann would become chairman. Together they would oversee an entity with $48.4 billion in market share. The Peugeot board was the first to agree in principle with the merger Wednesday morning. Exor, the Agnelli family holding company that controls FCA, later agreed to complete the merger, subject to board approval.

Read more
The cheeky Fiat 500 says ‘arrivederci!’ as it sails into retirement
2019 Fiat 500 Abarth

Act fast if you want to put a new Fiat 500 in your garage. All variants of the pocket-sized city car will retire after the 2019 model year, according to a recent report, and the company's successor isn't guaranteed to be sold in America.

Being cute as a button isn't enough to lure buyers into showrooms. While 500 production will continue in Europe, Autoblog learned the model is getting ready to leave the Fiat catalog in the United States. The decision applies to every version of the model, ranging from the entry-level hatchback to the upmarket 500C quasi-convertible. The electric 500E and the performance-oriented Abarth model -- a seriously quick hot hatch Digital Trends loved -- are leaving, too.

Read more
Fiat wants to transform the cheeky 500 city car into an urban Tesla
2019 Fiat 500 Abarth

The Fiat 500 has entered its 12th year on the market; it was already three years old when it arrived in the United States in 2010. That's dinosaur-like in the automotive industry, but Fiat plans to replace its cheeky, design-led city car in the near future by borrowing a page from Tesla's playbook.

The Italian automaker confirmed the next generation of the 500 will arrive exclusively with an electric powertrain. It will be "a new object," Fiat marketing chief Olivier Francois told British magazine Auto Express. He added the model will be "kind of an urban Tesla, with beautiful style. Italianess, dolce vita in an electric car." The executive also confirmed the next 500 won't be offered with a gasoline- or a diesel-powered engine.

Read more