Fiat 124 name to be resurrected as a new sportscar
- by Team Zigwheels
- Jul 21, 2015
- | Views: 1951
Fiat will soon unveil an all-new sportscar under the Fiat 124 name. The new car will be based on the Mazda MX-5 platform but will feature a completely new body shell and all new interiors.
The Fiat 124 Spider is one of the most notable affordable sportscars of the 1970s and 1980s. Designed originally by Tom Tjaarda, the Fiat 124 spider was essentially based on the same underpinnings as the Fiat 124 sedan (the car that our Premier 118NE was based on) and was both cheap and affordable for most people in the 70s and 80s. The new Fiat 124 will continue to be affordable and will be built on one of the best sportscar platforms in the world, the Mazda MX-5.
The Fiat 124 will essentially have the same suspension and underbody setup as the MX-5 and will most likely be built in Japan in the Mazda factory too. The Fiat 124 though will use a 1.4-litre turbocharged motor from the Fiat 500 Abarth which will make 140PS or 180PS of peak power depending on state of tune. Also expect an even more powerful version with an Abarth badge to push power beyond the 200PS range.
The Fiat 124 Spider will be a front engined, rear wheel drive car with a sleek two seater convertible body with a traditional soft top roof. The new sportscar will be essential in Fiat’s lineup as the Italian company has not had a thoroughbred sportscar in a few years now. Originally, the MX-5 was supposed to be used as a basis for a new cheap Alfa Romeo sportscar but considering Alfa’s made in Italy image, management decided to go against that decision and hand the project over to Fiat instead. Accordign to insiders, the new Fiat 124 spider looks extremely masculine with its wide body haunches and sleek daytime running lights.