Fiat 124 Spider unveiled at 2015 LA Auto Show

50 years after it was first introduced to the world, the 124 Spider moniker is back on a Fiat two-seater compact convertible with the unveiling of the model at the 2015 LA Auto Show. A joint project between Fiat and Mazda, the new 124 Spider is based on the already-launched latest generation MX-5. Both share the same platform, with one crucial difference; the engines. 

Fiat has ditched the MX-5’s standard-issue 2.0-litre, Skyactiv four-cylinder, and replaced it with its very own 1.4-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder from the 500 Abarth with 140 PS and 240Nm of torque. Fiat is cagey about revealing performance figures as yet, but there are reports that the 124 Spider could be faster than the more powerful MX-5, since the 124 Spider trumps that car’s torque but is said to match the kerb weight of the lighter 1.5-litre Mazda. 

A more powerful 163 PS version will also be offered select countries. A six-speed manual transmission is on offer for most countries, but Fiat is also likely to offer the car with an automatic transmission in the US - as Mazda does with the MX-5. 

Creature comforts in the 124 Spider include Bluetooth, USB connectivity and a six-speaker stereo, while an enhanced setup features a seven-inch touchscreen sat-nav, DAB and a reversing camera. Upgrades include a nine-speaker Bose stereo.

Coming to the looks of the Fiat 124 Spider, it can be subjective and polarising. While some might appreciate Fiat’s extensive overhaul of the MX-5, there are many who feel that they have messed up a good thing, a classic, and should’ve just let it be. 

The Fiat 124 Spider will enter showrooms in mid 2016 as a 2017 model, and we reckon it will be priced a tad higher than the 1.5 litre entry-level MX-5 when it does.