2017 Fiat 124 Spider Lusso Road Test

My singing teacher had one of these back in 1980. She was a cool old lady living in one of the nicer areas in the city, and driving

The new 124 Spider looks to Fiat’s past for inspiration, and pulls it off beautifully. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press)

what most of us at the time considered the poor man’s, or in this case woman’s, Mercedes SL. She was hardly poor, but merely understood that you can have just as much fun in a less expensive sports car while enjoying a more carefree type of prestige.

I won’t go into all the challenges she had with her then new albeit horribly unreliable 124 Spider, because today’s Fiat is a completely different company and its cars wholly better made. In fact, the new 2017 Fiat 124 Spider shown here is a thoroughly reliable Mazda MX-5 in disguise, or at least the mostly Euro-sourced components that gave such Fiat owners headaches decades are now Japanese made.

Italian

Front to back, the 124 Spider is as sexy as modern-day roadsters get. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press)

engines have always been amongst the most revered. Some of the first and all of the best hemispherical heads came out of Italy going way back to the 1907 Fiat 130 HP Grand Prix racer, while Weber was responsible for the best in carburetion. I could go on, Weber’s parent company Magneti Marelli, itself a subsidiary of Fiat since 1967, produced the first electronic ignition system in 1968, the first fuel-saving automatic idle-stop system in the early ’80s, developed the first automated manual transmission in a road car in 1997, and more recently the world’s first mass-produced full-LED headlamps in 2007, while soon after became the first to implement an open-source platform for in-vehicle infotainment systems, and the list goes on.

In the case of this new 124 Spider I personally celebrate the fact that its heart is Italian.

Its manual cloth top is easy to lower and close, and does a good job isolating the cabin from outside noise. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press)

First and foremost I’m not a giant fan of the MX-5 engine, as it doesn’t rev out as freely as I like a four-cylinder to spin, but that’s not the only reason I’d choose a Fiat over the Mazda. For me it also comes down to exterior and interior design, the Fiat a more substantive looking car with a longer more elegant nose and classic 124 Spider styling.

It’s ironic the model that singlehandedly made the roadster body style popular again in the early ’90s by pulling styling cues from classic convertibles like the Lotus Elan is now the most modern and edgy drop-top in the entry-level convertible sector, but this is a good thing for Fiat being that this new 124 Spider makes

These pear-shaped LED headlamps are a new take on classic circular bulbs. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press)

no bones about stealing design elements from the Pininfarina-penned 1967–1978 original and near identical 1979-1982 2000 Spider (which was also sold from 1983–1985 under the Pininfarina brand and Azzura Spider nameplate). Such “theft” is ok when it’s your own, and I for one am grateful they dusted off one of the prettiest sports car designs of the late ’60s that remains a personal favourite era.

With the main body of work done previously Fiat didn’t need to turn to Pininfarina this time around, so therefore its in-house Turin studio took care of modernization. From what I’ve been told the process of re-skinning a current design

These 17-inch alloys are one sign of mid-range Lusso trim. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press)

is particularly difficult, which means that Fiat’s design team should be especially commended for giving this new 124 Spider a completely unique yet wonderfully elegant and totally sporty new look.

The grille and double-domed hood are the most obvious tie-ins with the early Spider, but for me the unorthodox shape of its front and rear fenders are even more intrinsic to the original design. They flare upward and outward similar to the nose of another Pininfarina creation, Ferrari’s 1963-1965 330 GT 2+2 (and a few others of the era), which is most noticeable when looking straight on, a delicate bit

A glass rear window with defrost quickly makes anyone old enough to remember early roadsters appreciate today’s conveniences. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press)

of inspired artistry that’s nice to see once again on a modern sports car. The pyriform-shaped headlamps and rectellipse-ish taillights are reminiscent of the original circular and rectangular lenses respectively, albeit much more complex and filled with bright LEDs, while the sporty lower front fascia and its various driving and fog lamps are pure automotive modernity. I could go on, but no matter the angle Fiat has come up with a beautiful new roadster that pulls admiring eyeballs wherever it goes. And it’s at least as nice inside.

I remember my teacher’s Spider having a particularly nice interior for the time too, her car finished in tan leather, which matched the same tan top, the exterior a classy cream coloured solid paint with de rigueur twinned pin striping down each shoulder line. It was only fitting that Fiat dressed my 2017 tester similarly, its paintwork

Quick-reacting LED taillights enhance safety and style. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press)

a stylish Bianco Perla Tri-Coat (so much sexier sounding than Crystal White Pearl Mica), a $995 upgrade that’s well worth the extra coin, and the no-charge Saddle leather interior nowhere near as exotic sounding as Nero for standard black (they should’ve named it Sella), although richer in appearance. Along with the seat upholstery, Fiat uses the Saddle colour for a padded instrument panel applique ahead of the front passenger and the beautifully formed door inserts and armrests, the rest of the interior Nero for dramatic effect. Splashes of satin aluminum trim buffed up my loaner’s cabin, much of the hardware pulled directly out of the MX-5.

This two-tone Nero black and Saddle leather interior looks rich. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press)

test model was in Lusso trim, a name also pulled from past classics, but more commonly associated with one of the more beautiful Ferrari 250 GT Berlinettas of the early ’60s, and more recently the exotic marque’s fabulous 2016-present GTC4Lusso than anything from Fiat, although it was used for a 500 trim line from 1968-1972; I love the reference just the same. Base 124 Spiders come in Classica trim, while top-line models get the revered Abarth designation, but I’ll leave any mention of that sportiest version to a future review (finger’s crossed).

Lusso trim ups the refinement ante with the aforementioned leather upholstery and upgraded instrument panel, not to mention a contrast-stitched black leather gauge hood “brow” and a soft-touch lower instrument panel. Piano black lacquered trim highlights key areas too, while satin-silver roll bars combine with the

The classic Fiat badge on the steering wheel hub might be all that’s familiar to fans of the original 124 Spider. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press)

same treatment on the outer A-pillar and header facings for an especially upscale look. Likewise the wheels are upgraded to 17s on 205/45VR Bridgestone three-season performance rubber and the standard dual exhaust is chrome tipped, with other features including automatic headlamps, fog lamps, rain-sensing wipers, and proximity-sensing keyless access that opens the doors as well as a reasonably sized trunk, on the outside, and dual-zone auto climate control, Fiat Connect 7.0 infotainment with a seven-inch touchscreen, ParkView backup camera, and lower console-positioned rotating controller on the inside (with most of the latter right out of the very good MX-5 playbook).

These upgrades were joined by most of the Classica’s standard kit, including power-folding side mirrors that provided good rear visibility, a soft touch dash top and

The driver-focused cockpit is wonderfully comfortable and filled with conveniences. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press)

door uppers, a leather-wrapped multifunction sport steering wheel, a leather-clad shift knob, pushbutton ignition, Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity and streaming audio, detachable cupholders on the right side and rear of the lower console, a handy glove box between the front seats, excellent quality switchgear throughout, especially those on the steering wheel spokes, and of course an easily operated manual soft top with a coupe-like-quiet insulated acoustic headliner.

That top was black, not tan like my teacher’s Spider, but it certainly looked well proportioned atop the new model’s long, lean bodywork. It’s even more attractive lowered, of course, which is how I left it as often as I could, despite the cool but mostly dry weather enjoyed throughout my test week. This is where I need to expose my inner cognitive dissonance when it comes to convertibles. If a carmaker creates both hardtop coupe and convertible body styles of a given model I tend to prefer the former more often than not,

A fully featured gauge cluster might look retro but it’s replete with state-of-the-art electronics. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press)

even when discussing ultimate classics like Jaguar’s E-Type (two seaters only), Maserati’s Mistral, Ferrari’s GTC/GTS, early Porsche 911s, ’60s-era Corvettes, etcetera, but drop the top on a sunny day and it’s no bloody contest. What I’m attempting to admit to is the façade of a pedant who adheres to the performance benefits of a closed top design (lightness and structural rigidity) as well as a genuine preference to a well-drawn coupe’s lines, but when windy fresh air wisps through the hair I get all smitten and forget all about my puritan beliefs. What can I say? I was in love with the 124 Spider after the first stab of the throttle and turn of the wheel.

Nestled into its inherently comfortable leather buckets I’m already grateful for the ergonomic advancements made over the 35

A number of key features are pulled directly out of the MX-5. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press)

years or so since the original was discontinued. The driver’s seat is appropriately manually adjustable and it’s easy to find the ideal position, while the Lusso’s three-way seat heaters made open-top motoring in the brisk breeze more enjoyable.

The little 1.4-litre MultiAir turbo-four barks to life with the eagerness of playful pup yet quickly made me realize it’s got a strong bite to go along with its rorty exhaust note. It’s rated at 160 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, numbers that might make fans of the 89-horsepower original have second thoughts about their Sunday ride (the final 1984-1985 Pininfarina Spiders had 133) and will certainly cause MX-5 drivers to sit up and take notice thanks to five extra horsepower and 36 lb-ft more torque than the Mazda, while the equally exclusive six-speed manual

Premium fixed tablet-style infotainment touchscreen is pure Mazda kit, but it looks great and works very well. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press)

gearbox delivered a wonderful notchy feel and clutch take-up was weighted perfectly for my tastes. Fiat offers a six-speed Aisin-sourced automatic for those who’d rather take in the scenery, but for this (ahem) purist it would be a DIY box or nothing (note to Fiat: if you’ve got an automatic available for testing I’m open anytime).

That engine is actually pulled from the fabulously fun 500 Abarth, one of my all-time favourite hot hatches, but while there’s fire in the belly it’s notably more muted at its behind. This makes sense as the 500 Abarth sells to performance fanatics that don’t mind its rasping mechanical machinations, noisome backpressure popping cacophony and constant droning highway note (I’m solidly in this camp), some of this hubbub no doubt infused into 124 Spider Abarth trim that

The 124 Spider’s notchy six-speed shifter is optimal for performance driving. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press)

unfortunately gets no straight-line performance upgrade, but I reiterate there will be no such talk of this model’s mechanical limited slip diff, front strut tower brace, and high-performance Brembo binders until I get seat time.

As it is the Lusso is no slouch in the corners, its taut Touring suspension delivering adhesive grip no matter the tightness of curves or inane speeds taken at entry. It’s a car that rewards courage with brilliantly flickable precision, the steering superbly responsive to quick input while always transmitting near direct feel of the road below, the suspension doing likewise albeit not to the point of harshness, with the overall experience way above par. In fact, I like driving the 124 Spider even more than the ghosted Mazda beneath the skin, its refined demeanor better suited to my more classic (read aging) frame.

This knurled metal infotainment controller is right out of the MX-5 playbook. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press)

appreciated all the extra luxuries Fiat added to my tester too. It came with a $4,200 Premium Collection package boasting adaptive cornering and auto-leveling LED headlamps with washers, LED DRLs, auto-dimming rearview and side mirrors, the latter also heatable, a universal garage door opener, a nine-speaker Bose audio system with satellite radio that even allowed phone calls to be easily heard with the top down (a far cry from the old days when you couldn’t even hear the AM radio over the sound of rushing wind), GPS navigation with detailed mapping and accurate routing, rear parking sensors, blindspot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and an alarm (smart with a fabric roof).

With everything added the 124 Spider Lusso came to $41,690 before freight and dealer fees, which is a small price to pay for a near-luxury two-seat roadster with more

Gorgeous ribbed leather seats look fabulous in Saddle brown. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press)

soul than most of its premium peers (and about the same as what you’ll pay for a similarly equipped MX-5). Then again base Classica trim starts at just $30,995, and Lusso without the upgrades can be had for $33,995.

Not only is the price reasonable, a Fiat 124 Spider will help keep your fuel budget down thanks to a five-cycle fuel economy rating of 9.0 L/100km in the city and 6.7 on the highway, which incidentally is almost identical to the MX-5’s 8.9 L/100km city results and much better than its 7.1 highway rating. Not bad considering the 124 Spider’s power boost. The 124 Spider with the automatic gets 9.3 L/100km city and 6.5 on the highway, which once again isn’t

Plenty of luggage space for a weekend getaway in here. (Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press)

quite as good as the MX-5’s 9.0 L/100km city rating yet better than its 6.7 highway number.

To say I like it would be an understatement, the new 2017 Fiat 124 Spider one of the best all-round sports cars I’ve driven in years. Don’t even try to compare it to the MX-5 other than its compact size, front-engine, rear-drive and two-seat layout, four-cylinder power, and obvious roadster body style. They’re two distinctively different cars with very unique souls. While it might ride on mostly Japanese underpinnings, the 124 Spider has a high beat Italian heart that’s audacia appassionato! It’s impossible not to fall in love with this fabulous little sports car.