Abarth 124 Spider | Spotted
The Italian stallion was always priced out of contention new - now it costs less than a third as much
There can’t be many cars that demonstrate just how quickly the enthusiast landscape has changed like the Fiat 124 Spider. Less than a decade ago, we were all a bit mean about the Fiata; after all, who would want a heavier, uglier, turbocharged MX-5? Particularly as the badge didn’t carry much nostalgic kudos on our shores.
But now, with the ND MX-5 better than it’s ever been and a shocking dearth of affordable fun cars, the 124 feels missed somewhat. Though the business case for taking it off sale was hard to argue with - people who wanted an MX-5 were content to buy the Mazda-badged one - it’s sad that the choice is no longer there. Because there seems to be no choice in anything right now. And it was very far from a bad car, the 124; after all, what better foundation is there than the MX-5? The turbocharged engine meant some useful low-rev torque, and if the styling wasn’t for everyone, it certainly couldn’t be accused of simply copying the Mazda.
As a used purchase, too, those MX-5 fundamentals should prove advantageous; sharing parts, as opposed to bespoke hardware, should mean a decent supply of parts. And the 1.4-litre turbo has been in plenty of Fiats over the years, so there’s a good bank of knowledge there, too. Moreover, it's going to be a lot easier to get a few extra horsepower from a 1.4 turbo than it is a naturally aspirated 1.5 or 2.0, if that’s your bag.
Certainly, the 124 was at its best in Abarth format, with a bit of extra spice for the engine, a firmed-up chassis and a standard limited-slip diff. It still arrived with a bit of wobble and glassy steering, though it was a huge amount of fun. Probably more entertaining than the equivalent 2.0-litre MX-5 in fact, with the turbo torque able to bring the car to life at lower commitment levels.
Trouble was that the Abarth was a lot more money than the Mazda as well, starting at £30k when launched in 2017. That’s £40k today, so always a lot for a small two-seat sports car. Yet with rarity in its favour, residuals have proven pretty strong, with low-mileage Abarths still around £20,000. But this one is for sale at £8,950, and that’s too affordable to ignore.
You’ll have to accept a 100,000-mile Abarth for that money, but doesn’t it look brilliant for it? Paint, wheels and interior all seem excellent, only a shiny steering wheel and a tiny bit of bolster rubbing to suggest it has tens of thousands miles more than average. Presumably as a rare-groove sports car, the Abarth has been cared for by dedicated folk who really loved what they were buying into. A recent cambelt change in a comprehensive service history should bring some peace of mind for the next owner. As has always been the case, an MX-5 could be bought for the same money, but plumping for the other answer to everything has never looked quite so appealing.
SPECIFICATION ABARTH 124 SPIDER
Engine: 1,368cc, turbocharged inline-four
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 172@6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 184@
MPG: 44.1 (NEDC combined)
CO2: 148g/km
Year registered: 2017
Recorded mileage: 101,080
Price new: £29,620 (before options)
Yours for: £8,950
It's funny, as the normally aspirated engine would seem more "Fiat" in a way, but I'd happily drive one of these.
I do have eyes, for the record
From a bit of a Google search it seems tuning these isn't maybe as easy as you might think it being turbo and all. There were a few mentions of remaps but not as much as I thought there would be.
I particularly liked the idea of starting with the lower powered fiat version and tuning over time but it seemed not a Very well trodden path...
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