FIAT 124 Spyder

[montravia]

A couple of weeks ago.

Oh, that was nice, turned my head, fleeting glimpse

A new FIAT 124 Spyder

Had a few moments today, trolled around to TH White Swindon.

Looks just my cup of tea. Seems nicely proportioned, not bloated, no pretentious folded paper lines. Very evocative of late 60's classic sports brought up to date. Neat and pretty.

Cockpit feels good, but not sure how my 6 foot 2 wife would cope.

Handbrake correct side for LHdrive, but might be intrusive where it is RHDrive. Otherwise everything seemed to fall to hand well.

I know it's an MX5 floorpan, but with FIAT running gear. Not sure whether that's still good or bad. MX5's used to be very honest little cars, and bulletproof. Don't know now, and the FIAT lumps seem OK if the 500 is anything to go by.


Not overly concerned about out and out performance, the GT will do for me. Just like decent handling in the curves.
Not had a test drive yet

Twin air: Had a few of those in rented 500's. Not impressed, but they were the puny engine version rather than the regular 1200/1400 block, which are fine.

Am I right to deduce that this is to increase lean burn. If it is, it's the same thing that makes the BMW X1 I got for J, so rough sounding, almost diesel. Bit wary.
Turbo'd too, hate any lag in response more than a microsecond.

Anyone have any practical experience of one of these, I'd be very interested to hear.

Pretty, pretty car. Nearly wrapped it up and brought her home

Robin

 

[alfatwo]

Haven driven both I'd say the Mazda version is the better bet..

But that handbrake being in the way would drive me nuts!

Dave

 

[montravia]

Proof in the puddin... test drive, see if that handbrake recedes out of the way

Shame, MX5 lost its way in styling, always handled well for what is

 

[alfatwo]

Just thought on the Mazda version the engine suited the car better. The Fiat on the other hand is a more of a tourer with softer suspension

They both handle very nicely, miles better than any Maser on the twisties as they don't weigh nearly 2 ton!

Dave

 

[Andyk]

Think I'm with Dave....not a fan....styling really doesn't do it for me a think the MX5 is a better styled car....But you are seeing a few more in the road and if it does it for you then enjoy. Work in Swindon and seen their demonstrator a few times. Was talking to a chap where I live who has a white one with the black bonnet...think it's the Abarth one and he was enjoying it.nsaid he had been back to the dealer more than he wanted to for little issues but hadn't dented his enthusiasm for the car.

 

[granturismo]

Have a look at mx5 RF. In my eyes it has just right proportions and looks nice with a top down.

 

[zagatoes30]

Think I'm with Dave....not a fan....styling really doesn't do it for me a think the MX5 is a better styled car....But you are seeing a few more in the road and if it does it for you then enjoy. Work in Swindon and seen their demonstrator a few times. Was talking to a chap where I live who has a white one with the black bonnet...think it's the Abarth one and he was enjoying it.nsaid he had been back to the dealer more than he wanted to for little issues but hadn't dented his enthusiasm for the car.

Going back to the dealer seems an Abarth issue, a friend of mine didn't even get home after collecting his 595 Competitione as some one had forgot to bolt the rear diffuser to the car.

 

[casadalloro]

The engine is multi air not twin air...same as the Giulietta 1.4 170bhp i had...its a *******..nice exhaust sound(especially considering it has a turbo) easily tuneable to 200bhp...friend has an mx5 1.5.. nice but need to rev it to get it to go...

 

[zagatoes30]

I prefer the more aggressive looks of the Abarth over the MX5 but from what I read the Mx5 is probably the better car overall.

 

[Rwc13]

I prefer the more aggressive looks of the Abarth over the MX5 but from what I read the Mx5 is probably the better car overall.

Me too....

 

[rossyl]

I would get the MX5 RF. I think that is the car to go for.

 

[montravia]

The engine is multi air not twin air...same as the Giulietta 1.4 170bhp i had...its a *******..nice exhaust sound(especially considering it has a turbo) easily tuneable to 200bhp...friend has an mx5 1.5.. nice but need to rev it to get it to go...

It's a ********. Is that a good or a bad?

 

[conaero]

Haven driven both I'd say the Mazda version is the better bet..

Dave

Again, never driven one and the styling is a bit MEH in my opinion.

I also heard from Auto Journos that the Mazda is the one to buy but its all in the eye of the beholder I suppose.

 

[casadalloro]

It's a ********. Is that a good or a bad?

Ha ha ha ....

I havent a feckin clue what i typed..it wasnt rude!! Think it may have been its a crackin motor or something like that...

 

[Andyk]

Again, never driven one and the styling is a bit MEH in my opinion.

I also heard from Auto Journos that the Mazda is the one to buy but its all in the eye of the beholder I suppose.

Yes most say go Mazda...Looks are subjective but I to think the Mazda is afar better looking and proportioned car.....

 

[Wack61]

15 posts and nothing about hairdressers, wow

As an owner of a 200bhp Mk3 MX5 which I can drive for the next 2-3 years and probably get 80% of my money back I'd go with a used MX5 every time, bought this time of year and sold in the spring

If I were buying new I'd get the fiat just because it's different and you don't see many about

 

[alfatwo]

Yea the 2 litre version of the new MX5 is the one to go for... the 1.4 turbo Fiat 500 engined Fiat 124 version just doesn't seem to drive so well

I know its subjective, but I also like the Mazda styling better compered to the Fiat

If it wasn't for that effing handbrake lever being on the wrong side of the car on RHD vehicle's, as you have to lift your arm over it be able to change gear!

Dave

 

[rossyl]

15 posts and nothing about hairdressers, wow

As an owner of a 200bhp Mk3 MX5 which I can drive for the next 2-3 years and probably get 80% of my money back I'd go with a used MX5 every time, bought this time of year and sold in the spring

If I were buying new I'd get the fiat just because it's different and you don't see many about

On a sprint day there was an E30 M3. With a lot done to it. It's turbo and waste gate sounded like a fighter jet.

Yet a mk3 MX5 supercharged to 200+bhp was within 1s. That to me is incredible. Yes it was a twisty track. But it goes to show the level to which you can upgrade an MX5

 

[montravia]

Thanks all for the views.

I already know that the MX5 is a better performing machine, I've read the reviews of both the 124 and MX5. The 124 doesn't come out very well.

However, I'm not in the market for an MX5. I've had one, I can't find anything negative to say about their build quality, balance and general handling. A very honest little car and often declared to be the best selling traditional 'British' Sportscar, in the 'affordable, fun and agreeable' sense.

Over the years Mazda have 'evolved' their design, from the mark 1 which was pleasing apart from the silly pop up headlamps, the mark 2, which to my opinion was the cleanest neat design, through fattened Mark 3 with turn-ups on the shorts (wheel arches) ... a bit of an affectation, to the razor edged folded paper of the current. Unfortunately, we all know that car design follows peer fashion, and there seems to be a proclivity for sharp crease lines which form no purpose either aerodynamically or structurally, and to my jaundiced eye, are pure detracting affectation, coupled with a tendency for aggressive front ends. Nearly all manufacturers seem to be guilty of this with at least one model in their range. I'm getting old, and hark for the period of 'Speed and Elegance'.

I paused yesterday to take a look at a static MX5. The pause wasn't very long, it's just not me at all.

[A complete aside, what is it with 'the frog with it's back legs squashed' look. My daughter's Merc Estate with a frog's front, and the rear looks as if it's been squashed in a pneumatic crusher. BMW, Landrover, ....seem to be employing adolescent comic book illustrators).

I'm not looking for a performance vehicle. I've a little runabout that I use for myself, the GT, and another vehicle for J. One of my pleasures after a particularly tense or trying day, was to take a blast over a few of the backbone highline roads in the 'On Top' part of my Cotswolds; a combination of sweeps and gasping views from the corner of the eye, and just a little nudge the tail out on the predictable and decent visibility curves. I've no longer a 'traditional' rear wheel drive little sporty cabriolet, and I miss them, even the quirky Panther Kallista (my back problem's gone now thanks). I've given up tense and trying days too.

Not only that, but they served the excuse of just aimlessly meandering around, off the beaten track, summer, spring or autumn.

The Granturismo is gorgeous, I love her to bits and so does J, she's perfect for that sense of occasion, long legged cruise, the howl ....... we all go on about them, I'm sorry. But on the high B roads around here, I'm always nudging and craning my neck to anticipate if she's just that little too wide for the oncoming bend. On the 'open' road she's a joy.

So I'm looking for a little runabout, that's suitable for my simple daily needs, I can leave parked in town when I feel the urge for commerce, and pootle about at other times.

I saw the FIAT 124 spider a while ago on the road. It made me go 'Oh!'. It's not an adventurous design, and they've replicated the trick that they did with the 500: taken the design cues that made the original so adorable and cute, and shoed it onto a proven (Punto) platform. As a result it's the 7th model in volume sales of all makes and models newly registered in Europe. So they've unashamedly done the same with the 124. It's undoubtedly got the cues from most of the late 60's/early 70's classic affordable non-exotic sports cars. It's probably flawed, they say she's a bit flabby on the curves, and I'm not sure about me getting on with turbo's.

They've only been here for about 6 months. The Uppity Up do dah Lusso is about £25k which brings you 9 speaker Bose (for goodness sake, in a ragtop, really), and the only 2nd hand one's are demonstrators, at about £17k. That's 9K off the new price for a few hundred miles on the clock.

I'll book a test drive. I'll probably be forgiving of foibles for (to me) such a neat pretty runaround, and contemplate the switch after we've moved home (praise be).

So no-one actually owned or driven one?

 

[conaero]

Sounds like you have made up your own mind Robin....do it!