Abarth 124 Spider 2016 Review

Abarth 124 Spider
First Australian Drive
Brisbane, Queensland

Fiat's take on the world's most popular roadster has finally arrived Down Under, where the 124 Spider is available in a single specification – excluding options – bearing the Italian car-maker's Abarth performance badge. Slightly more expensive and slightly heavier than Mazda's most powerful 2.0-litre MX-5, the 'Latin' two-seat convertible compensates with a more powerful turbo engine and upgraded suspension. Is that enough to make it more than a cynical badge engineering exercise?

Let's put aside for a moment the fact it is a re-bodied, re-engined and re-suspended version of Mazda's latest MX-5 because, in its own right, the 124 Spider is a fitting flagship for Fiat's performance brand in Australia, where the Abarth range is limited to a handful of Fiat 500-based hot hatches and cabrios.

After all, for $41,990 plus on-road costs, the compact Abarth roadster brings undeniable style, performance and rear-wheel drive dynamics to an affordable open-top sports car segment Mazda has had to itself for decades.

Also undeniable is the fact the 124 would not be in Fiat showrooms without Mazda, which produces it alongside the MX-5 in the same Japanese factory, and developed the light yet rigid new rear-drive SKYACTIV platform on which it's based.

Far from damning it with faint praise, that means the Abarth comes with the same outstanding two-seat interior packaging and the same electrical architecture including Mazda's latest MZD-Connect infotainment system and a new level of driver safety aids for the Italian brand.

The latter includes four airbags, reversing camera, active head restraints, seatbelt reminders, tyre pressure monitoring, active bonnet, switchable stability control and a security alarm, while other niceties like Bluetooth phone/audio connectivity, nine-speaker Bose sound, keyless entry/starting, heated seats, trip computer and climate-control are also included.

However, buyers most pay $2490 extra for the option Visibility Pack comprising blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, self-levelling full-LED headlights with washers and automatic high-beam, LED daytime running lights and even rear parking sensors.

Instead of black leather/microfibre seats with red stitching, there's also the $1990 option of black leather/Alcantara Recaro bucket seats with red piping, and black or red/black leather-trimmed Abarth sport seats with red stitching ($490).

Our manual test car – painted in Costa Brava 1972 Red -- came with the latter, which looked and felt good to us, although metallic/pastel paint and the Visibility Pack brought its as-tested price to $45,460 before statutory charges. Bear in mind that red and white are the only solid colours, with black, grey and blue metallic hues all attracting a $490 premium.

While metallic paint is a no-cost option on the MX-5 (except for its signature Soul Red, which costs $200), Mazda charges $788 for a reversing camera on the base model and $485 for GT models and a six-speed automatic transmission adds $2000 on both models.

Neither model is available with autonomous emergency braking (AEB), and the Italian-branded convertible should achieve the same five-star ANCAP safety rating as the MX-5.

The 124 also rides on (Gun Metallic black) 17-inch alloy wheels like the MX-5 2.0-litre, although its service intervals are longer -- every 12 months or 15,000km like all Fiats versus every six months or 10,000km like all Mazdas.

In other words, although the 2.0-litre MX-5 can be had for as little as $34,490 plus ORCs and the equivalent MX-5 2.0 GT flagship's list price is just $39,550 (plus ORCs), the Abarth price/spec is almost lineball with the MX-5 2.0 GT when you factor in the 124's $43,500 drive-away price.

To celebrate its first rear-drive convertible in years, FCA Australia is also offering the first 100 cars as commemorative Launch Editions, fitted with contrasting bumper inserts, tow-hook covers and mirror caps, plus a ‘1 of 100’ launch-edition plaque.

Styling is 100 per cent subjective, but there's no doubt the 124 Spider's sharper sheetmetal creases, flat sculpted bonnet and bigger lighting and grille signatures make it look a bit bigger overall than the MX-5, while four chromed sports exhaust outlets and Gun Metal exterior accents add a bit more aggression, although the contrasting side skirt add-ons do feel a little flimsy.

The 124's interior is a facsimile of the MX-5's, however, save for some minor dash and door trims, an Abarth gearknob, steering wheel hub and large central red tacho.

The boot and roof are near-identical too, meaning a small but usable 140-litre cargo space without a spare wheel, and a simple but effective manually-operated soft-top you can open or close from the driver's seat with one hand.

Sadly, the similarities also extend to the lack of steering wheel adjustment and a digital speedo display, and that infernal chime whenever the ignition is on without the engine running. Oh, and there's no glovebox, meaning oddment storage is limited to a small compartment under the armrest.

That's about the extent of our interior complaints though, with the MX-5's well packaged two-seat cabin donating all of its clever ergonomics and tactile controls, including the centre console dial that operates its intuitive 7.0-inch touch-screen multimedia, navigation and phone system.

Make no mistake: it's underneath where the major changes lie here, starting with Fiat's MultiAir 1.4-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine that produces 125kW of power at 5500rpm and 250Nm of torque at 2500rpm, offering a healthy advantage over the 2.0-litre MX-5's 118kW/200Nm outputs.

With a base kerb weight of 1100kg – 43kg more than the top-spec MX-5 2.0 GT auto – Fiat claims a class-leading weight-to-power ratio of 6.2kg/hp (without change to the MX-5's 50/50 front/rear weight distribution), 0-100km/h acceleration in 6.8 seconds (6.9 for the auto, which offers paddle shifters) and a 232km/h top speed (auto: 229km/h).

On the road, the Spider feels at least that fast and a fair bit quicker than the MX-5 2.0, especially in the midrange where the smaller turbo engine's meatier torque curve makes it more flexible and easier to drive lazy. There's more useable torque on tap from 2000rpm, but the downside is higher fuel consumption.

There's a little extra mumbo right from idle, somehow making the notchy six-speed manual feel smoother than in the MX-5, and the engine keeps on giving almost all the way to its 6500rpm redline, but it's in the midrange where it does its best work – especially in sport mode, where there's a noticeable uplift in performance right across the tacho dial.

Combined with a lumpier exhaust note and the occasional crackle on the overrun, the Fiat engine is more characterful than either of the MX-5's atmo engines, even without the optional dual-mode Monza exhaust. The force-fed four also spins up a little quicker and its extra midrange mumbo asks more of the MX-5's well-sorted rear-drive chassis.

Thankfully, Fiat's chassis upgrades – and its own mechanical limited-slip differential -- bring it up to the task.

It would be easy to gloss over the 124's suspension changes, but they really do total more than the sum of their parts, which Fiats says includes only 'Abarth by Bilstein' dampers, stiffer anti-roll bars and a front strut tower brace.

Together, they certainly improve on the MX-5's more softly tuned double-wishbone front and five-link rear suspension set-up, allowing the Italian-badged roadster sit flatter in turns without any detriment to its compliant ride quality.

In short, the Abarth suspension tune gives the 124 a slightly sharper focus than the MX-5 -- without detracting from its trademark comfort, neutral balance or fault-free steering – while the MultiAir turbo engine extracts more from its accomplished chassis, without any reduction in power oversteer adjustability mid-corner.

Beefier red-painted four-piston aluminium mono-block front brake callipers -- with 280mm vented Brembo rotors at both ends -- are icing on the cake of a well-sorted chassis upgrade that delivers a worthwhile uptick in cornering and braking capability.

A badge engineering exercise it may be, and we're not sure about the 'distinctive Italian flavour', but the Abarth 124 Spider certainly adds a solid dose of spice to an already-good roadster, and brings more variety for affordable sports car fans.

2016 Abarth 124 Spider pricing and specifications:
Price: $41,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.4-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder
Output: 125kW/250Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual/automatic
Fuel: 6.5L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 150g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: TBC

Also consider:
Mazda MX-5 2.0-litre (from $34,490 plus ORCs)