LA MOTOR SHOW: Fiat 124 Spider outed

Fiat's hotly anticipated 124 Spider has been unveiled today at the Los Angeles motor show. The two-seat roadster – which shares underpinnings with the Mazda MX-5 – features 'more masculine' body styling and bespoke driveline options, sourced from within the Fiat-Chrysler catalogue.

Vehicle platform sharing is not new – take the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and just launched Infiniti Q30 for instance – but considering how much praise has been heaped on the new MX-5, Fiat is justifiably confident the new 124 Spider will be a success...

It's expected the launch model – dubbed Prima Edizione Lusso – will debut internationally early next year (2016) and motoring.com.au understands the local market could receive first deliveries from Q4 (with right-hand drive production to commence in April). The US market will offer two variants from launch, the standard 'Classica' model identified by 16-inch wheels and the higher grade 'Lusso' with 17-inch alloys.

It's yet to be confirmed which grades will make it to Australia, or whether the 'warmer' 124 Spider will wear Abarth badges when it arrives later next year. There's also no word on pricing, although we expect it won't be too far above that of the Mazda MX-5 range, which begins at $31,990 (plus ORCs).

Initially, the rear-wheel drive 124 Spider will be offered with a 1.4-litre (119kW/250Nm) turbo-petrol engine mated to a choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmission. It's likely the Abarth variant will feature a 1.7-litre (177kW) turbo-petrol. Each option compares favourably to the MX-5's 1.5-litre (95kW) and 2.0-litre (118kW) offerings.

"It's a hugely exciting time for the Fiat brand both in Australia and globally, with some incredible vehicles joining the line-up," said FCA Australia President and CEO, Pat Dougherty.

"As we prepare to launch the Fiat 500X in Australia, our Italian colleagues have revealed the next evolution of one of motoring's most storied nameplates, the Fiat 124 Spider. When Italian design is applied to a two-seat sports car, the result was always going to be special, and I'm thrilled to see the new Fiat 124 Spider doesn't disappoint.

"And the most exciting part is that this is only the beginning of the Fiat 124 Spider story," Dougherty concluded, hinting at the pending arrival of the Abarth variant.

Built alongside the MX-5 at Mazda's Ujina plant in Hiroshima, Japan, the 124 Spider features a longer snout and frontal overhang than the ND-series roadster. The 124's jawline protrudes lower and wider than that of the 'Miata', while the headlights are slightly recessed. The Dodge-inspired rear-end is also all new, with a lip spoiler included as standard fare [Ed: we expect this to be a more prominent feature of the Abarth variant].

The 124 Spider receives a revised double wishbone (front) / multi-link (rear) suspension arrangement and re-graphed electric steering. Fiat says the set-up is aimed at improving the 124 Spider's in-corner and braking stability, while at the same time making the steering more responsive.

Equipment extras see US-spec Fiat roadsters arrive with an acoustic insulated windscreen and additional 'insulation treatments' the Italian manufacturer says will deliver a quieter, more refined ride. Adaptive headlights, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and a reversing camera will also be offered, as will a Fiat Connect 7.0-inch infotainment array, heated seats, keyless entry and ignition, and Bluetooth connectivity.

Like the MX-5 back home, a nine-speaker BOSE premium audio system is offered optionally.

It's expected the latest iteration will tip the scales at 1105kg when matched to the manual transmission and 1123kg when optioned with the six-speed auto. With more power and torque than the MX-5, the Fiat could comfortably hit 100km/h in less than six seconds.

The 124 Spider returns to a nameplate familiar from its 1966 coupe and convertible range, and is the first 'real' roadster for Fiat since the left-hand-drive-only Punto-based Barchetta of the mid 1990s, the front-wheel drive model not sold outside of continental Europe.

FCA says the 124 Spider model is one of several new inclusions to its 2016 portfolio, which begins with the 500X next month (December) and reworked (again) 500 city-car 'early in the new year'.