The FIAT MX-5 Will Be Called 124 Spider
Sergio Marchionne had a surprise for Geneva Show attendees: a confirmation that FIAT’s version of the stellar new MX-5 will have an old-school name.
Talking to Auto Express, Marchionne revealed the name “124 Spider” on an apparent whim. Not that this comes as a surprise to the Internet, which has been vaguely aware of plans to name the car thus for a while now. Answers to the main questions — what will the car look like, and what kind of powerplants will it have? — are still up in the air, but the production location is set as Hiroshima, Japan.
Given that the car will share a production location with the MX-5, it would be unwise to expect too many Italian (or Mexican) engines under the hood. There is likely to be an Abarth version. There will not be an Alfa Romeo variant, however; Marchionne suggested that Alfas need to be built in Italy, not Japan (or Mexico).
Images of the car on the Web are photo illustrations by people who haven’t seen so much as a prototype, so take them with the proverbial grain of salt.
More by Jack Baruth
Comments
Join the conversation
I was thinking the same thing... the Abarth 1.4 Turbo with a similar exhaust note would be amazing in an open sports car. Well, perhaps just a bit quieter, I'm getting old, and a 6-speed in place of the Abarth's 5 with a taller top gear for better freeway economy wouldn't hurt. If it also mimicked the old 124 Spider and had some vestigal rear seats, it would also be just different enough to attract incremental shoppers, I think.
As it is being built at Hiroshima I would be surprised if it got a powertrain other than the standard Mazda fare. I am expecting unique front and rear fascias and rims. I don't see a lot of retooling going on at the plant to make them radically different. As to the Abarth version if it gets a unique powertrain expect it to also power a Mazdaspeed Miata, which will probably get me back to a Mazda showroom.
I can't for the life of me see the play on building a Fiat Miata. Nobody in their right mind is going to get a rebadged Fiat when they can just go get the original. Terrible brand image, not a real Fiat by any stretch, and it isn't like the Mazda is expensive. Would never ever buy the Fiat version of the Miata. Never.
Fix It Again, Tetsuo?