Abarth 124 Spider (UK)
Fiat’s hot version of the 124 Spider is
launched along the normal version, offering higher performance levels and a
more focused character.
The new Abarth 124 Spider is powered by
a 168 hp turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol engine mated to either a
six-speed manual or automatic gearbox.
As you would expect, the suspension has
been updated with fatter antiroll bars and a specific setup with Bilstein
dampers and unique springs. The power steering is also recalibrated for better
feedback while braking is now provided by Brembo items, with four-piston
calipers at the front.
0-100 km/h comes in 6.8
seconds, 0.7 seconds faster than the normal model, with the top speed set at 232 km/h. A dual-mode Record Monza exhaust comes as standard, altering
the soundtrack of the engine at the push of a button.
Drivers can choose from two different
modes, Normal and Sport from a lever on the central tunnel, with the system
changing the parameters in maximum delivered torque, accelerator pedal
response, power steering operation level, stability and traction control
threshold and shifting points if the car is equipped with the automatic gearbox.
Abarth says that the kerb weight is only 1060 kg, just 10 kg more than that of
the regular model.
Customers will be given the option of an
‘anti-glare racing kit’ which is basically how Italians call the black matte
treatment on the bonnet and boot lid and the Alcantara racing kit which dresses
parts of the interior in the special fabric.
The new Abarth 124 Spider is priced at
40,000 euros (US$ 45,000) in Italy, with the
2,500 cars scheduled for production in 2016 getting a special numbered plaque
in the cabin. The first deliveries are expected to begin in September.
In the UK, prices are set at £ 29,565 for
the manual model, and £ 31,605 for the automatic.
