The Fiat Abarth 124 Spider is a turbocharged 1.4L sports car weighing 2,400 lbs that costs around $25,000 and handles well after suspension work. It outperforms the Mazda Miata in power and corners sharply, though the transmission and brakes need improvement. A genuinely underrated bargain.
Questions this video answers
164 horsepower.
Approximately 2,400 pounds.
1.4 liter.
About $25,000.
Non-Brembo version (i.e., not Brembo brakes).
Chapters
Americans, where are we so obsessed with our high horsepower cars? The Corvette, the Mustang, and them Hellcats. And as a result, we often overlook the little guy. My Abarth 124 Spider, a turbocharged Italian ball of fury and a hell of a lot of car for 25,000 bucks. 164 horsepower doesn't sound like a lot. And even with a curb weight of 2,400 pounds, it isn't. But if you throw a few bolt ons on there, it'll outrun most of its competitors and dominate anything on the track. In a way, it's kind of like a poor man's Alfa Romeo 4C. And before you make fun of my cute little paddle shifters, just listen to those upshifts. Not bad for a little 1.4 liter. But then again, she's not stock. But what if you don't care about going fast? Well, it's stylish. You got heated seats and the top goes down. Oh, and it's Italian. It's a shame that the Abarth Spider isn't more popular. What a fantastic value. But barely anyone talks about it. The problem is that people these days tend to overlook sports cars with less than 200 horsepower. It's lost in a sea of roadsters that have long abandoned the notion of what a pure driving experience should be. And yet it's forced to live in the shadow of the legendary Mazda Miata. Meanwhile, we exist in a world where we need instant gratification. And very few people would take the time to appreciate the potential that this car has. I don't mind, though. I like being the quickest car on the track. I'd be lying to you if I said this car was fast. But it's not slow either. There's a hint of lag, but it's got just enough grunt to keep you ahead on short straightaways like this one. And you can go balls out here and not have to worry about killing yourself, like in my Z06. Remember what I said about the transmission? It can upshift like a dual clutch. But the downshifts need work. It denies them for way too long, and by then I'm already out of the power band. And that's because the automatic is geared taller than the manual, which is kind of the opposite of what you want. Even so, short of the DCTs and the Volkswagens, nothing in this price range comes close. Where this car really shines is in the corners. You can't ignore the physics. This thing is so light that the turn in becomes effortless. And you can corner so hard that the stock seats become meaningless. And although it was good out of the box, there was just way too much body roll at the limit. On more demanding corners, you'll probably hit the bump stops. People say you can solve that problem with coilovers, but for me, a set of stiffer sway bars and lowering springs was enough. Now it corners like a scalpel through butter. Even The Miatas and S2000s can't keep up. There is a problem though, and it's the brakes. I have the non Brembo version, and even with DOT four and decent pad life, the pedal feel is just garbage. I'm all about that late breaking, so I think I'm gonna have to pick up a set of Wilwood Dinolites for next season. And probably a roll bar too. That'd be a good idea. God, look at all that sand on the ground. How does anybody drive around here? Come on, English Town. I love you guys. We really gotta work on this track. Perfect prep. Nonetheless, this is still a great place to practice. Sadly, I can't race around all day. So what does this car compete against then? The Miata is just a slower version without turbos. An EcoBoost Mustang is like a boat compared to this thing. And all the other roadsters cost twice as much. I guess it's time to start thinking outside the box. Maybe my buddy John will have something for me to race. Anyway, after owning the car for some time, I honestly think that it's brilliant. The most underrated sports car of its time. It.
