On this episode of Hot or Not we take the Fiat 124 Spider Abarth to our test track to see if it will be faster than its factory sibling, the Mazda MX-5 Miata. For those who don’t know, Fiat and Mazda share the factory where these cars are built. The chassis is almost exactly the same on the two cars, but the way in which they are set up is slightly different.
The Goods
The Fiat 124 Spider Abarth has a 1.4-liter turbocharged, four-cylinder engine. This is the same power plant that comes in the Fiat 500 Abarth. In this car it makes 164 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission. At altitude, that was enough to sent the Fiata to 60 MPH in 8.48 seconds.
The Fiat has slightly different suspension than the Miata. It is a bit softer, allowing for more body roll. This, combined with a slightly less aggressive tire, will certainly not help the Fiat beat its Japanese cousin.
However, the question still remains: Is it faster around the track than the Miata? To find out, you’ll just have to watch the whole video.
