9 Things You Need to Know About the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider

2017 Fiat Spider 124 profile top up ・ Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

The 2017 Fiat Spider has a history that spans 50 years. Introduced in 1966 at The Turin Motor Show in Italy, it was designed and manufactured by Pininfarina. Notably, Spider comes from good stock. The Pininfarina team was also known for crafting the original Nash-Healey, Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider, and the Ferrari 250 GT.

The breakthrough design of the 124 Spider made the roadster an instant success in Italy. Stand out features included a real wood dash, a vinyl top that was easy to open, and a gutsy twin-cam 4-cylinder motor with five-speed manual transmission. The first Spider sold in the US in 1968. Production stopped in 1985 after close to 200,000 Spiders--- three-quarters of those sold in the US.

1) It's a star in movies and TV.

The quintessentially seductive Fiat Spider has a role in nearly 70 movies and TV shows according to Internet Movie Cars Database. For example, the 1979 Fiat Spider 2000 was shown in X-Files; The Bourne Supremacy, The Sentinel; Road Rage, and La Femme Nikita.

For a trip back to memory lane, I found an Italian Spider ad from the 1960’s. The promo featuring the original Fiat 124 roadster shows a couple in the convertible enjoying a drive in the countryside. The classic spot used a track of light jazz as background music. The woman, her head wrapped in a chic scarf, leans over towards the man who lights her cigarette. La Dolce Vita! You bet. The Fiat Spider still embraces life - just not cigarettes!

Photo by Holly Reich

2) Its chief engineer is a woman.

Leia Horton, Chief Engineer for the 2017 FIAT 124 Spider, was responsible for the entire program from inception to getting it on the streets. Horton led a team of 20 engineers to bring the 2017 Fiat to fruition. It wasn’t an easy task. Horton devoted three and a half years traveling all over the world testing out the roadster. “We wanted to ensure that we were driving in all types of climates, altitudes, roads and conditions,” she said. As far as time off, if Horton wasn’t test driving she was running back and forth from Japan to Italy overseeing the design and development.

Photo by Holly Reich

3) It has hidden storage plus room for groceries

The good news is there’s room for purses, wallets and other valuables inside the car. When you fold the front seats forward, there are storage bins behind both of them. The bins have a lid that latches when you fold the seats back so that nothing will fall out. Plus, the trunk space is large enough to fit a couple of weekend bags or (as I see it) up to six bags of groceries.

Photo by Holly Reich

4) Fiat is growing its fan-base.

“The female buyer is an important point going forward,” said Raphael Paz, Product Marketing, Fiat Brand North America. Currently, Fiat has over 200 dedicated stores in the US with plans for more. The brand is looking to attract new and more affluent clients. But, the love is still there. According to Fiat, 8,000 people have a registered Spider in the US.

The again, size matters. And the size may not fit everyone. My male friends over 6’4” tall found it difficult to negotiate getting in and out and using the controls. And I imagine that if you are on the heavy side, the Spider could be a challenge. Bottom line, not every car fits everyone's build. At 5’6” I find that some sports cars that men love are simply not my cup of tea. Unlike the Fiat 124 Spider, I feel like I’m swimming in the seat and over reaching for the controls. The Spider surrounds me like a well-made jacket.

Photo by Holly Reich

5) Pricing starts at under $25,000.

“We are building a Fiat 124 Spider for everyone who wants one,” noted Raphael Paz of Product Marketing. The pricing starts under $25,000, and all three trim levels are under $30,000. The least expensive model, Classica is intended for a younger audience and buyers looking for the essence of the Spider; the Lusso premium line hopes to connect with a more mature audience, and the Abarth is an aggressive car intended for enthusiasts.

Photo by Holly Reich

6) It was created with the the essentials of Italian design in mind.

“As a designer you need to think freedom, we reflect on the environment we had for the car, the happiness of Italian life, La Bella Vita!” noted Virgilio Fernandez, Chief Designer Interior. “It is about the art of travel, being able to relax, slow down and enjoy the trip.”

Notes from the past include the pattern of the front grille. And the interior replicates the original Spider with a cabin that creates a highly crafted ring around the driver. However, new technology brings the Spider into the 20th century and its modern design influences include the iWatch and the always relevant Hermes bag.

Photo by Holly Reich

7) Mopar accessories add appeal to the Fiat 124 Spider.

If you want to take your ride up a notch, Fiat 124 owners can trick out their roadsters with parts and accessories specially created by Mopar. The Mopar brand offers a choice of products for Fiat 124 owners to personalize their cars. For example, you can equip your roadster with track-worthy performance brakes; aluminum sports pedals and splash guards. Customizations include sumptuous leather seats and window, mirror and roll bar trims that come in cool tones like gun metal, bright silver or the Italian-inspired black or red. You can also enhance the Mopar with Italian racing stripes or a carbon fiber look.

Photo by Holly Reich

8) You can still hear when the top's down.

The Spider's new interior, updated with soft-touch materials and a Bose sound system with nine speakers, is not just comfortable, it gets rid of NVH (noise, vibration, harshness). With the top down and windows up I could hear every word my driving partner said even while I listened to music. With the windows down, we did not experience any disturbing buffeting. The new Spider has been engineered so the wind slides over the top of the car.

Photo by Holly Reich

9) Abarth takes the iconic Fiat Spider to new levels

Abarth, a modern take on the original Fiat Spider, has been engineered to sing the iconic throaty exhaust note. The gray paint stripe pays homage to the original. It is designed to increase the thermal output and reduce glare. To keep the design integrity intact (wrap does not extend to the seams) the stripe is hand painted.

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles