Fiat reveals Abarth 124 Spider specifications

Italian brand announces performance details for its MX-5-based convertible.

September 19 2016

Stephen Ottley

Abarth 124 Spider revealed at the 2016 Geneva motor show. Photo: Supplied

Fiat's new Abarth 124 Spider has out-gunned its Japanese rival, the Mazda MX-5.

The Italian brand has revealed details of its newest addition ahead of its Australian launch in October, announcing performance specifications for the two-seat convertible.

Although largely based on the Mazda MX-5, Fiat has installed its own engine in the compact machine - the 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit from the Abarth range. It has been tuned to produce 125kW of power and 250Nm of torque, which comfortably beats the performance offered by the top-spec Mazda MX-5 powered by a naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre; 118kW and 200Nm.

The 124 Spider will be available with the choice of either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission, sending power to the rear wheels.

The Abarth will also come standard with a mechanical limited slip-differential, Brembo brakes and sports suspension including Bilstein shock absorbers.

Fiat is only offering the turbocharged Abarth version as a point-of-difference from the established Mazda and hasn't released pricing yet.

Final specifications and pricing will be revealed when the car goes on sale on October 7.