Skip advert
Advertisement

“Abarth adds spice to fast Fiats, but what about other models?”

The 124 Spider proves Fiat has a heart, but Steve Fowler wants to see more that the brand could offer to mainstream buyers

Opinion Fiat Abarth

Who doesn’t love a car that makes you laugh? That might not necessarily be the reaction that Abarth is looking for from its (soon to grow) range of fast Fiats, but they’re so unashamedly focused on fun that they make me chuckle. 

Abarth 124 Spider confirmed

Who can’t fail to find the thought of a Fiat 500 with 187bhp and a price tag that can get to £50,000 funny? The Abarth 595 Biposto might seem completely bonkers to some, but boy are we glad the guys at Abarth had the guts to give it a go!

Abarth 124 Spider EXCLUSIVE IMAGE

And now there’s more to come, as we revealed recently – an Abarth version of the upcoming Fiat 124 Spider is something I can’t wait to try. Based on the Mazda MX-5, a car we know has near-perfect handling balance and ultra-sharp responses, Abarth will add more power and a dash of Italian style – two things I reckon the MX-5 can easily handle. 

Advertisement - Article continues below

Fiat 124 Spider spotted testing

Abarth won’t stop there, either, as more models are planned with performance playing the most important part. Exciting stuff.

That’s all very well, but what about the rest of the Fiat range? We’ve said before how we refer to it as the 500 Car Company, such is the massive part that model plays in the brand’s line-up. 

Fiat 500C 2015 front

While the 124 Spider is welcome, will we ever see a Punto replacement (a car that’s been on sale so long I genuinely forgot it was still available)? And word is the company is playing it safe with a new model to rival the Golf, Focus and Astra.

A Panda-style rival for the Nissan Qashqai was mooted a while ago and had the potential to be really appealing. But that trail seems to have gone cold, while yet more 500 derivatives have got the green light. The 124 Spider proves Fiat has a heart, but I’d like to see more that Fiat could offer to mainstream buyers.

Do you think Fiat should expand its line-up beyond the 500 and upcoming 124 Spider? Let us know what you think in the comments below...

Skip advert
Advertisement

Steve Fowler has previously edited Auto Express, Carbuyer, DrivingElectric, What Car?, Autocar and What Hi-Fi? and has been writing about cars for the best part of 30 years. 

Find a car with the experts

Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

It’s not just electric cars that are overpriced
Opinion - expensive cars

It’s not just electric cars that are overpriced

Not matter how good a new car might be, Mike Rutherford thinks it will ultimately fail if it's overpriced
Opinion
16 Feb 2025
New Kia EV4 revealed at last! Volkswagen ID.3 rival incoming
Kia EV4 saloon - front

New Kia EV4 revealed at last! Volkswagen ID.3 rival incoming

First official images of Kia’s electric family car have surfaced, and it looks all but identical to the concept
News
16 Feb 2025
New Nissan Leaf and Micra confirmed for 2025, plus next-generation hybrid tech for Qashqai
New Nissan Leaf - front 3/4

New Nissan Leaf and Micra confirmed for 2025, plus next-generation hybrid tech for Qashqai

Nissan’s big plans for 2025 may also include a new plug-in hybrid system for the X-Trail
News
17 Feb 2025