124 Abarth revealed

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-shows/new-york-auto-show/news/a28545/2017-fiat-124-spider-elaborazione-abarth-us-specs-and-info/

Basically it's their version of the Miata Club with a appearance package added.

In the article they are talking about a limited slip but I thought the regular 124 had one anyways? If not for that I really have no reason to buy anything but the base if i'm looking at this car unless I REALLY hate their boring grayscale, brown, and red color options.

On the Brembo and Recaro being "options" on top of all of this you basically have a $30k+ car likely. When the miata seats and brakes are fine. Seems like an appearance package with suspension tuning which I thought Fiat said that Abarth would no longer be?

Dem head lights is ugly.

Do want

I was interested in this car since first talked about, until this most recent article that says no engine/performance extra over the stock 124. I wanted crazy Abarth exhaust and more go go go.

The stock 124 is up 5hp, and 36 ft lbs over the miata already. If that were usable down-low it's a lot of extra grunt.

Trackmouse wrote: Dem head lights is ugly.

looks like 240z to me.

Jerry wrote: I was interested in this car since first talked about, until this most recent article that says no engine/performance extra over the stock 124. I wanted crazy Abarth exhaust and more go go go.

well aside the LSD question i would myself at this point just get a base one with whatever wheel package they have and just get a cobb accessport or whatever Fiats have available and just mod the thing myself. I could apparently make a better car than abarth in my garage spending 4 hours on a weekend putting suspension and loading a tune in.

However i'm buying this with street class autocross in mind so maybe the abarth comes in to play depending on how it's classed. I still don't think I could justify that much of a price increase for such minor upgrades. I don't care about appearance package nonsense.

The Brembo/BBS package for the Miata doesn't make any sense either, but people are buying them. For the price, you can get better brakes and better wheels from the aftermarket, with some money left over to pay for sway bars and even some better shocks. I'm guessing it's partly the bling factory and partly the stock class autocrossers.

I can't wait to see one of these in person without camo. R&T published the best looking pics I've seen of the car.

In reply to Keith Tanner:

I think it's probably a combination of the bling factor and the ability to just roll that upgraded wheel and brake package into your monthly payments, no cash outlay required.

Monthly cost is king, nobody cares what anything actually costs in the long run anymore.

cmcgregor wrote: In reply to Keith Tanner: I think it's probably a combination of the bling factor and the ability to just roll that upgraded wheel and brake package into your monthly payments, no cash outlay required. Monthly cost is king, nobody cares what anything actually costs in the long run anymore.

I think you are very, very right.

In reply to kanaric:

It's also warranted. If you take your new Miata home and replace the whole brake and suspension system at 75% of the cost of the factory part and your changes can be blamed for problems you encounter later... like maybe those 1000lb springs set off the airbags or deform the unibody - it's all on you. Let them give you 85% of the performance for 125% of the money and don't worry about it. Lots of people like that.

I would absolutely change that stuff myself... but I'd also wait until '17, buy it off lease and almost out of warranty for $0.60 on the dollar if that was my plan.

If you're going to put on 1000 lb springs, you're probably not the sort to worry about warranty issues.

Huckleberry wrote: In reply to kanaric: It's also warranted. If you take your new Miata home and replace the whole brake and suspension system at 75% of the cost of the factory part and your changes can be blamed for problems you encounter later... like maybe those 1000lb springs set off the airbags or deform the unibody - it's all on you. Let them give you 85% of the performance for 125% of the money and don't worry about it. Lots of people like that. I would absolutely change that stuff myself... but I'd also wait until '17, buy it off lease and almost out of warranty for $0.60 on the dollar if that was my plan.

well with the brakes i don't see them as needing any upgrade more than maybe pads and braided lines. Brembos seem overkill. They offer any advantage on this car?

If they come with the widest wheels/tires I could justify that for autocross of course however I feel like it would otherwise have a wider wheel option anyways. Also if "brembo and wheel" package cars are not separate in the rules couldn't you just put equivalent size tires on to your non-brembo car anways?

The MAIN thing I care about with this car is the LSD. I have seen no info if the car's other trims have one.

wow the brembo package is only on the cup and brings the car to over $33k for the Miata. That is ridiculous lol.

If I had to pay $33k for a Miata/124 with LSD and good size wheels for autocross I would not take that car.

Our brake package for the ND knocks 28 lbs of unsprung weight off the car, gives better pedal feel, more wheel clearance and lets you swap pads easily at the track. I don't think the Brembos offer any advantage over the standard brakes, but they do fit fewer wheels.

The BBS wheel package is no larger than the other Club wheels. It's just BBS-tastic and 1.85 lbs lighter than the other wheels. Meanwhile, the 6ULs we carry are 1" wider and 3.2 lbs lighter than the BBS.

I don't think the Brembo/BBS cars would have any advantage over a normal Club at autocross other than that 1.85 wheel weight savings. And the pimp factor.

Keith Tanner wrote: Our brake package for the ND knocks 28 lbs of unsprung weight off the car, gives better pedal feel, more wheel clearance and lets you swap pads easily at the track. I don't think the Brembos offer any advantage, but they do fit fewer wheels. The BBS wheel package is no larger than the other Club wheels. It's just BBS-tastic and 1.85 lbs lighter than the other wheels. Meanwhile, the 6ULs we carry are 1" wider and 3.2 lbs lighter than the BBS. I don't think the Brembo/BBS cars would have any advantage over a normal Club at autocross other than that 1.85 wheel weight savings. And the pimp factor.

Good to know. Ya it seemed more like bling than anything.

Jerry wrote: I was interested in this car since first talked about, until this most recent article that says no engine/performance extra over the stock 124. I wanted crazy Abarth exhaust and more go go go.

They are confirmed as having a different exhaust, IIRC. Just no more horsepower.

For your viewing pleasure: Abarth 124 in marketing action

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXuz4QM2QCA

pointofdeparture wrote:

Jerry wrote: I was interested in this car since first talked about, until this most recent article that says no engine/performance extra over the stock 124. I wanted crazy Abarth exhaust and more go go go.

They are confirmed as having a different exhaust, IIRC. Just no more horsepower.

Stack tuner away from 200whp.....

Huckleberry wrote: maybe those 1000lb springs set off the airbags or deform the unibody

4 of those springs would make the car weigh over 6000 pounds!!