If the Fiat 124 Spider is a bit too tame for you, perhaps the Abarth 124 Spider is more fitting.
Sporting aggressive styling that shows it means business, the Abarth 124 Spider made its debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show. Powering the roadster is a 1.4-liter four-cylinder MultiAir Turbo engine packing 170 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, a minor increase compared to the standard Fiat’s 160 hp while torque remains the same. It might not be the performance increase that some were hoping for, but it does help shave its zero-to-62 mph time to 6.8 seconds. It does, however, sound meaner, thanks to the standard Record Monza exhaust system, generating what the Italian automaker calls a “beautiful growling sound.”
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The model will be available with a six-speed manual transmission or the automatic Sequenziale Sportivo gearbox that has been tuned to exploit all the engine torque and “convey genuine racing sensations,” whatever that may mean.
It’s worth mentioning that Abarth said the engine specs revealed are for the Europe, Middle East and Asia regions, so there is a slight possibility the U.S. could get a more powerful variant.
SEE ALSO: 2016 Geneva Motor Show Coverage
Developed with input from the Abarth Racing Team, the Abarth 124 Spider comes with a sports mechanical limited-slip differential as standard and weighs just 2,337 pounds. It gets a stylish matte black treatment on the hood and trunk lid while the interior has been outfitted with the Racing Alcantara Kit with a dark finish. Each vehicle will be tested and certified by an Abarth technician who also applies a metal plate showing the sequential number of each car.
Pricing in the U.S. has not yet been announced, but Abarth did say that the car will be available in Europe starting September with prices starting from €40,000 ($43,470).
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