........by Mazda

http://www.drive.com.au/new-car-reviews/2017-abarth-124-spider-road-test-review-20170111-gtnzv2.html?eid=email:nnn-13omn581-ret_newsl-membereng:nnn-04%2F11%2F2013-drive-dom-motoring-nnn-drive-u&campaign_code=13IAU000&promote_channel=edmail&mbnr=NTM1ODUxMg

Yuk.

It's a bit like code-sharing to me or the old auto days of badge engineering

........by Mazda

http://www.drive.com.au/new-car-reviews/2017-abarth-124-spider-road-test-review-20170111-gtnzv2.html?eid=email:nnn-13omn581-ret_newsl-membereng:nnn-04%2F11%2F2013-drive-dom-motoring-nnn-drive-u&campaign_code=13IAU000&promote_channel=edmail&mbnr=NTM1ODUxMg

Why bother?

Why bother?

No idea

Have Abarth 'sold out' I wonder

This is actually more about an Abarth 124 with obvious Italian sportiness implications actually being somewhat of a Japanese con.......at least to me.

Not really any worse than what VAG do badge engineering with VW, Skoda, SEAT etc.

It is a Fiat engine in it though I beleive.

Not really any worse than what VAG do badge engineering with VW, Skoda, SEAT etc.

It is a Fiat engine in it though I beleive.

Good job it's not a Fiat diesel, perhaps that's another subject for later discussion.

TBH - and I say this as an ex MX5 owner and a big lover of Italian cars - I far prefer the 124 to the equivalent current gen MX5. The 124's styling is absolutely spot on, whereas the MX5 looks like a shark that got run over and then had a stroke.

Much more tuning potential in a 1.4 turbo as well... who cares if it's a shared platform? Hardly anything new tbh.

Proper MX5's have pop up headlights anyway ;)

TBH - and I say this as an ex MX5 owner and a big lover of Italian cars - I far prefer the 124 to the equivalent current gen MX5. The 124's styling is absolutely spot on, whereas the MX5 looks like a shark that got run over and then had a stroke.

Agree

I'm irritated by the Mazda's corporate smile bit

Much more tuning potential in a 1.4 turbo as well... who cares if it's a shared platform? Hardly anything new tbh.

Being light it runs out of grip early enough already........from my 1.8 experience

Proper MX5's have pop up headlights anyway ;)

Just as long as you don't drive at night

The sporty model past me the other week, it sounded like a tuned up diesel. It sounded like a big American diesel pick-up with a tune on it, the only thing missing was the black smoke.

The sporty model past me the other week, it sounded like a tuned up diesel. It sounded like a big American diesel pick-up with a tune on it, the only thing missing was the black smoke.

I imagine the thing missing was the OEM muffler

Had one of the Lusso plus on test drive last year, a lot better built than my last Fiat but still lacking the sparkle I really wanted. Also felt cramped in there.