Fiat 124 Spider base-price announced!

Keith Tanner wrote:

NickD wrote:

Keith Tanner wrote: So they carried that over from the Mazda too then. All the shades of grey you could possibly want. Remember when sports cars came in fun, bright colors?

Yes. Because I have a sports car in smurf blue right out in my driveway. Japanese tuning shop LEG Sport has an ND that they painted in Mariner Blue and it looks amazing, why can't Mazda do that from the factory?

I don't think the ND would look great in bright primaries like the NA did - the body shape doesn't lend itself as well to it. The color would hide the details in the shape. But something like Lexus Ultrasonic blue would look killer, showing off those chines and curves. If I buy an ND of my own, there's a very good chance I'll end up doing that. The 124 might be better suited to the bright, solid colors.

sadly it won't happen. People don't buy bright coloured cars right now. They are all silver, white, goldish, gray, and the occasional black. I do see a few burgundy coloured cars out right now, but that trend comes and goes every ten years

Y'all are a funny bunch. A Fiat is going to be a threat to the MX-5? Give people a little credit. (ROFL smiley)

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ wrote: I don't understand why more colors aren't available on most cars. Is it a cost thing? A marketing thing? Do they have to "license" each color somehow? Home Depot can mix paint into any color I want, why can't Mazda/Fiat/whoever?

Partly because different materials act differently, so it takes some effort to come up with a color that's going to age appropriately. That's my understanding, and why Porsche has "approved" custom colors as well as the very expensive unapproved ones. The latter need to be verified.

The 1992 Yellow Miatas sat on the lots for a while when they came out. IMO, it's not a good color for the car because it overwhelms the shape, but people do love them now. They just didn't sell well at the time. Part of the problem with the ND palette might be the demographic of NC owners - they were older, and didn't buy the few bright colors that were offered. Maybe Mazda will react to the new demographic...

In reply to Keith Tanner:

I'm sure the car companies are pretty wary by now of caving to perceived demand. Something about manual M5s or something...

Opti wrote: Need more info on this

I'll try to trawl through the mess that is fiat tech after bit.....I'm convinced their search function is actually worse than here

Edit: Eurocompulsion did succeed in popping one evidently, I have not found any of their info on it however. Most failures seem to have been caused by neglect or bad fuel thus far.

1988RedT2 wrote: Y'all are a funny bunch. A Fiat is going to be a threat to the MX-5? Give people a little credit. (ROFL smiley)

Not sure what your point is. Of course they are going to be competitors, they are the same vehicle and while the Fiat will likely be priced higher, they will be in the same ball park.

There will some people who wont buy the Fiat version because Fiat used to make rusty cars 40 years ago and there will be some people who wont the Mazda version because of Pearl Harbor, but I bet most will be sold on looks or people like us looking at the potential of the drivetrain and cross shopping both.

Wither way it's a win win. Fiat gets a relatively cheap new model and an easy way back into the US market and MAzda gets to sell more Miata's no matter who's badge is on the nose.

Matt B wrote: In reply to Keith Tanner: I'm sure the car companies are pretty wary by now of caving to perceived demand. Something about manual M5s or something...

Talk to Porsche about that. Last year it was all "you vill have vour PDK in vour GT3 and like it!" and now it's all "ves, ve built vis manual-transmission 911R and it sold out so fast vat the next GT3 will be manual, too."

I dunno, if you have a problem with Mazda due to Pearl Harbor, an Italian sports car might not be to your liking either Those guys will just have to decide between a Mustang, a Camero or a Challenger anyhow.

In reply to Javelin:

Didn't know about that scenario. That particular story makes my day a little brighter. Thanks!

In reply to Adrian_Thompson:

The point is Fiat makes crappy cars. It's got nothing to do with 40 years ago. Fiat is busy making a whole NEW reputation for building crappy cars.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-most-hated-car-in-america/

In reply to 1988RedT2:

According to that article Jeep is also one of the most unloved brands in the U.S...and Fiat was a total loser at 74% satisfaction, versus Lexus at the top, who got 84%. I wouldn't call a spread of 10% much of a loss, especially when your neighbors on the ranking include Audi and Infiniti.

I think the new 124 will do just fine and I look forward to driving an Abarth along with an ND and FR-S when "new fun car" time rolls around next year. I see an absolute E36 M3 ton of Fiats and FCA products around here, so they can't be doing that badly.

The Pearl Harbor comment reminds me of trying to explain to my 1st grade cub scouts why I wouldn't drive my "racecar" in the veterans parade.

I didn't think an Italian bodied Japanese engine German transmission would go over well amongst the 300 corvettes

lol if anyone ever refuses to buy a Japanese car because of Pearl Harbor remember the MX5 and this FIAT are built in Hiroshima.

I think all the people like that are too old to drive or dead though.

edit: I feel like I should add a WW2 veteran at a car wash liked my Skyline knowing it was Japanese. He was stationed there after the war too.

mad_machine wrote:

Keith Tanner wrote:

NickD wrote:

Keith Tanner wrote: So they carried that over from the Mazda too then. All the shades of grey you could possibly want. Remember when sports cars came in fun, bright colors?

Yes. Because I have a sports car in smurf blue right out in my driveway. Japanese tuning shop LEG Sport has an ND that they painted in Mariner Blue and it looks amazing, why can't Mazda do that from the factory?

I don't think the ND would look great in bright primaries like the NA did - the body shape doesn't lend itself as well to it. The color would hide the details in the shape. But something like Lexus Ultrasonic blue would look killer, showing off those chines and curves. If I buy an ND of my own, there's a very good chance I'll end up doing that. The 124 might be better suited to the bright, solid colors.

sadly it won't happen. People don't buy bright coloured cars right now. They are all silver, white, goldish, gray, and the occasional black. I do see a few burgundy coloured cars out right now, but that trend comes and goes every ten years

I don't get it. One of the things that sold my wife on her Fiat was the retro looking green color. People comment on it a lot and wish other cars came in cool colors and then they go back to their beige car and drive off. I'm sure companies would offer other colors if people didn't keep buying beige ones.

kanaric wrote: lol if anyone ever refuses to buy a Japanese car because of Pearl Harbor remember the MX5 and this FIAT are built in Hiroshima. I think all the people like that are too old to drive or dead though. edit: I feel like I should add a WW2 veteran at a car wash liked my Skyline knowing it was Japanese. He was stationed there after the war too.

Yup most people are fine, but I've met a few people who won't buy Japanese car, some are Chinese (remember the atrocities the Japanese commuted in China in WW II, as bad as the Nazis on the Jews). Others because they had parents in the Pcific theater. I also know a lot of Jewish people who will never ever buy a German car for obvious reasons. Most puzzling are those who won't by American because of 'the bailouts'. Stupid is for a long time.

Adrian_Thompson wrote:

kanaric wrote:

I also know a lot of Jewish people who will never ever buy a German car for obvious reasons.

Huh, have family friend who just ordered a Cayman GT4. And has an E46 M3. And a fully restored 944 Turbo S... restored by him personally. Professionally, he is known as Dr. Rann Horowitz: Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist

You think that is bad about some Jewish people not buying a german car... friend of mine is from Cologne Germany. I have seen some people get visibly upset when he "mispronounces" their name... even though their name is German and he is saying it the correct way.

Getting back on track.. I really hope Fiat announces a decent Red the 124.. bland beige mobiles be damned

I wish I'd never brought it up. The fact is some people think like this and hold grudges for generations. I don't and if England hadn't had to fight two world wars against the Germans we wouldn't have gone from the wealthiest country on earth to all but bankrupt. But I still plan on owning a Porsche and I learned to drive in a BMW. The point was some people do think that way.

G_Body_Man wrote: In reply to wlkelley3: It uses the 1.4 turbo from the 500 Abarth, so it's actually more powerful and more tuneable than an ND.

Is it made in Italy or Japan?

If it is made in Japan, I see literally no downsides aside from no Mazdaspeed membership. If it is made in Italy, I assume that it will rust audibly.

And you know it's bad if you'd rather have the Mazda for rust prevention reasons.

The 124 is all made in Japan, except the engine (made in Italy, sent to Japan for installation, to a last gen Mazda transmission IIRC). Buy a MX5, Mazda makes money. Buy a 124, Mazda makes money. Win/win for Mazda, I do believe.

Regardless of the new car sales price, the FIAT is going to have a depreciation curve that will be much faster than the Miata. That should offer some buying opportunities down the road.

Adrian_Thompson wrote:

kanaric wrote: lol if anyone ever refuses to buy a Japanese car because of Pearl Harbor remember the MX5 and this FIAT are built in Hiroshima. I think all the people like that are too old to drive or dead though. edit: I feel like I should add a WW2 veteran at a car wash liked my Skyline knowing it was Japanese. He was stationed there after the war too.

Most puzzling are those who won't by American because of 'the bailouts'. Stupid is for a long time.

ugh a guy down the block from my parents house called them "socialist" or "government" cars. He would rip on my dad for buying a Trailblazer. He was previously a life long GM fanboy and switched to Ford.

He was known for handing out neonazi literature and raised his kids to be racists so I never took his opinions seriously lol.

Regardless of the new car sales price, the FIAT is going to have a depreciation curve that will be much faster than the Miata.

Don't overestimate the depreciation of turbo rear wheel drive sports cars. I cannot think of one that depreciated quickly since the 90s.