There's a Fiat 124 Spider in my driveway

mad_machine wrote:

Dave wrote: In reply to Chris_V: That is about the only new retro vs old car comparison where the new one doesn't look bloated.

have to remember, the original 124 was a fairly large car for a 2 seater sports car.. and it's design had some serious creases in it.. so the basic design fits in well now as compared to trying to update an MGB

It sure was pretty big for a 2-seater...because it had a backseat. Not that anyone who wasn't a double amputee would want to actually use it.

In reply to Keith Tanner:

Please tell me you registered Flyin' Fiata as well.

I have now.

I like the black myself if you're still looking for opinions. I really liked that blue from the GRM preview but it doesn't sound like that one is an option.

^^^ IIRC the blue was only available in the "Launch Edition". Sadly (according to the dealer) all of the launch cars were automatics. It is a pretty color on that car though.

I like Keith's idea of the Italia colors. The Abarth colors will be done to death.

"The automatic box will hold a gear when in the manual mode. "

And in that, the Miata box is better than many which will still shift when put into a single gear - sometimes right in the middle of a corner while you are all hung out.

Wife has a Mazda 3 with auto and the feature is a slick one, but having said that, I never use it in that car - not the sort of vehicle that incites me to spirited driving, unless nothing else is at hand.

I like the front end styling of the Fiat (also the new Miata, but like the Fiat more).

Always found this comparison interesting...

I think the nose looks a bit too high on the Fiata, but I havent seen one in person yet.

Apexcarver wrote: Always found this comparison interesting... I think the nose looks a bit too high on the Fiata, but I havent seen one in person yet.

SO that says to me, that if Mazda painted the windshield surround, they could charge an extra $50K?

tuna55 wrote:

Apexcarver wrote: Always found this comparison interesting... I think the nose looks a bit too high on the Fiata, but I havent seen one in person yet.

SO that says to me, that if Mazda painted the windshield surround, they could charge an extra $50K?

And make it sound better, and randomly drop finely crafted British parts on the road occasionally.

Joe Gearin wrote: I like Keith's idea of the Italia colors. The Abarth colors will be done to death.

Any vintage livery from the original 124 Spider will probably be available as a dealer option. Fiat has learned from MINI.

psteav wrote:

mad_machine wrote:

Dave wrote: In reply to Chris_V: That is about the only new retro vs old car comparison where the new one doesn't look bloated.

have to remember, the original 124 was a fairly large car for a 2 seater sports car.. and it's design had some serious creases in it.. so the basic design fits in well now as compared to trying to update an MGB

It sure was pretty big for a 2-seater...because it had a backseat. Not that anyone who wasn't a double amputee would want to actually use it.

in Europe it was registered as a 4 seater.. but with the front seats coming to rest AGAINST the rear seat when all the way back, you really did need to be an amputee to ride back there

mad_machine wrote:

Dave wrote: In reply to Chris_V: That is about the only new retro vs old car comparison where the new one doesn't look bloated.

have to remember, the original 124 was a fairly large car for a 2 seater sports car.. and it's design had some serious creases in it.. so the basic design fits in well now as compared to trying to update an MGB

Actually, it's not really any different in size than an MGB or TR6. Within a few inches either way, smaller in some dimensions and larger in others, though less weight than either.

I've had a number of 124s and MGBs and the 124 is still a really tiny car. Both look incredibly tiny at Cars & Coffee events... Although if you drop an MG Midget in the mix, both look large. lol!

that may be true.. compared to some new cars even my disco looks small.. but new cars have gotten huge in the past 10 years.

For it's class and age, the Fiat 124 is usually larger than it's competition. A "couple of inches" may not seem like much, but it does when you are trying to decide between two equal cars.

Fun to note.. in that article above, only the Fiat has a truly modern engine. The rest still use cam in block while the Fiat is a DOHC

I think the black is the least offensive color on 124 bodywork. Don't know how well it would photograph for advertising and such.

mad_machine wrote: For it's class and age, the Fiat 124 is usually larger than it's competition. A "couple of inches" may not seem like much, but it does when you are trying to decide between two equal cars.

Looking at the 4 cars in a row, it's obvious that "a couple inches really doesn't matter when your already talking about very small cars. They visually look about he same size. it' snot like the Fiat was Corvette sized in comparison to the MGB or TR6. It's almost identical in size to it's competition. Saying the reason it's the same size as the new one is because it was big for it's day is really a fallacy as that picture indicates.

Keith Tanner wrote: But the ND sure hasn't aged twenty years. It would have shamed a Ferrari in 1996, and it looks exotic today.

Perhaps I'm just stuck in the 90s, but I'd much rather look at an F355 than an ND. :)

here we go again.

Fiat 124 (original)
Wheel base: 89.75
Length: 156.25
Width: 63.5
Height: 49.25

MGB
Wheel Base: 91
Length: 153
Width: 60
Height: 48

Miata NA:
Wheel Base: 89.2
Length: 155.5
Width: 65.9
Height: 48.4

It's probably the width that made the Fiat look big back in the day. The difference between an MG and an NA is mostly width, and they do look different.

We've made our decision for the Flyin' Spider car. You'll find out soon enough! Now I just need to come up with the logo...

width.. and generally body shape. The hood on the spider overhangs the front bumper, the trunk overhangs the rear bumper, and the rear haunches of the car are more developed. The MGB, in contrast, is more lozenge shaped in that the hood and trunk look "pulled back" and in general the car is more rounded

Keith Tanner wrote: So, we're trying to spec out the FM R&D car. I'm thinking a black Classico, as we're going to replace everything that makes an Abarth an Abarth anyhow. The car also comes in red and many shades of white and not quite white and grey. What do you guys think?

How about a white one?

mad_machine wrote: here we go again.

All the measurements are in that article pictured, as well. BUT... LOOK at the cars. They are all visually almost identical in size. It's not like the MGB is visually tinier (like, say a MIDGET would be). Jesus F Christ. They would ALL be visually almost identical in size to the new one, as well. So saying the Fiat is a goddamn giant in comparison to an MGB is FALSE. Sorry, I've HAD berkeleyING BOTH!

berkeley.

Let's just say it's going to get bronze wheels pretty much immediately.