The Fiat 124 and I go way back. Without going into too much detail there’s more than a few reasons why I want the new version to be incredibly successful and make for the best cheap sports car in the market. And considering the recent announcements and the spy photos that have been floating around the Internet, I see no reason why it shouldn’t.

Alfredo Altavila, COO of Fiat made declarations that all but confirm that there will be two models of the new sporty fiat. The normal one, which is the one we’ve been expecting and that’s been rumored will have the Turbocharged 1.4 Multiair engine that currently makes the 500 Abarth the dirtiest-sounding hot hatch in the marker. Presumably in a similar state of tune (160 Horses) it should provide more than adequate laughs for the casual motoring enthusiast looking for top down fun.

Speaking of top-down. This is another point where Fiat is keeping its cards close to its proverbial chest. When registering the brand name they went the extra mile and not just registered 124 Spider, but also just 124. Relax, it doesn’t mean that You’ll have to give Sergio a cut every time you have to use the number (I hope, I’ve already written it three times in this article and my wallet wouldn’t be too happy over its new obligations), but it could mean that apart from the 124 we’ve already seen with its sexier long hood and classical proportions Fiat could be working on a hardtop version.

Just throwing it out there but…maybe even a sedan? Fiat could use one around this time and with proof over proof that the only place that the Fiat 500’s face looks good is the 500 itself they could use the new number as a break into a newer, cleaner design language. After all, designs didn’t came a lot more cleaner than the original 124. Maybe that’s in the works too. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking.

What isn’t wishful thinking is the other version of the 124 that Altavila was on about. Slotting over the normal spider there would be a faster and sportier version wearing the Abarth badge. This is probably to please the people that would revel in the Gearhead’s consumer paradox and claim that the normal one was too similar to a Miata, too underpowered, blah blah blah. Oh well, rest assured the complainers will find something else to complain (too much equipment?)
In any case, there’s now a fun game to try and guess what sort of power would this new Abarth roadster would have. You *could* theoretically turn the turbos on the 1.4 up to 11 so it develops 200 horsepower and call it a day. But I’m guessing that wouldn’t do it any favors on the durability front. At least not with some reinforcing here and there.

They could go and ask their Sister Alfa permission to use the 240 HP 1750 engine they use in the 4C. Considering the limited volume in which that is supposed to sell it’d help them to further amortize the cost of developing it just for the Giulietta and the 4C. And as we all know Marchione is all about Amortizing costs.

Or, and this is another round of wishful thinking, they could take the 2.4-liter Tigershark engine that’s currently seeing duty in the 500X and the Renegade among others. It produces around 182 Italian ponies right now, but it’s ripe for turbocharging. Perhaps just a more aggressive tuning to bring it past the magical 200 horsepower barrier that got everyone raging when the Toyobaru was released.

What if the Abarth is actually a hardtop only and that’s the reason they trademarked the number itself. It could be a stripped out racer with a rollcage, harnesses, no radio or carpets, aircon delete as an option. Essentially a Spec Miata (Spec 124?)-ready car. Oh dear, it seems I’m doing that wishful thinking thing again.

Whatever the case, I’m really excited for it because of all the possibilities. People usually already have their expectations when it comes to a Miata. Cries of sacrilege were thrown when it got a hardtop last time around. But with the 124 the possibilities are endless. They could just make it another Miata, or they could make a hardcore sports car or a very comfortable mini GT car. The sky’s the limit and we all have our different ideas on what it should be. I know which one I’m rooting for. What about you?