Description
The Fiat 124 Sport Spider is a great classic of Italian style: a much-loved convertible, it was produced for almost 20 years, from 1966 to 1985. The Fiat 124 Sport Spider is one of the world's best-loved Italian convertibles: a car for the street-walker or the spirited driver, in almost 20 years of production it has established itself in the spider segment, winning important sporting results in rallies and a large number of admirers overseas... The Fiat 124 Sport Spider was born in 1966 to a 'Pininfarina design' by the talented Tom Tjaarda, a different choice for its sister 124 Sport Coupé, developed by the Centro Stile Fiat and produced until 1975 on the chassis of the 124 berlina. The Spider was instead built on the shortened floorpan of the 124 and produced in the Pininfarina factories. The mechanics of the 124 Sport, Coupé and Spider, mirrored those of Fiat's medium-high segment saloons. Initially offered with a 1, 438 cm³ 90 hp twin-shaft engine and a 1608 cm³ 110 hp twin-carburettor engine, the Fiat 124 Sport Spider did not disappoint the expectations of the most demanding drivers, thanks to its very precise steering and gearbox. Only on bumps did the suspension suffer from the rigid axle architecture inherited from the saloon, but it was a flaw that could be forgiven in view of a thoroughly successful overall package. In 1972, the arrival of a new 108 hp 1. 6-litre (1592 cm³) and a 118 hp 1. 8-litre inherited from the Fiat 132, necessitated the adoption of a modified bonnet with a special hump to cope with the increased engine volume. For Europe and America. From its launch, the Fiat 124 Sport Spider was a much-loved and desired car: a curvaceous and compact 2+2 that offered agility and a well-finished interior. Behind the wheel of the 124 Sport Spider the pleasantness of the ride was underlined by a seating position worthy of a sports car. Given its commercial success in the USA, where the 124 Sport Spider was sold from 1968, the model remained in production for many years after 1975, when production of the 124 Sport Coupé ended. Between 1975 and 1981, however, only the American market enjoyed the 124 Spider, precluding the European market. The model was an authentic evergreen of Italian styling, but as Fiat's European marketing ended, the 124 Spider continued to be produced in various editions until 1985 under the 'Pininfarina' marque, which was always responsible for its assembly. Stainless charm. The Fiat Spider, as it was called on the other side of the ocean, was equipped with large specific bumpers, orange daytime running lights and larger rear light clusters to meet US homologation. In addition, the engine, the 90 hp 1800 cm3, was upgraded to a two-litre displacement. In order to meet stringent anti-pollution regulations, the carburettor and distributor were abandoned in favour of fuel injection and electronic ignition: the 2. 0 delivered 105 hp, but the good torque value ensured good elasticity, ideal for enjoying driving 'en plein air'. After having ridden the wave of success during the 1970s, the 124 Sport Spider did not lose its lustre: the competition successes of the 124 Abarth Rally and the timeless appeal of the spider ensured that there was still a large audience of enthusiasts for the model, which convinced Pininfarina to bring the 124 Spider back to European price lists. A long-awaited return. At the 1982 Geneva Motor Show, the Pininfarina Spidereuropa made its debut, practically the Fiat Spider for the American market with a few technical adaptations for homologation in Europe: the bumpers no longer needed the shock-absorption system compulsory in the USA and the 'side-markers' (the side lights). Further updates also affected the dashboard instrumentation, mechanics and chassis: updated to the latest 131 and Argenta. With the introduction of the Spidereuropa, the cramped rear bench seat was eliminated: the new version was only offered in a two-seater dry configuration. Unchanged was the 105 hp 2. 0, capable of propelling the spider (weighing just over a thousand kilograms) to speeds of over 180 km/ h. For the more sporty, there was also the Spidereuropa Volumex: equipped with a volumetric compressor developed by Abarth, the 2-litre came with 136 hp and in this case the top speed exceeded 200 km/ h. In the USA, from 1983, following Cino Ricci's team's victory in the America's Cup, the legendary 124 Sport Spider was sold as the 'Spider Azzura' (with an 'r'), and so with the wind in its sails production continued until 1985. Source: Ruoteclassiche
