Fiat's itsy-bitsy 124 Spider crawls into view

The sleek 2017 Fiat 124 Spider roadster, making its debut Wednesday at the Los Angeles auto show, aims to add a dash of delight to Fiat dealerships when the little two-seater hits next summer.

The 124 Spider — its name borrowed from an iconic little convertible Fiat sold in from 1966 to 1985 — uses the same architecture as the Mazda MX-5 Miata, but the Fiat's exterior panels and engines are unique.

"It looks great and will undoubtedly be fun to drive," IHS Automotive senior analyst Stephanie Brinley said.

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The result is a thoroughly modern interpretation of the classic affordable Italian roadster. The original 124 Spider competed with little European convertibles like the MGB, Austin-Healey Sprite, Triumph Spitfire and Alfa Romeo Spider. Italians call convertibles "spiders" after a type of small, sporty 19th-Century horse carriage.

The 124 Spider will feature a turbocharged 1.4-liter engine Fiat builds in Italy. The engine's output — 160 horsepower -- is considerably more powerful than the 2-liter engine that Mazda sticks in its Miata. That could give the Fiat a performance edge versus its Japanese cousin. Mazda will build both cars in Hiroshima, Japan, and supply the Fiat with a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.

The new 124 Spider looks great from the outside, thanks to bold headlights surrounded by a three-part ring of LED running lights. The design also features a dual-port grille. A sweeping horizontal line that sweeps up along the doors and rear fenders delivers an elegant modernization of the original car's design.

The rear features large, horizontal taillights and dual exhaust pipes.

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"They did a good job making it uniquely a Fiat," Brinley said. "The brand needs to make more people aware of it."

Fiat engineers recalibrate the suspension for the brand's choice of ride and handling. Fiat says engineers in Italy, the U.S. and Japan worked on the 124 Spider.

The interior has unique materials, including leather upholstery. It shares its gauges, controls, storage capacity and size with the Miata.

Pricing and fuel economy will be available closer to when the 124 Spider goes on sale.

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