Sweet Rides - Fiat Spider 124

The Fiat 124 Spider is back after a more than 30-year absence, based on the current Mazda Miata MX-5. Those who have actually been in the old 124 Spider may remember it as a decently-sized roadster with a lively engine and chassis wearing a once-stylish Pininfarina suit.

The new 124 Spider is an entirely different beast, one that prizes performance and handling over interior space and comfort, but which offers a genuinely fun ride without resorting to an overpowered rally-spec engine.

The engine is a Fiat-built turbocharged 1.4-liter MultiAir four-cylinder pumping out 160 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. This power plant offers more than enough oomph to propel the 124 Spider around town and the interstate alike.