We were very impressed with the Fiat 124 Spider when we tried it for the first time in Italy earlier this year. We particularly liked theFiat’s flexible turbo engine and compliant ride. Now we’ve driven the car in the UK, though, we’re even more sure that it’s one of Fiat’s best ever sports cars.
For a start, the ride quality doesn’t disappear on our lumpy, pitted tarmac. In fact, the compliant suspension set-up means that on a fast but badly-surfaced road it feels very composed, without any of the skittish progress some stiffly-sprung sports cars bring.
As in the Mazda MX-5 it shares a platform with, the smooth ride of 124 Spider comes at a cost of some body roll in corners. A sharp S-bend will upset the balance most but on a long, fast curve the Fiat feels great. It’s a superb cruiser, perfect for a coastal drive or scenic route through mountains where the grippy Bridgestone tyres mean it feels planted in those sweeping corners, too. The steering is short on feel for a sports car, but it is nicely weighted and quick enough to make the 124 Spider feel alive at your fingertips.
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