Fiat 124 Spider Headed for Rally Racing in 2017
The Fiat 124 Spider may have just made its debut at the 2015 L.A. Auto Show, but the Italian automaker already has plans to take it racing.
According to a report from PistonHeads, Abarth will ready a race version of the 124 to compete in a new sports car category in World Rally Championship (WRC) around 2017, the same time the 124 Abarth model will go on sale.
Rumor has it that the Abarth version of the 124 Spider will actually use different sheetmetal rather than just more aggressive styling to set it apart from its Fiat counterpart. Considering the Fiat 124 Spider packs 160 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, don’t be surprised if the hotter Abarth version nears the 200-hp mark when it debuts.
SEE ALSO: Fiat 124 Spider Revealed: Think of it as the Miata’s Italian Cousin
Abarth will also reportedly offer a 124 Spider variant with a matte black hood and hardtop, paying homage to the Abarth-tuned 124 Stradale homologation car built in the early 1970s to satisfy entry requirements for the 124 rally car.
Fiat hasn’t competed in world rallying since the late 1970s and early 1980s, when it won WRC three times with the iconic 131 Abarth.
[Source: PistonHeads]
Discuss this story on our Fiat Forum
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
More by Jason Siu
Comments
Join the conversation