Fiat 124 Sport Spider

The Fiat 124 Sport Spider is a convertible sports car produced by Fiat from 1966 to 1985. Designed by Tom Tjaarda and manufactured at the renowned Pininfarina, the Sport Spider debuted at the November 1966 Turin Auto Show. It featured a monocoque structure, front-engine layout, and rear-wheel drive. The car was closely related to the Fiat 124 sedan, sharing much of its mechanical underpinnings, but with a shorter chassis for sportier handling. The first version of the Sport Spider was powered by a 1.4-liter, twin-cam inline-four engine with a double-barrel carburetor. This advanced engine, featuring a rubber timing belt, produced 90 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and allowed the car to reach a top speed of 170 km/h. In tests, it even achieved 173 km/h. The rear suspension was revised from earlier Fiat designs to improve handling, and a five-speed manual transmission was standard. This model replaced earlier Fiat sports cars like the 1500 S and 1600 S. The 124 Sport Spider was entirely designed and built by Pininfarina, and Tjaarda’s styling earned acclaim for its elegant lines. Both the coupe and spider variants were introduced to the U.S. market in 1968. By 1969, the 124 Spider stood out as an affordable sports car featuring a twin-cam engine, four-wheel disc brakes, radial tires, intermittent wipers, and a five-speed gearbox. In 1969, the second series was launched with a distinctive hood bulge, and the third series followed in 1972. The suspension system included independent front wheels with coil springs and a solid rear axle, supported by longitudinal control arms. At the end of its production, the 124 Spider, along with the Fiat X1/9, was outsourced for production by Pininfarina and Bertone, respectively. Fiat later marketed the car as the Spider 2000 (1979–1982). After Fiat’s withdrawal, Pininfarina continued producing the model as the Spider Azzura in North America and the Spidereuropa in Europe until 1985. A successor to the 124 Spider was introduced in 2015 at the LA Auto Show, continuing the legacy of this iconic Italian roadster. . The Fiat 124 Sport Spider derived from the concept car Rondine. Honoring its legacy, in 2015 a successor of the Fiat 124 Spider was presented at the LA Auto Show. In 2019 a Targa one-off designed by Tom Tjaarda was unveiled.