Fiat’s 124 Spider is making a return to the U.S., but things are a bit different this time around. As in the 1960s and 1970s, it’s still a small, front-engine, rear-drive roadster, but now it takes its chassis from an unlikely source: Mazda. While the MX-5 Miata‘s Japanese bones underpin the Fiat’s curvy body, the 124 still packs plenty of Italian flavor. We played around with Fiat’s online configurator and found several ways to distinguish the 124 Spider from its sibling, as the Fiat offers myriad equipment and trim differences to complement its authentically Italian turbocharged engine and distinct looks.
MODEL: 
2017 Fiat 124 Spider Elaborazione Abarth (base price $29,190)
Most obviously, the 124 Spider has a dedicated high-performance model that the Miata lineup lacks. It’s called the Elaborazione Abarth, a fancy-sounding Italian name that may over-promise a bit, given that its 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder only puts out five horsepower more than the standard 124’s 160 horsepower. Even so, we chose the Abarth because it packs standard performance bits including a limited-slip differential, Bilstein dampers, and a front strut-tower bar. The Abarth also looks a hell of a lot cooler than the standard 124 Spider, with its more aggressive front fascia, black 17-inch wheels, and quad exhaust. Of course, we chose the standard six-speed manual transmission, in order to make the most of the 1.4-liter engine’s 165...