Fiat Spider

Fiat 124 Sport Spider
1970 Fiat 124 Sport Spider 1.4l
Overview
Manufacturer	FIAT 1966–1982 Pininfarina 1983–1985
Also called	Pininfarina Spider (1983–1985)
Production	1966–1985
Assembly	Turin, Italy San Giorgio Canavese, Italy (Pininfarina)
Designer	Pininfarina: Tom Tjaarda (designer), Franco Martinengo (design director), Battista Pininfarina
Body and chassis
Class	Sports car
Body style	2-door cabriolet
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Related	Fiat 124
Powertrain
Engine	1,438 cc (1.4 L) I4 1,592 cc (1.6 L) I4 1,608 cc (1.6 L) I4 1,756 cc (1.8 L) I4 1,995 cc (2.0 L) I4 1,995 cc (2.0 L) turbo I4 1,995 cc (2.0 L) sc I4
Transmission	4-speed manual 5-speed manual 3-speed automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	89.75 in (2,280 mm)
Length	156.25 in (3,969 mm)
Width	63.5 in (1,613 mm)
Height	49.25 in (1,251 mm)
Chronology
Predecessor	Fiat 1500 Cabriolet
Successor	Fiat Barchetta

Fiat Abarth 124 Rally
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door spider with fixed hardtop
Chronology
Successor	Fiat Abarth 131 Rally

The Fiat 124 Sport Spider is a monocoque, front-engine, rear drive 2+2 convertible sports car manufactured by Fiat Automobiles for model years 1966-1980. Designed and manufactured by Italian carrozzeria Pininfarina, the 124 Spider debuted at the November 1966 Turin Auto Show. Fiat later marketed the car as the 2000 Spider (1979-1982), and Pininfarina marketed the car at the end of its production as the Pininfarina Spider Azzura (1983-1985).

The 124 Spider was sold in Europe and the U.S. from its introduction until the 1975 model year when it was modified to comply with new U.S. regulations and no European version was produced. Sales in Europe resumed when Pininfarina took over production in 1983 under the name Pininfarina Europa Spider.

In 2015 a successor of the Fiat 124 Spider was presented at the LA Auto Show.

The body of the car was designed and marketed by Pininfarina with styling by Tom Tjaarda, The AS cars had a torque tube transmitting power to the rear wheels; this crack-prone design was replaced by a trailing arm rear axle with the second series (BS) during 1969. It was built alongside the AS for the first six months of 1970. The early AS cars also have somewhat smaller taillights, while the BS receives a mesh grille and black-rimmed gauges inside. In July 1970 the 1.6-liter BS1 appeared; this model is recognizable by its twin humps on the bonnet and bumper overriders. The CS series Spider arrived during 1972. Also in 1972, a sports version of the Spider debuted. This was required for a type-approval of its rally version, which earned some remarkable success. The models sold in showrooms were marked as 124 CSA (C-Spider-Abarth). The vehicle has a capacity of 128 hp. In three years, Fiat manufactured less than 1000 CSA models, which were intended for sale to individual clients.

The 124 Sports Spider, Fiat 124 Coupé and 124 sedan share much of their running gear – and, in the case of the coupé, platforms. The Sports Spider uses a shorter platform along with a shorter wheelbase, and in contrast to the Pinifarina styled and manufactured spider, Fiat designed and manufactured the coupé in-house.