New Fiat 124 Spider Starts From $24,995, Abarth From $28,195

We don’t know if you should be surprised or not, but Fiat’s new 124 Spider has roughly the same starting price as the car it’s based on, the Mazda MX-5 in the USA, at $24,995, excluding a $995 destination for the manual model.

In comparison, Mazda’s base 2016 MX-5 Sport with a 155hp 2.0-liter engine and 6sp manual starts at $24,915 plus an $820 destination fee, while the range-topping Grand Touring model with the same engine and gearbox is priced from $30,065.

Fiat’s Italian interpretation of the Japanese roadster comes with a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder Multiair engine that produces 160hp and 184 lb.-ft. of torque on the Classica and Lusso models, and 165hp and 184 lb.-ft. of torque on the Abarth, with all models offering a standard 6sp manual and an $1,350 optional 6sp automatic transmission.

With the entry level $24,995 (plus $995 destination) Spider Classica you get 16-inch alloy wheels, Nero (black) cloth seats, Halogen front lights and LED tail lamps along with all the usual comfort and safety amenities.

The $27,495, plus $995 destination, Spider Lusso gives you 17-inch wheels, leather seats in Nero (black) or Saddle, a leatherette-wrapped cluster brow and lower instrument panel, plus Piano Black accents throughout.

For a little bit more, at $28,195, plus $995 destination, you can jump in the sportier tuned Spider Abarth, which besides an extra 5hp, adds front and rear Bilstein sport suspension, mechanical limited-slip differential, front strut tower bar, Sport Mode selector and sport-tuned chrome quad-tip exhaust, plus unique front and rear fascia, 17-inch wheels and Gun Metal exterior accents. The Abarth edition also offers the option of a Brembo braking system and Recaro seats.

Finally, for a limited time only, Fiat will offer 124 examples of the $35,000, plus $995 destination, Spider Prima Edizione Lusso, each individually numbered with a commemorative badge and available in the exclusive to this edition, Azzurro Italia (Blue) exterior paint with premium leather seats in Saddle. You also get a matching blue leather bag, journal with pen and a poster showcasing original design illustration with vehicle dimensions, but still, that $7,000 price jump over the Lusso and Abarth is a hard pill to swallow…