Latest model
The latest Abarth is the 124GT —a limited edition model, which features a carbon fibre roof (it is removable, but not folding), as well as 17-inch OZ ultra-light alloy wheels, and a Bose sound system.
Just 50 cars are set to come to the UK, priced from a significant £33,625 – £4,000 more than the standard 124.
The carbon fibre roof weighs just 16kg, although it’s fiddly to remove. Other features include a Bose sound system and a ‘Visibility’ pack, which includes automatic lights and wipers, rear parking sensors and adaptive LED headlights.
The 124GT retains the standard car’s engine, which is no bad thing, and comes in three colours: Portogallo 1974 Grey, San Marino 1972 Black and Turini 1975 white. All of them are named after the firm’s past motorsport victories.
Value for money
The Abarth 124 is not a cheap car, and costs over £3,000 more than the Abarth 124 and £7,000 more than a similarly-powered Mazda MX-5 – the car it’s fundamentally based on. That said, Abarth adopts a rather different character with its 124, which is more aggressive, both to drive and to look at.
Abarth prices start from £29,625 for the fabric-roofed convertible, or £33,625 for the hard-top 124GT, although good luck getting your hands on one, as they’ll likely sell out quickly because of its rarity. Just 50 are being brought to the UK!
On the plus side, standard equipment is excellent, with all models coming with leather seats, a seven-inch touchscreen, keyless start and climate control to name but a few.
Because the Abarth 124 is quite a rare model, there are not that many to choose from on the used market. That said, there’s some very healthy discounts out there on nearly-new models. The cheapest 2016 cars start from around £18,000 meaning that over £10,000 has been shaved from its list price in less than two years. Sadly, Abarth has a very loyal followingso the 124 has not depreciated to the extent that the standard Fiat 124 has.
As for the GT, just one was for sale at the time of writing —a 2018(68) model with delivery miles for £28,000 a sizeable amount off its list price.
Looks and image
Due to its racy styling and dramatic noise, Abarth’s 124 will appeal to the type of customer who wouldn’t be fussed by the Mazda MX-5 or standard Fiat 124 due to its Monza exhaust.
Standard styling features such as black side skirts, red Brembo brake callipers and the four exhaust tips give the 124 an aggressive stance on the road. You can also choose to have the bonnet in satin black. However, many owners choose to have red accents added to their 124, to hark back to Abarth’s heritage.
The interior is also equally stylish, with leather seats and matte black interior panels featuring on the model. The cabin is sadly let down by some very cheap feeling plastics which make it neither or look particularly sturdy. One good thing is that the infotainment system is more or less unchanged from the Mazda MX-5, which means you get a clear seven-inch infotainment display with satellite navigation, Bluetooth and DAB radio. It’s simple and easy to use, too.
But, most importantly, what’s it like to drive? In a word, excellent. The punchy turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol engine is a perfect match for the slick six-speed manual box, and it pulls well all the way up to 6000rpm. The power delivery isn’t entirely linear, meaning there can be slight flat spots when accelerating, but they’re not overly noticeable. The steering is also well-weighted and direct, although it can feel a bit twitchy at times and you need to have your wits about you whilst driving in the rain. The Brembo brakes also don’t feel quite as sharp as you might hope for and can feel spongey at times. But perhaps the best thing about the 124 is the wonderful soundtrack created from the Monza exhausts.
