We managed to snag a listen to the exhaust note of the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider last night, but it was just for a few seconds, and we didn’t get to hear much. But, incredibly long and convoluted and frightfully boring story short, we managed to follow it up a bit later with a much better glimpse into what a Mazda Miata with a Fiat 500 Abarth engine sounds like.
We asked the friendly gentleman behind the wheel to properly rev it up for us once more, and this time we can get a much better feel for what it’s like. And, well, it does sound a bit like a muted 500 Abarth. This particular prototype had the automatic transmission, so we honestly can’t say for sure whether or not Fiat’s eliminated the 500 Abarth’s signature pop, crackle, and snarl, but it really does sound quite good (especially when compared to the buzzy little engine in the Miata).
All praise for the Miata, of course, but I’m inordinately excited for this car. A Mazda Miata with an Abarth engine, and sort-of Abarth-y sound for when the top is down?
We’ve said it before, but if you hate this car, you’re some sort of fool or miscreant.
Contact the author at ballaban@jalopnik.com.
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