Fiat and Mazda are apparently planning a joint project to build a sports car. The Alfa would be based on the next gen MX 5. That wouldn't be too bad!

BBC story

In addition to the 4c which is due next year? Seems odd.

Probably more of a modern day Spyder perhaps? If it is priced near the MX5 then it would be lot cheaper than the 4c

Yeah possibly.

I still want a 4C

Oh dear, you just know mazda will style it and fiat will build it, anyone remember the Arna?

Me too

No, I just want to remember the Nissan Cherry.

Alfa actually showcased an as-new Arna in an expo during the 100 years celebrations. Don't know if it actually ran though.

Well hopefully it will look like an Alfa, and handle like a Mazda MX 5 (and be as reliable as one).

I drove a brand new Nissan Cherry Turbo* once and my girlfriend at the time barred me from buying it as she was convinced I'd kill myself in it........she was the one that finally convinced me that "psychiatric nurse" was a description rather than a job title!



*Although the figures are nothing special these days you have to recall that this was in the days of Ford Escorts/Vauxhall Chevettes etc

Mazda are building it in Japan. Different styling for each car too.

Go Halves on one

A few things

Isn't due until 2015 is my understanding.

For Alfas, it's Spider not Spyder

I'd welcome the idea. FIAT have lost their way with Alfa Romeo - I'm sure that an Alfa-bodied MX5 would be great - if only because it was RWD. I doubt Mazda would do a worse job than FIAT are currently doing.

Nowt new there, British Leyland managed that on every Allegro they built on the same production line!

Yep they also managed different build quality, each had a different part missing

Autoexpress had a few sketches ofnwhat it might look like today

Link

Could be good, esp with the 4c engine!

I was reading this today, all seemed good until I read "in our mock up pictures we show what it could look like"

great

This will either be spectacularly good or bad...

FIAT spider looks

Now that I quite like, with many styling cues from the 124 Spider* such as the MGB-like headlight/bonnet/grille treatment (but MGB came later) and the side styling line that swoops up at the rear of the door over the door handle, and even the grille badge is similar. A bit slab-sided looking perhaps, and at first sight it looked a bit Jag-like. Any pics of the rear, does the styling mimic the 124 Spider* with the upturned rear wings?

* unlike MRS, I always have seen Spider for Fiat (850, 124, Dino etc) and Spyder for Alfa. Isn't that right MeanRedSpyder (This has been debated countless times before) ?

I had a quick flick through an Auto Express in Tesco today as the new Fiat Spider 124 is pictured on the front. It was to badged an Alfa, but Fiat boss Sergio Macaroni (ahem) said Alfa has to remain an all Italian car brand, whereas the Fiat brand is free to dally with other manufacturers, and in this case is a co-project with Mazda. It looks a bit Mini-ish at the front, but it has a nice arse. I like it. What do you think? Link to the auto express web page here

I *like*. The only thing I'm not quite so keen on is that the rear quarter is a little high - to accommodate the hood.

And I like that it will be badged Fiat rather than Alfa, too.

A bit Ferarri 550 at the front and a bit Jaguar F-Type at the back, but a nice take on the MX-5. A bit more organic than the Mazda.

Very nice, far too much ground clearance at the back though - looks like a monster truck!

I'd have said it's a very Jaguar looking shape all over which certainly isn't a bad thing.
Now Fiat, put a roof on it add some rear seats and lets have a nice sounding 5 or 6 in there!

stupid thing posting twice!

I prefer the look of the original 2012 concept that Alesi posted above, more true to the original 124 Spider lines. I think they need to bring Tom Tjaarda in to do a bit of remodelling (like Chris Bangle for the Coupe, ie: an American styling a Fiat, but Tom styled the 124 Spider an incredible 50 years ago). I agree that the boot looks too high, the original 124 Spider has a very low height boot, great for piling up pizza boxes but nothing too tall, and the Fiat badge should be placed on the boot, not the rear panel. If only they could make the front lights and grille look more like the original (or the 2012 version), and bring back a more pronounced crease in the side that sweeps up over the door handle.

I doubt there's room to add rear seats due to the hood, unless the wheelbase is extended. Shame no pics with the hood up, some other features it would be cool to reproduce is the way the rear side windows fold down with the hood, and the fuel filler (a Coupe fuel filler cap would be nice) under a flap on the rear wing.

But I like the 124 script on the back, just like the original!

I hope they are planning to make it in RHD, at least that's one benefit of the tie-up with Mazda.

BM, making it a four seater with a roof would rather defeat the object of the thing, no?

I see the MX-5 price is expected to be £19k - curious to see how this goes. Herself likes it too...

Me too, especially as Mazda are effectively collaborating on a car which would be a rival to its own flagship (if you can call it that, but you know what I mean)

I believe it would bring back the coupe fiat! I have no use for a small feminine Italian rip off of a small feminine Japanese car so the object of the thing, for me, is already defeated.

The only replacement for Coupe Fiat from the Fiat stable will have an Alfa or Lancia label on the back.

This looks like it could be a good-handling small car that doesn't need stupid speeds to appreciate it.

I like it