I came across a street-parked Fiat 124 Spider the other day. First I saw it from behind. "Mazda MX-5," I thought, but the taillights? They were Fiats. Fiat's Spider shares shape and form with the Mazda MX-5 and is produced by Mazda. Or rather - "became" - because the Fiat 124 Spider has been discontinued.
Roadsters are out of fashion
A couple of decades ago, there was a market for roadsters like the Audi TT, BMW Z-series, Mercedes-Benz SLK, MG F and Mazda MX-5 to name a few. It's not every day you see a Fiat 124 Spider, but on a bike ride on Sunday morning I saw no less than two Fiat 124 Spiders along the road. Both cars were occupied by couples in their 60s with caps on their heads. Today, roadsters are bought by well-to-do adults who want to experience the nostalgia of open, lightweight sports cars. The type of car doesn't appeal as much to young career people. The Fiat 124 Spider sold quite well in its first year, then sales declined. But the model was not discontinued due to poor sales.
Euro 6d was the nail in the coffin
The decision to discontinue the Fiat 124 Spider was made at the end of 2019. 2020 was to be the last year of production. The official reason was that the engines had to be upgraded to meet new Euro 6d requirements. Fiat has come a long way in downsizing its engines. Instead of upgrading their 1,4 Multiair turbo engine, they are betting on their 1-litre engine. It is currently the only petrol engine supplied to the Fiat Tipo and 500X. It will work perfectly there, but would hardly be an acceptable solution for the enthusiast car 124 Spider.
The same engine used in several models
The 1,4 engine in the Fiat 124 Spider was delivered in two versions – standard and Abarth. In the standard version, it produces 140 HP with a torque of 240 Nm at 2250 rpm. The Abarth version is trimmed up to 170 HP with 250 Nm at 2500 rpm. Fiat's Spider team originally took the engine from the Fiat 500 Abarth. But the engine has also served in other models such as the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, the newer Fiat-developed Dodge Dart, Jeep Renegade and Opel Astra. We have previously driven the engine in the Opel Astra 1,4 turbo with 140 horses.
Front with clear Fiat identity
How to create a classic
Only 4 years in production with relatively modest sales figures will undoubtedly make the 124 Spider desirable over the years. Not least if it turns out to be Fiat's last roadster. Most of the examples will be treated like royalty, given the place of honor in their respective garages and only driven on nice weather days - like the ones I saw last Sunday. A final factor that will ensure the car's classic status is its beautiful appearance inspired by Pininfarina's original shape.
In its proper element
Fiat's future in Stellantis
After the major merger between FCA and PSA, 14 car brands are now managed under the same ownership. The merger will undoubtedly provide economies of scale in production, but will have consequences on the future model range and dealer structure.
Fiat is big on commercial vehicles. On the passenger car side, the 500 series is a big seller with new future-oriented drive units based on battery technology. A new variant of the Fiat 500 called 3+1 has an additional rear-swinging auxiliary door on the passenger side to facilitate access to the rear seat. The larger and more reliable models, Tipo and 500X, only seem to figure in the car rental companies' lists. They are almost never seen along the road - neither here at home nor in the countries around the Mediterranean. The Fiat 500L has disappeared from the model range in the USA - and will probably disappear soon from Europe as well. Instead, a completely new electric car concept based on the prototype is coming centoventi. If Fiat succeeds in this, they are back in the ring.
It is uncertain whether Fiat will make a new "fun car" like the 124 Spider. The group will probably let Alfa Romeo take care of the fun in the future, but Alfa is currently struggling with poor profitability. Let's hope that the high lords of Stellantis not only listen to the economists, but also find room for car enthusiasm.
If you didn't manage to buy a Fiat 124 Spider, you can order a new Mazda MX-5.
Pleasant interior - here from the inside of the red carMazda MX-5Fiat 500e 3+1Reminiscent of Pininfarina's original shapeThe Abarth version
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Fiat 124 for sale Of course you will rent a car!Opel Astra 1,4 Turbo
If you are going on a flight this summer, you should of course rent a car. Unless you're in the middle of a big city, a rental car is undoubtedly the best way to explore the area.
The car rental companies belong to the tourism industry - an industry which unfortunately does not have the best reputation in the world. If you're on holiday, it's easy to feel cheated. Don't let it ruin your vacation!
Floating prices
Searching for a rental car online is like searching for cheap plane tickets. Everyone wants to find the lowest price, but ends up comparing "lobster and canary". Are the car models identical? Is it possible to compare the insurance terms? You will not see the final sum until you have gone through the entire ordering procedure. It is not certain that RyanAir will be cheaper than SAS when all the supplements are ultimately factored in. You can find the same in the rental car market.
To add to the confusion, the prices are constantly changing.
I had just searched online for a rental car. The prices were higher than normal because our holiday coincided with the public holiday in Southern Europe. After checking various travel portals, I ended up with the relatively new car rental site of Norwegian.no , which I have used once before. The service is provided by CarTrawler. Unfortunately, the impression is reduced by several errors and shortcomings on the pages.
Had I found the cheapest offer?
Shortly after I ordered and paid a deposit, an advertisement appeared on Facebook that the rental car company I had just ordered from was offering a 15 percent discount for the month. Ouch! Had I paid too much? - And why did I get an offer just after I had ordered?
There is one thing you need to know before you sign the contract and drive off – namely how much excess you are responsible for. In a normal contract, you may be responsible for more than 20,000 kroner that is reserved on your credit card when you pick up the car. In that case, you should take out additional insurance (LDW) that reduces the excess to somewhere between about 3000-6000 kroner. Some companies, such as Europcar and Sixt , have the excess reduction included in their prices. The budget company GoldCar – and many others – require additional insurance.
You can actually have the excess reduced all the way down to NOK 0, but that insurance often costs as much as the rental price itself. If you park in a shabby area, this can still be money well spent for a carefree holiday.
Another insurance you need is "glass and tyres". It is not covered by ordinary rental car insurance. If someone punctures your tires in the dead of night, you have to cover the damage yourself - maybe even a tow truck. "Glass and tyres" insurance is relatively affordable (about NOK 50 per day), and is recommended if you have to park along the street at night.
Alternative insurance.
If the rental car does not start, the rental car company will come and collect the car free of charge. But if you fill in the wrong fuel or lock the keys in the car, you have to pay for the recovery yourself. You can take out additional car towing insurance (approx. NOK 30 per day). If you are a NAF member in Norway, you do not need this insurance, as NAF also covers your rental car abroad.
Rental car insurance is quite complicated. If you haven't prepared, it's easy to get overinsured. This has created a market for third-party insurance companies that offer a kind of "non-nonsense" insurance above what the rental car companies' basic insurance does not cover. The advantage is that you are fully insured with one keystroke and can politely decline all insurance offers at the counter. In addition, the insurance from the third-party company is significantly cheaper than with the rental car company. The scheme works well in practice. Should the accident happen, you must collect documentation of the expenses you have had in relation to the rental car company.
Is it worth ordering in advance?
If the rental car companies have many available cars, there are opportunities to get a good offer without having booked in advance. Often the companies have some kind of favorable campaign that you can only get at the counter. In addition, they can upgrade you to a better car, - especially if you are a registered customer in their loyalty program and they know that you are on your way to check the prices of the competitors. You can get an offer that exceeds what you can get by ordering online. But you might as well be turned away at the counter. If your further journey is based on a rental car, you may end up with an outdated and completely overpriced car - the one that no one else wants. I have experienced both. The safest thing is to order in advance.
You never know which car you will get.
As a car enthusiast, I wish you could order a specific car model. You can't, unless it explicitly says "Guaranteed car model". If you order a BMW 1-series or similar, for example, you might as well get an Audi A3 or Volvo V40. Remember that the counter staff will be happy to sell you something more. If you're not completely satisfied with the car choice, you can ask if they have any alternatives. Maybe you only need to pay a few extra bucks per day to get a car you really like. What you have to be careful about is calculating the total amount before you accept. The staff usually only state the price supplement in rental per day . A more expensive car also means more expensive insurance, - and if you're going to have the car for 14 days, the total price can quickly become more expensive than you thought.
Rental car companies may like to use one special car model as an enticement to get customers for more ordinary cars. A special model is thus promised to several customers at the same time - a kind of overbooking. I have experienced this myself. You feel cheated when you pick up the keys to a supercar, and have to settle for the keys to a Golf and the world's stupidest excuse. The feeling of fraud becomes stronger when two hours later you observe "your" car with another driver behind the wheel.
Enjoy the rental car even if you are tricked into rolling around.
5. Via the rental car company's own website, preferably to the country you will be renting in, for example Spain. There you will often find offers that you do not get on the Norwegian or international sites.
Summary:
1. CDW or LDW reduces the deductible in case of damage and theft so that it is at the same level as you have on your car at home. With some rental car companies, the deductible has already been reduced. The insurance otherwise costs approx. NOK 100 per day. This is an insurance you must have.
2. Glass and tires. The usual rental car insurance does not cover this. Recommended. About NOK 50 per day.
3. Super insurance which reduces the deductible to 0. This means that the rent is doubled. If you are renting a car for a relatively short time, and want to be able to deliver the car quickly, it can still be defended. Certain super insurance policies also cover traffic fines.
4. Personal insurance. If you have valid travel insurance, you do not need this.
5. Extended liability insurance for third parties should be taken out in the USA. This covers you against absurd judgments in the American judiciary.
6. Extra rescue insurance in the event of self-inflicted accidents such as incorrect filling, getting stuck, locking the keys in the car. Ordering rescue in Spain or France is unlikely to ruin the holiday budget, but can be advantageously chosen for reasons of convenience - as the rental company arranges all the practicalities. Costs approx. NOK 30 per day.
7. If you are going to use the car in another country, an additional fee may occasionally be required. However, most large companies allow this free of charge (with certain exceptions), but the low-cost companies often charge an additional fee. For example, the low-cost company GoldCar requires 9 euros per day downwards limited to 25 euros and upwards to 90 euros to drive a Spanish car over to France.
8. Tank packages. You buy a full tank from the rental car company and can deliver an empty tank. Not recommended unless you have to deliver the car quickly. The cheapest is to deliver the car with a full tank (full-to-full). Map where the nearest gas station is when you drive out of the airport.
9. Airport surcharge. The cheapest cars are rented at the airports. If you collect and deliver the car close to the terminal, an additional fee may apply - usually built into the rental price. The alternative is a shuttle bus to private car parks a little beyond the terminal building(s).
10. Additional driver requires an additional fee. Price from NOK 50-100 per day.
The Autobianchi Bianchina is a variant of the Fiat Nuova 500. It has the same dimensions (3 meters long) and the same powertrain, just in a more stylish shell.
Norwegian Fiat Register visits Vespa at Fornebu
When the members of the Norwegian Fiat Register go on a trip, what is more natural than to greet their two-wheeled relatives, the Vespa? At the old flight tower at Fornebu can be found Culture on wheels, a small technical museum that includes Norway's largest collection of Vespas. If you like Italy, you like Vespa - and Fiat.
Several beautiful vintage cars and youngtimers were lined up in the car park outside Odonata, where food is served on Sundays.
- Here are some pictures.
These two Autobianchi's are an eye-catcher wherever they travel. A two million Ferrari could not cause more attention.,,,
Late edition Fiat 124 Sport Spider.
Inside the Fiat 124 Sport Spider (late edition). Note the location of the ashtray and indication of the gear selections on the center console.
This beautiful dashboard belongs to an early Fiat 124 Sport Spide. Typical Italian – and typical Fiat. Put on your driving gloves!
Early edition Fiat 124 Sport Spider with American front bumper and the Italian flag for the occasion.
The Fiat 500 Abarth Essesse is a rare sight on the road. Note the four exhaust pipes. The Abarth version's 1,4-litre petrol engine with 160 HP has too much of a fun factor, I should think.
What registration number could be better suited to this Fiat 508C?
The Fiat 508 is very beautiful inside, and quite roomy for being 4 meters long. This is a pre-war Fiat 508C, also called 1100 "Balilla".
Fiat 508C in cabriolet version.
When Fiat enthusiasts need a family car, the Croma Mk2 is a natural choice. Produced between 2005 and 2011 on the same platform as the Opel Vectra and Saab 93. The Croma mk2 was imported to Norway from 2009. The pictured car has a 1,9 MultiJet Diesel with 120 HP.
Fiat Barchetta from between 1995 and 2002. A modern car with a distinctive look.
Time to move on. Here a "Nuova 500" perhaps the "L version" with its extended bumper corners?
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Culture on wheels, the car museum at Fornebu.Along the streets of Rome.Fiat 500 for sale
