Fiat 124 Spider review

Thanks to a punchy little engine that delivers spurts of brisk acceleration, the 124 Spider is respectably quick, reaching 62mph in just 7.5sec. There’s a little turbo lag, which sets you back for a moment each time you upshift, and can be annoying in traffic, but once on song the engine pulls consistently through most of its rev range. The six-speed manual transmission’s short, neat action makes it easy to stay within the ideal power band, too.

The 124 Spider sounds racy in the mid-range, but there’s a bassy drone from the exhaust below, while high revs bring a loud, strained engine note, and this soundtrack remains prominent even with the roof up.