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Alfa Romeo will be going its own way for its upcoming Spider, directing Mazda to take its 2016 MX-5 over to Fiat-Abarth instead.
Car reports the new roadster will be “a derivative of project Giorgio,” per Alfa and Maserati brand boss Harald Wester. Giorgio is, of course, the RWD platform that will underpin many a new Alfa, including the expected 159 successor due early this coming summer.
As for the MX-5’s role in the matter, the platform will be heading to Fiat-Abarth, raising the possibility for a new Barchetta or stand-alone Abarth model to emerge from Mazda’s Hiroshima facility in the near future. Alfa’s Spider, however, will be made in Italy, per CEO Sergio Marchionne’s vision for the Alfa brand.
40 Comments on “Alfa Romeo To Build Spider On Own Platform, Mazda MX-5 To Fiat-Abarth...”
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Toy Story 5
Nothing wrong with toys for good girls and boys :D
Why is Alfa “directing” Mazda to do anything? Has Mazda made itself subserviant to Fiat’s minions for some development money ’cause Mazda’s on welfare?
If greasy Italians are ordering a Japanese company around, that just ain’t right.
Not as acceptable as a bunch of blockhead Germans ordering Mazda about, I’m sure, but since FCA is a wee bigger then Mazda I suppose it’s their decision on how they should build their cars
So, did Mazda recently have to go hat-in-hand to Fiat? I don’t understand the connection between them.
Let me understand this. When you post that FCA can decide “how they should build their cars”, who are the ‘they’? Hopefully not Mazda, because no one needs to tell them how to build inexpensive, full-featured roadsters, precarious financial position or not. They(Mazda) teach the class. Fiat dictating how to build roadsters to others is the tail giving instructions to the dog. A Fiat roadster can only benefit from Mazda influence. I like Sergio Marchionne a lot, but sending Alfa alone to develop their own MX-5 class roadster? Best of luck with that. Short of considering Honda and the S2000, Mazda doesn’t need lessons from anyone about how to build affordable, reliable, extremely fun roadsters.
“So, did Mazda recently have to go hat-in-hand to Fiat? I don’t understand the connection between them.”
I agree. Mazda is still running hand in hoof with Ford for way too many products.
And I do believe Fiat was building quite popular roadsters long before Mazda showed up on American soil.
I think what Mazda wants is some outside perspective to help them refresh their approach to the new generation of the MX-5, after all Mazda resuscitated the small spider sport car using as a model the defunct European spiders and the project took place in California.
Now they are going to Italy to refresh their approach. I see nothing wrong with that. Even better if they also invite Pinifarina.
Stems from the original co-development agreement between Fiat and Mazda to use the newly developed Miata platform for Alfa. However, Sergio has since said that any Alfa would be made in Italy, at least while he was CEO, therefore the change to have the new Mazda mated with either a Fiat or Abarth.
The ‘greasy Italians’ were just referring to that.
Thanks, bobman. So Mazda is actually the tech donor in the deal but still subject to Sergio’s politics.
Both sides are subject to fulfilling the agreement they signed. Perhaps you’re reading too much into this.
No politics I can see. The agreement was between Fiat and Mazda. FCA has alternatives to use for Alfa’s entry into that space. I believe Fiat will fulfill its oblications to Mazda.
You don’t understand “Sergio’s politics”? You do it the “Italian way” or go swimming wit da fishes in the deep blue Mediterranean Sea
They build Jeeps in Italy, don’t they?
But Sergio wears nice sweaters and seems like a gentle professor :-)
… and Goti seemed like such a nice boy
Totally agreed- I hope this isn’t a sign of another failed executive order from Hiroshima. The divorce from Ford was the best decision they’ve made. Mazda is doing just fine without any European direction or “order”…
…forget the barchetta; fiat could do very well with a new sport spider…
I hope they use the Fiat Dino as their inspiration…
IMO, the more roadsters the better.
MOAR LS SWAP!
Since it’s sort of a pseudo Mopar, Gen III Hemi swap is acceptable as well.
Once Mopar builds an aluminum block hemi so its as light as an LS. Unless of course there iron block is lighter than I think it is.
So what they’re saying is that there will be no small Alfa roadster.
Pretty much. This platform is due to be used by the Charger and 300 as well, so it’s unlikely we’ll see any roadster in the size class of the Miata or S2000.
I’m sure we all remember how well the Miata “Thunderbird” came out. It took a while just to get used to the look and size of it and it seemed to use all the wrong design cues. Looked more like an attempt to copy the original Corvette than a Thunderbird.
Wrong!
Alfa has carefully built a reputation in the U.S. as a maker of terrifically finicky cars that scarcely outlive their financing terms. Why would they want to squander that by working with someone with a track record of turning out modern sport cars in quantity?
I’m sure the Fiat dealers are agitating for something other than four door wagons and tumbleweeds to occupy their showrooms.
Alfa will aim their marketing efforts at people who were born after the days of finicky Spica mechanical fuel injection, so it’s all good.
Alfa doesn’t have a reputation in the US beyond this comment thread,
Too true!
This is just another example of Alfa delaying/cancelling product while making promises about its wonderful future. A Miata-based Spider could launch soon: how long does it take to slap on new bodywork and interior trim? An Alfa-only roadster is likely a pipe dream.
Shifting this product platform to Fiat/Abarth would seem to guarantee that an Alfa-only roadster would move from pipe dream to sasquatch status.
“A Miata-based Spider could launch soon…”, but it wouldn’t be an Alfa, it would be a Mazda with an Alfa body much like the last Ford Thunderbird was a Miata with a stretched Ford body on it. Honestly, Alfa already makes a Spider of their own in Italy, it just doesn’t meet US safety specs yet.
” the last Ford Thunderbird was a Miata with a stretched Ford body on it.”
Where do you get this BS? The last T-Bird was built on the DEW98 platform. Just stop embarrassing yourself
DEW98 Platform
This platform is used in the following vehicles:
2000–2008 Jaguar S-Type
2000–2006 Lincoln LS
2002–2005 Ford Thunderbird
2008– Jaguar XF
Considering what Abarth did with the lowly 500, that can only be a good thing. The Miata is pretty much perfect as is, but there are times when a Mazdaspeed version in a designer suit would be kind of neat….
The last time Alfa Romeo got involved with the Japanese the world ended up with the Arna. Perhaps it’s for the best that Alfa stays away from Mazda.
I love the Arna just because of how ridiculous it is.
The parents of the Skyline and GTA M came together to create a car and ended up with the Arna thinking that the reason people bought compact workaday Nissans were because of their awesome design and fierce driving dynamics, while Alfisti were gaga over Alfa’s legendary build quality and reliability.
The real problem with Alfa leaving the project is they finally got it right after 33 years and we’ll never see it.
Why is everyone making this same front bumper? Acura beak for the win!
forget fiat-
Aluminum Lotus MX-5
Lotus sells it as an Elan in Carbon, Mazda the mx-5 in Aluminum.
***mind blown****
(this blog would be shut down as there would be nothing more to talk about)
I’d rather have a new X 1/9 than a new Spyder, but if it has throwback visuals to the old Spyder, I’d be interested.
Toy car!