The Fiat 124 Spider Story

Oh, what times the 1960s were in the United States. The roads were still relatively uncrowded, and there wasn’t even a hint of the oil crisis or the 55 mph national speed limit. In those days, Europe was still feeling the effects of the war, and most people could only dream about their first car; meanwhile, many people in the States could already enjoy attributes of the good life – affordable sports convertibles. Ford was preparing the Mustang – its future bestseller – and European immigrants like the MGB, the Triumph Spitfire and the Alfa Romeo Spider were coming over that were even nicer and more fun. All of them offered what was hard to find in local production: brilliant handling, elegant body lines, and a small size (which for sporty roadsters like these was more of an advantage than a disadvantage). The American appetite for European roadsters seemed inexhaustible, so Fiat –which was selling the most cars in Europe at the time – saw it as an opportunity to make some easy money with 124 Spider… read more >