The Fiat 124 Spider enters 2019 with a handful of new features aimed at improving the personalization possibilities of the retro-chic roadster. Most notably, the top-of-the-line 124 Spider Abarth adds a dual-mode exhaust to its options list. The stainless-steel unit offers quiet operation at idle and when the throttle is applied lightly. Stomp on the go-pedal, though, and the Abarth clears its throat thanks to a valve within the exhaust system that closes off the muffler and makes for a raucous hullabaloo.
Sadly, the $995 exhaust setup adds no additional power to the 124 Spider Abarth, and the turbocharged 1.4-liter inline-four continues to produce the same 164-hp (119 kilowatts) as before. Those in search of more power will be better served by the 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata, which now pushes 181 horses (135 kilowatts) out of its naturally aspirated 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine – 26 ponies (19 kilowatts) more than last year.
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