VERTiG0 posted:

My new commute has me putting $85-90 in gas every 4-5 days in my '12 TL Advance (Elite). I think I should sell it and buy a 124 Spider Abarth. I live out in the country in Canada where we get lots of snow. Tell me this is a bad idea. I would put snow tires on it.

DoLittle posted:

Shrapnig posted:

I'm going to be getting rid of my '15 STI at some point this year and am looking for something that's for lack of a better term, more refined than my current car. What's the consensus on the Giulia as opposed to a 3 series, A/S3, CLA/C Class or other options in that similar price range, so that's going to exclude the QF obviously.

I had a '13 Abarth that I bought new(yeah yeah) that really soured me on the brand and the dogshit dealership network so that makes me wary. I offloaded it for the STI after about 7k miles and numerous gremlins at a monstrous loss because I was worried about the car literally falling apart on me. It was fun as hell to drive, I'll give it that.

MrOnBicycle posted:

Question for any of you that have a GTV6: I just realized that I'm probably not the average 80's Italian man, I'm 192cm (6' 3-4"), with long legs. Am I screwed?

quote:

Fiat is spicing up its 124 lineup with two special edition models that will be revealed at the Geneva International motor show in March.

Painted in exclusive Alpi Orientali Grey exterior paint, the 124 Abarth GT will come with the traditional convertible soft top but will also include a lightweight hard top made entirely of carbon fiber that creates an appealing profile. The hard top weighs just over 35 pounds, is lined on the inside, and has a rear window with a defroster. Fiat claims the hardtop can be removed and reinstalled in a few easy steps.

The Abarth 124 GT also features 17-inch OZ Ultra-Light alloy wheels that are about 6.6 pounds lighter than the standard wheels. A matte black hood and a carbon-fiber rear spoiler are optional. A Gunmetal front spoiler matches the Gunmetal mirror caps, but the mirrors can also be had in red or carbon fiber.

Also debuting in Geneva is the Fiat 124 Spider S-Design, a limited edition model only available on the Lusso trim. The model features polished steel roll bars, unique 17-inch lightweight alloy wheels, a tricolor rear badge, and a lower red side stripe.

Bajaha posted:

They should have gone full monty and done what spoon did for the s2000 with the really long hard top.

Still, wouldn't kick it out of bed as is.

Lladre posted:

I was thinking about leasing a 2018 Giulia, all wheel drive version. Anything I should watch out for?

KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:

that hard top ruins the lines

iwentdoodie posted:

That's the first time I've liked the 124.

iwentdoodie posted:

That's the first time I've liked the 124.

Lladre posted:

I was thinking about leasing a 2018 Giulia, all wheel drive version. Anything I should watch out for?

Cholmondeley posted:

I've had mine for nearly a year, with no real issues, and it's a blast to own and drive. I've heard there were some software glitches on some of the early models, but I think they've been fixed.

ibntumart posted:

So I bought a new thing and I think it might fit in here.

ibntumart posted:

So I bought a new thing and I think it might fit in here.

ibntumart posted:

Though what I don't understand is why Honda Accord drivers seem to hate this car. Not any other car. Several times already I've had one try to illegally pass me (and fail), tailgate me, or just flat out want to race I guess, and it's not as if I was driving at a snail's pace or anything.

quote:

A new member of the Alfa Romeo Giulia family is in the works, according to Autocar, and it may revive one of the most cherished Alfa nameplates. Due later this year, a coupe version of the Giulia is expected to offer two powertrains that will incorporate an F1-style energy recovery system (ERS).

One engine expected to make it under the hood of the coupe, which may revive the Sprint name, is a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine borrowed from the Giulia Veloce sedan good for 345 hp. A hotter offering is tipped to be the turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 borrowed from the Giulia Quadrifoglio, expected to churn out an eye-watering 641 hp. This would make it the most powerful Alfa in the lineup, Autocar notes, with its sights set on the likes of the Audi RS5, Mercedes-Benz C63 S Coupe and the BMW M4 DTM.

The ERS system that the Giulia coupe's powertrain will use is expected to be a version of the HY-KERS system created by Magneti Marelli and Ferrari for the LaFerrari, optimized for performance. The ERS system essentially uses the electric motor's low-end torque to complement the gasoline engine's torque curve; the result is better fuel consumption and cleaner emissions compared to conventional gasoline engines with comparable horserpower outputs.

drgitlin posted:

Turns out the rwd 2.0L Giulia is 85% as good as the QV: https://arstechnica.com/cars/2018/04/the-alfa-romeo-giulia-ti-a-sports-sedan-for-people-who-want-to-drive/

KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:

I am going to complain bitterly about the lack of a 3rd pedal in the lower-end Giulia until I am blue in the face. I don't give a gently caress how good the ZF 8-speed is.

Mokotow posted:

Hello thread. I rented an MX-5 for two days to see what it was all about and loved it. Took it for a drive to the Nurburgring, as I live close by, and just went nuts with the rental all over the place. I was aware of the 124, liked the lines more and thought its better suited for me, so after watching a few hours of vids on Youtube, I went to my local FCA and, well, I’m picking up my Abarth 124 next week.

Mind you, I stumbled on a good specimen - it’s a January 2018 first registration demo car with 6k on it, fully loaded, black with red highlights. It was first listed at 44k EUR, went down to 37k EUR in March and I got it for 30k EUR today. The dealership just couldn’t loose it, as the price point was too high. It ended up as the car with a dealer advert on the side they’d park outside to catch attention. The Abarth 124 is, it turns out, not that popular in Germany and I sort of see why - people would rather pay more and get a “local” BMW or Porsche, or something otherwise sensible, and a car with such a narrow use case list is just un-german. People are also holding out for the new Abarth editions, and the wait time for new ones is 52 weeks, apparently.

Took a drive before signing and basically all MX-5 to 124 comparison videos confirm my feelings - while the MX-5s acceleration is linear and the car tends to be squirly, the Abarth 124 is calmer on lower gears, with a quicker top when the turbo kicks in, and the suspension and general feel is more composed. It also has that Abarth crackle from the 500, which some people claim is gone, and it sound just... loving.... nnnngh.

It’s the most fun I’ve had with cars in years and I’m super stoaked, even if at 6.4 ft I barely fit in (I know the cabin is supposed to be the same but I swear I get a few cm more of leg room and head clearance). I also love how you can reach into the engine bay and fiddle with anything, which is a great change of pace from my current BMW F11.

KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:

that's a pretty good value for Euro land but loving A I can walk in to my local FCA hellhole and walk out in an Abarth for like $25,000