Mazda won't build a Miata coupe, but Fiat could be up to the challenge

By Ronan Glon August 24, 2016

Abarth 124 Rally concept — Ronan Glon/Digital Trends

Fiat might build the Miata coupe that Mazda insists won’t happen under its watch, while reviving an iconic nameplate that has laid dormant for decades.

The Italian automaker is in the early stages of turning the Miata-based 124 Spider into a coupe, according to British magazine Autocar. And while Mazda already offers a version of the Miata with a retractable hard top, the 124-based coupe is being developed with a fixed roof like the original model that was sold from 1967 to 1975. Insiders have revealed that the model could look a lot like the Abarth 124 Rally concept (pictured) that was introduced earlier this year at the Geneva Auto Show.

Some sources claim the 124 Coupe will feature a hatchback like the BMW Z4 Coupe that was built until 2008, a feature that will make it considerably more practical than rivals like the Toyota 86. Others affirm that fitting the coupe with a hatch is too costly because it requires substantially re-engineering the Miata’s body, so the 124 Coupe will use the same trunk lid and rear section as the Spider model.

Another point of debate is which engine the coupe should use. Some markets will get a turbocharged 1.4-liter with just 138 horsepower, while others will receive an evolution of the turbo four tuned to provide 168 horsepower. Finally, a handful of Fiat executives are pushing for a sport-focused model powered by a 178-horsepower 1.4-liter tweaked by Abarth. Regardless, rear-wheel drive and a manual transmission will come standard, and an automatic gearbox will be available at an extra cost.

Read more: Abarth’s reloaded Fiat 500 is a scorpion with a meaner sting

If the rumor is accurate, the 21st-century Fiat 124 Coupe could make its official debut as early as next year and go on sale as a 2018 model. It will cost about 10 percent more than the coupe, meaning it will carry a base price of approximately $27,500.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Contributor

Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…

Gaming

E3 2022 won’t happen in-person (and Summer Game Fest has already clapped back)

For the third year in a row, E3 2022 will not happen as an in-person event. The Entertainment Software Association, which organizes the expo, has confirmed that the physical show has been cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the virus' new Omicron variant. In fact, the ESA didn't technically confirm that the show will happen in 2022 at all.

The news was broken by VentureBeat, which released a statement from the ESA regarding the yearly video game press conference. “Due to the ongoing health risks surrounding COVID-19 and its potential impact on the safety of exhibitors and attendees, E3 will not be held in person in 2022,” the ESA tells VentureBeat, “We are nonetheless excited about the future of E3 and look forward to announcing more details soon.”

Computing

Why the price of DDR5 memory is so high — and won’t drop anytime soon

Intel Alder Lake box with DDR5 memory.

DDR5 is finally out in the wild, but those trying to hop on the DDR5 train early have run into high prices and low supplies. TrendForce released their analysis of the current RAM market for glimmers of hope on the state of DDR5 -- but their news was only lukewarm.

It seems that while overall DDR5 pricing could fall, the average selling price probably won't budge.

Computing

Apple’s Universal Control won’t arrive on Macs, iPads until 2022

The MacBook Pro with the default wallpaper, which hides the notch.

After having dropped the latest releases of its operating systems -- including iOS 15.2, iPad OS 15.2, macOS Monterey 12.1, watchOS 8.3, and tvOS 15.2 -- early Monday morning local time, one highly coveted feature that Apple promoted during its WWDC presentation earlier this year was notably missing. Unfortunately, it appears that Universal Control, a KVM-like feature that allows you to share a mouse and keyboard and work seamlessly across a Mac and iPad, didn't quite make the cut in the latest versions of the company's new iPadOS and macOS operating system releases.

It appears that the release date for Universal Control on the Mac has now been adjusted from winter to "available this spring," according to Apple's information page for macOS Monterey. The company did not give any further details or explanation for the delay, though this could mean that the feature won't arrive until macOS 12.2 drops.