• Good claimed fuel economy for a sports car
• Relatively low insurance group
• Three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty from new

There’s just the one engine available in the Abarth 124 Spider, meaning running costs are relatively similar whether you opt for the six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. When paired with the former, the 1.4-litre turbocharged engine returns 44.1mpg, compared to 42.8mpg with the latter.

Service intervals for the Abarth 124 Spider are every 9,000 miles or one year (whichever comes first) while the standard manufacturer warranty from new is three years and unlimited miles. Insurance for all versions is group 29E, a slight increase on the maximum of 26E given to the Fiat 124 Spider.

It might not have been built to save the planet – there’s no stop-start system or hybrid/EV models on the way – but the Abarth 124 Spider is hardly a big polluter. CO2 emissions are a respectable 148g/km for the manual version, raising to 153g/km in automatic guise.

Sufficed to say, we reckon there’s very little chance of Abarth bringing out a hybrid or pure electric version of the 124 Spider in its current guise.

• Generous three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty
• Based on Mazda MX-5 convertible
• That boasts excellent reliability in its current guise

Abarth 124 Spider reliability is a tricky one to call. It’s based heavily on a Fiat (a brand that has a debatable reputation for reliability), yet in this particular case the Fiat in question is based on a Mazda MX-5. Confused? Essentially, the Abarth 124 Spider is a super-reliable Mazda underneath.

Team this with the Abarth’s three-year unlimited-mile warranty and the 124 Spider should, in theory, make a solid proposition. Indeed, this reviewer took the car on a near 1,000-mile drive and had no trouble whatsoever, with all trim pieces and fixings staying resolutely solid throughout the trip.