17 plate 124 with no touchscreen and non abarth seats?

[Skippy]

Looking at trading my turismo. I have found a 17 plate delivery mileage only 124 at a dealer obviously for a good discounted price. However, it only has a push button radio and no touchscreen and the seats do not have the abarth branding. So I’m puzzled. Is it some kind of hybrid with a Mazda or were there early models that were a slightly lower spec? Otherwise the car is identical in every way to the basic models. Any ideas?

[Geoffxb]

From what I gather all 124 Abarth have the touch screen so are you sure its an Abarth not a normal 124 spider it should have the Abarth logo on the seats.

[Geoffxb]

And also has it get the abarth  logo on the steering wheel and boot and bonnet and the abarth wheels

[Skippy]

Thanks for replies. Yes it’s definitely an abarth in all other respects. Logos on bonnet, tail, wheels and steering wheel but not on seats and no touchscreen? It’s at research garage in Nuneaton https://www.researchgarage.co.uk/used-cars/search/?section%5B%5D=44463&make%5B%5D=Abarth&model%5BAbarth%5D%5B%5D=124&finance%5B%5D=price&payment-term%5B%5D=60&payment-deposit%5B%5D=1000&distance%5B%5D=0&budget-program%5B%5D=pcp&pageId=316156

[Geoffxb]

Yes I had a look and your right before I got mine I had a look at a few and I never saw one without the touch screen I got mine as an ex demo 8 months out 900 miles but a lot cheaper than new I took a pick of that car s  inside I post it here and see if anyone knows anything,but its a good price and for a few extra quid  you can get it running a lot better.

Geoff

[rsk289]

I first saw a pre-production Abarth 124 Spider at a motor show in Palermo, and ordered mine from a UK dealer who had never seen one at that time.  The pre-production one had the plain screen, no knobs.

[Brooko]

What an interesting car, the infotainment system is wrong, the seats are wrong, it has rear parking sensors- but halogen headlights (not LED) but has the limited No: plaque? this car could be a one off? and maybe worth something in the future.?? Looks like it’s possibly part American spec? 

It’s a good price, the seats look like  Mazda Alcantara faced Recaro’s, ( great seats), I’m sure if needed an MX5  touch screen sat nav could be found from the breakers and fitted,  the Halogen headlamps (I have on my car- love the look same as the rally car version) but change the bulbs-*Philips Crystal Vision 4300K H11* much better than the standard candles.

I wouldn’t buy an automatic 124 ( the manual gearbox is a joy) but that’s a personal choice.
Three questions I would ask the dealer,
1, what is the limited edition number on the plaque and is there a story on the build? ( just curious)
2, Does the car have a mechanical LSD and Monza exhaust? **without these two things it’s not a 124 Abarth **
3, Is the car 168 bhp ? (Standard Europe spec output)
 If 2 & 3 are yes yes & yes ! then a forth question would be WILL YOU TAKE AN OFFFER???  Good luck.

 I would love to know the story behind this car,

[Geoffxb]

I did email the dealer but they haven't got back to me my car is the standard one with the Bose and heritage pack I don't know about the headlights

[Brooko]

Hi Geoff, same as mine but no heratage pack (the wife’s choice) well I did buy the car for her, and now we fight over who drives! last year we did a two week trip through the Pyrenees then the Alps via France,Spain, Italy, Switzerland,  (doing Le Mann’s & the F1 at Paul Ricard) this year we have planned three weeks France, Belgium,  Germany, then the Italian lakes,  (this year the Spa 6 hour -sports cars, then the Mille Miglia- not taking part just watching) all in a boot a nats bigger than an MX5 has!!
BTW last years trip 2400 miles all with the roof down!
Pics on the tunnel home- please note all four tailpipes black as they should be ;

[Geoffxb]

Nice one how was the car on a long trip to be honest I don't use mine very much

[rsk289]

I've done a couple of decent road trips in mine.  2017's was around France, heading down towards Lyon with two other couples - one in an XKR, the other in a 911 Carrera (proper one, air cooled).  Last year's trip was to Sorrento, with another couple in an Alfa Brera Spider.  They were really hacked off, as the Alfa's hood gear (which they'd just paid £6K to have fixed) failed on day one, so after they'd managed to get it up after 2hrs of struggling they refused to take it down again.  Imagine - the Amalfi coast road, with the 39˚C Med sun warming up the Mohair hood...  They were particularly hacked off because we were throwing the hood up and flipping it back down again in seconds, several times a day.  Why anyone buys a car with an electric hood is beyond me: they'll lose the use of their limbs any day now, I guess.
The Abarth was faultless, a perfect touring sports car.  The minimalist boot is a real pain at times, but at least we're not using an Elan.  To be fair it's not really an issue in summer, it's just when the weather is mixed and you need cold-weather clothes as well as hot-weather stuff.  We tend to keep jackets in the hood well, on the grounds that when we want the hood down we usually need the jackets on anyway!

[Brooko]

We have no problem with long journeys although I don’t enjoy the passenger seat - firstly not driving the car is wrong! my wife always insists on “her turn” secondly I find the passenger side foot well a bit tight (due to the Bose sub under the floor I have plans to re position this behind the seat,.
Wow! I hope the Berra Spider wasn’t my wife’s old one (black limited edition  2.2 , beautiful car BUT THE HOOD only worked sometimes the switch gear sometimes worked - and sometimes not! and it handled like a BLANCMANGE !!! I don’t know why but we loved it, just couldn’t live with roof not working, then we saw the 124 at Goodwood, and bought one in October 2016, same as you RSK we also put jackets and the compulsory handbag!!! in the hood well, and there is also quite a bit of space in the rear wings outside the boot liner.

[rsk289]

Boot liner?  Not aware of a boot liner...

And no, the Brera was red.  Had difficulty keeping up with the Abarth, too.

[Brooko]

Sorry when I say boot liner I mean the naff thin ill fitting bit of made in China  grey carpet. 

[Geoffxb]

You can buy a rubber boot liner for the spider