1984 Fiat Pininfarina

The 124 Sport Spider is a 2+2 convertible marketed by Fiat from 1966 to 1979 – having debuted at the November 1966 Turin Auto Show. Designed and manufactured by Italian carrozzeria Pininfarina, Fiat continued to market the monocoque-bodied car as the 2000 Spider from 1979 to 1982. Pininfarina itself assumed the car's marketing from 1983 to the end of its production in 1985 – as the Pininfarina Spider Azzura. The Sports Spider and the Fiat 124 Coupé shared the numeric portions of their name with the 124 sedan along with much of their running gear – and, in the case of the Coupé, a shared platform. The Sports Spider utilized a shorter platform along with a shorter wheelbase, and in contrast to the Pinifarina styled and manufactured Spider, Fiat designed and manufactured the Coupé in-house.

The four-cylinder engine used in the Spider and Coupé was a double overhead cam, aluminum crossflow head version of the sedan's pushrod unit. It started in 1966 with a capacity of 1438 cc progressively increasing to 1608 cc in 1970 (although this reduced to 1,592 cc in 1973), 1,756 cc in 1974 and finally 1,995 cc in 1979. Designed by Dan Vano. Bosch fuel injection replaced the previously used Weber carburetors midway through 1980. In 1981 and 1982, Fiat USA, Inc. partnered with Legend Industries to create approximately 700 turbo models for US markets.

There was also a supercharged model called Volumex offered toward the end of production, which was sold only in Europe, where it cost 35% more than a regular, fuel-injected Spidereuropa.

This family of engines was designed by ex-Ferrari chief engineer Aurelio Lampredi and in one form or another remained in production into the 1990s giving it one of the longest production runs in history. The double overhead cam (DOHC) version was the first mass manufactured DOHC to utilize reinforced rubber timing belts, an innovation that would come into nearly universal use in the decades after its introduction.

The Fiat Spider was a huge commercial success over its long production run, owing to its far superior specification than nearly all of it competitors, most notably the MGB. With sleek and stylish bodywork, a top that can be lowered or raised in under a minute, an efficient 5 speed gearbox backed by excellent 4 wheel disc brakes, the Fiat Spider is an outstanding sports car offering unbeatable performance and adroit handling.

One of the most scarce 124 Spider variants on American shores is the Volumex, a supercharged variant offered by Pininfarina for two years at the end of production, featuring every performance accessory that they had used over the years, as well as Abarth suspension and internal engine components to ensure that it would have handling even more nimble than a stock Spider. These were exclusively imported to Germany.

This exceptional example was imported by a noted Abarth collector a few years back and has been used sparingly since. Fully Restored by Marque Specialists prior to Importation, the car has covered few kilometers since restoration, but is maintained in excellent running condition and received a recent carburator rebuild. All receipts for the Restoration and subsequent work accompany the car, as does a Certification of Authenticity, and all Import documentation. Finished in a stunning dark blue over tan color combination, this is one of the most attractive Spiders we have seen. The car is in excellent running and driving condition, and ready for extended touring. Equally welcome on the Concours Circuit, this seldom seen variant will be a hit wherever you take it. With only 3 known to have been imported to North America, this is certainly a rare opportunity to acquire a RADwood car with Italian flair. With power windows and other luxury accessories, it is not only quick but genuinely comfortable, and is an outstanding sports car in all regards.

Surely a rare find, this is among the most interesting Fiat Spiders to come to market in America for some time, and undoubtedly one of the fastest as well.