[Jack]

FCA has announced that it has plans to enter the new Fiat 124 Spider in rally racing. A race version of the 124 will compete in a new sports car category in World Rally Championships (WRC) around 2017 -- that's the same time the 124 Abarth model will be up for sale.

The Abarth version of the 124 Spider will use different sheetmetal, not just more aggressive styling to set it apart from the Fiat 124 base model.The Abarth version could have as much as 200 hp when it debuts, a good increase over the 160 horsepower in the regular model.

The Abarth will have a matte black hood and hardtop, which references the Abarth-tuned 124 Stradale homologation car built in the early 1970s as a 124 rally car.

In the late '70s and early 80s Fiat won three WRC titles with the iconic 131 Abarth.

 

[Busta]

The Abarth will rally, not the Fiat...

I would imagine the Abarth is more a homologation special then anything.

And by different sheet metal Im begining to think what they mean is a fixed roof...

 

[RedTRex]

Well does say hardtop in the first article.

 

[Busta]

Well does say hardtop in the first article.

yea but that could mean hardtop convertible...