bungeejumper wrote:I don't know what dark forces are behind it, but it seems remarkably hard to pin down consistent figures for that Fiat.
The complexities are the brands and the different engine tunes used for different world markets.
In the UK Fiat sold the Fiat 124 and their subsidiary brand, Abarth, sold the Abarth 124. The UK version of the Fiat 124 has 140 bhp @ 5000 rpm and 240 N m torque @ 2250, giving a top speed of 134 and 0-60 at 7.5 seconds. The UK Abarth 124 version is 168 bhp and 250 N m torque @ 2250 and has a a top speed of 144 and 0-60 at 6.8 seconds.
However in the US Fiat use 'Abarth' as a trim level of Fiat cars, not a separate brand, and in addition the engines in the US cars are tuned differently so their Fiat 124s have been tuned to give 160 bhp.
And it isn't a fast car - there are far quicker 'hot hatches' out there which will leave it for dust. However far nicer to be to tootling along on a sunny day with the roof down at a speed that doesn't put your licence in danger, but with enough pick up to quickly overtake the car or lorry in front if you want to. And unlike the normally aspirated MX5, you don't have to continually rev it to death to get that power when you want it.