As soon as the Miata-->ke1185based Fiat 124 Spider was unveiled in 2015, rumors that the Italians are also planning to develop a rally-spec model surfaced the Interwebz. Although Fiat->ke30 declined to confirm that such a model is in the works, the race-prepped car made a surprise debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show,->ke228 alongside the beefed-up 124 Abarth. It's called the Abarth 124 Rally, and much like the standard 124 Spider,->ke5091 it's a modern iteration of the Fiat's original roadster.->ke1418

Only a prototype for now, the 124 Rally will be finalized in time for the 2017 season. Fiat confirmed that the coupe->ke141 will be homologated for the FIA R-GT, a category created specifically for GT cars. In 2015, the R-GT Cup was contested by only four drivers, all using 996- and 997-generation Porsche 911 GT3s.->ke617 There's no word if other makers plan to join the sport, but the 124 Rally should make things significantly more interesting.

A final version will be unveiled by the end of the year with official testing to commence in the coming months. Until that happens, let's have a closer look at the prototype that revives the 124 Rally after exactly four decades since its last official race.

Continue reading to find out more about the 2016 Abarth 124 Rally.

Exterior

Like all rally cars based on their road-going counterparts, the 124 Rally retains the design language of the 124 Abarth, but received a number of rally-spec features. Arguably the most important change is the fixed composite hard-top that replaced the road-going car's canvas roof. The new hard-top turns the Abarth 124 into a permanent coupe and helps lean the weight distribution slightly toward the rear axle.

Classic rally enthusiasts will probably notice that the hard-top is about the same shape as the original car, giving the 124 a sleek appearance. It also features a roof scoop and rally-spec side windows with sliding center sections.

While most body panels are shared with the standard model, the 124 Rally did receive a new mesh for the upper and lower grille, the latter with "Abarth" lettering, and revised side air intakes with vertical foglamps. It also received four additional lights, two in the main grille and two on the nose, as well as quick-release pins for the engine hood. Changes are less significant around back, where the only noticeable features are the single, larger exhaust pipe and the quick-release pins on the trunk lid.

Finally, the car is painted in red and yellow and wears the logos of all the companies Abarth has collaborated with for this project, including OZ and Michelin, which supplied the lightweight wheels and competition tires, respectively. For those of you not familiar with Abarth's racing heritage, the livery is identical to one of the paint schemes used on the original Abarth 124 rally car. Sweet!

Interior

Abarth has yet to release photos of the car's interior, but did say that the cockpit was engineered for maximum ergonomics and safety. Like any rally car, it also features a number of FIA-spec components, including a safety roll cage, Sabelt bucket seats, and safety harnesses. Expect the dashboard to mimic that of the road car as per WRC regulations, but look for a different control arrangement and a bespoke instrument cluster.

Drivetrain

This is where the 124 Rally is completely different compared to the road-going car, as the 1.4-liter engine has been replaced with a turbocharged, 1.8-liter "Bialbero" unit with direct injection. The four-pot delivers up to 300 horsepower at 6,500 rpm with "scorching" acceleration and a "full, riveting sound." Shifting duties were assigned to a six-speed sequential gearbox with paddle shifters and a mechanical limited-slip differential.

The engine is mounted behind the front axle for optimized overall balance.

Underpinnings have been redesigned with help from various technical partners. The coupe rides on a new suspension system with double wishbone design at the front and multi-link with metal joints at the rear. The adjustable dampers guarantee superior grip on any terrain. The new suspension scheme has been developed with LM Gianetti, while the four-way dampers, a first for a rally car, were provided by EXT SHOX. The high-performance air-intake system comes from BMC.

Conclusion

Judging by the fact that it has unveiled three different versions of the same car in less than six months, Fiat has big plans for the new 124 Spider. The 124 Rally is great news if you're a rally enthusiast, as it marks Abarth's return to racing as a manufacturer after a very long time. The fact that it selected the 124 Spider, which is a cool neo-retro rendition of the original Sport Spider, for its comeback makes things that much more exciting. Not to mention that Abarth will definitely make the FIA R-GT Cup a lot more interesting.