Abarth premiers new Scorpione roadster

Racing car maker Abarth will debut its new 124 Spider Scorpione at the Geneva Auto Show this week. The latest interpretation of the standard Abarth 124 Spider will also be on show. The 124 Spider and the special-edition Scorpione has a 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine under the bonnet, delivering 125kW of power and 250Nm of torque. With a top speed of 232 km/h, the roadster reaches 0-100km/h in 6.8 seconds. Two transmission options are available – a six-speed manual transmission, and the Esseesse Sporty Sequential automatic transmission. The suspension on the Scorpione uses a double wishbone scheme at the front and a 5-arm multilink architecture at the rear, and the setup increases stability on the corners and enhances compression braking. A specific sports calibration of the power steering system has optimized steering feedback.   The two-door 124 Spider and Spider Scorpione contain driver assistance and safety devices, including an anti-lock brake system, electronic brake-force distribution and electronic stability control. The Abarth 124 Spider is now available in New Zealand, with prices beginning at $52,990 for manual and $54,990 for automatic models. There’s no word yet about international distribution for the Scorpione model.