GENEVA -- Fiat will call its new Mazda-based roadster the 124 Spider, reviving a name from the 1960s.
Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne revealed the 124 Spider name to journalists at the Geneva auto show on Tuesday after an impromptu check with Fiat brand chief Olivier Francois.
The 124 Spider will be based on the Mazda Miata/MX-5.
Marchionne said the 124 Spider would be “launched in the Fiat range.” The car will be sold worldwide, but Fiat said it’s too soon to talk about specific volume targets, markets or launch dates.
The choice of the 124 Spider name indicates the model will tap into Fiat’s sports car heritage, from the Dino to the Barchetta, differentiating it from the Miata MX-5. The Barchetta in 1994 was Fiat’s last sports car.