Fiat are relaunching a 124 Spider, a name that first appeared half a century ago. But it’s not exactly a purely Italian creation. The new Fiat sports car is based heavily on the Mazda MX-5 platform. For some this won’t be a bad thing as the Mazda is a perennial favourite in the sports car market.

The exterior is a mix of the two, with all the main body panels being purely Fiat, something which pushes the overhangs out either end, although the wheelbase remains the same. Things like the windscreen and manually operated cloth roof are from the MX-5.

The result is something that is slightly retro, slightly Fiat and slightly Mazda. Inside it’s noticeably less of the first two, more of the last. It’s really quite MX-5, even down to the 7in infotainment touchscreen, which has been simply reskinned. Of course, this may not bother some people, since the MX-5 is such a sorted car in its latest incarnation.

However, under the bonnet, with its two ‘power domes’ that are echoes of the original Spider, is a purely Fiat engine. The only engine at launch will be Fiat’s 1.4-litre MultiAir II petrol engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. This should be good for 138bhp and 177lb ft. As yet no performance figures have been published.

There have been no price guides published either, but we’ll learn more nearer the car’s UK launch next autumn.