This roadster nameplate first appeared in the late 1960s, when the original 124 Spider debuted at the Turin Auto Show in November 1966 and reached the U.S. market in 1968. Designed and built by Pininfarina, it became one of Fiat’s most celebrated open-top cars, known for its elegant Italian styling and long-running enthusiast appeal. The original run continued through the 1970s, with U.S. versions later renamed Spider 2000, and production ultimately ending in 1985 after Fiat and Pininfarina versions overlapped near the end of the model’s life.
After a long hiatus, the nameplate returned for the 2016 model year as a modern rear-wheel-drive roadster that paid clear visual and historical tribute to the original. Fiat positioned the revived car as a return to classic Italian convertible driving, blending retro-inspired design cues with contemporary safety and technology. The second production period ran through the 2019 model year, after which the nameplate disappeared again.
Because the badge was used for two separate production eras, the model’s history is best understood as a revival of a classic name rather than a single uninterrupted line.