29: Fiat 124 Spider
Yes, you’ve read this passage correctly, the Miata has a viable competitor here in the Fiat 124 Spider. The Fiat brand has been around for decades and has just recently come back to American shores. What makes Fiat unique is the fact that the cars are lightweight and designed for road driving. The designers of this roadster knew that you were going to be taking it out on the highway for a weekend cruise. Likewise, convertibles are a lot more well-appointed than they used to be. One of the things about the Miata originally was how bare it came equipped. That’s no longer the case and the Fiat 124 Spider comes with a plethora of luxury features standard.

A six-speed manual is standard equipment, notably a dying aspect of the automotive industry. The fact that you can get a stick shift is fun enough but coupled with the turbocharged engine, the Fiat 124 is an even better value. Fiat has been innovating in the sports car market for decades and the 124 Spider is an honest roadster that’s fun to drive and stylish to look at. Few cars present the intrinsic value that the 124 Spider can provide. If driving up winding roads with the top down sounds appealing to you then the Fiat 124 Spider is worth a look.