We review the Fiat 124 Spider review from price to economy and all its features

PICTURE the scene.

You’re buzzing around Verona, the home of Romeo And Juliet, roof down in your sports car, when the phone rings: “O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo?”

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You reply, hands-free of course: “I’m out in the Spider, luv, I’ll be back in a bit.”

(Slight pause)

“Well, hurry up, you tosser. You’re late.”

It’s Shakespeare updated for 2016 ­— with a missus AND a mistress.

First there’s the missus. One minute she loves you, the next she wants to castrate you. You can never work her out.

Then there’s the mistress — always ready to put a smile on your face.

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Clearly, the mistress here is the Fiat 124 Spider. You always promised yourself a red Italian sports car beginning with “F” — and now you can have one, for under £20,000.

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The two-seat Spider arrives here in September, fighting for your attention alongside its half-sister, the Mazda MX-5.

You see the Fiat is actually built by Mazda . . . in Japan. An MX-5 remix if you like.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIzR5pw4oqo&w=433&h=300]

It has the same chassis, the same interior and they’re both old-school rear-wheel drive with six-speed manuals.

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But there are two key differences — heart and looks. The Spider uses Fiat’s own 140hp, 1.4-litre MultiAir petrol turbo rather than Mazda’s naturally-aspirated 1.5-litre and 2-litre petrols. And the styling is pure Italian. All the body panels are different and the Spider is longer and more masculine than the dinky MX-5.

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Less hairdresser. It is a nod to the original 124 Spider (1966 vintage, ask your grandad) but that was never sold here.

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As for value, the Mazda is a few quid cheaper to buy and possibly cheaper to run, but the entry Spider Classica has more standard kit including air-con, cruise control with speed limiter and Bluetooth.

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The 7in touchscreen with DAB, wifi and two USBs is another £500.

Posher versions have a reversing camera (in an open-top? Really?) and Bose headrest speakers (ace).

But racing snakes will lust after the growling Abarth version at £29,565.

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It is tuned to 170hp, bangs out 0-62mph in 6.8 secs and your smug face can get sunburnt at 143mph.

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VERDICT: Bellissimo. I’m sorry MX-5, I’ve had a better offer.

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