Roadster Salon has announced that its Spider America EV—based on the beloved classic Fiat 124 convertible—is ready for production. According to Roadster Salon, the Spider America EV is the first custom EV on the market to feature a manual transmission. The car’s prodigious torque allows it to be driven as a standard manual with clutch, or simply put in town or highway drive mode and enjoyed like a conventional automatic. Assistance towards this end was provided by Electric GT, a trade partner based in California, which created a special proprietary driveline just for Roadster Salon.
Features
- A powerful twin-motor drive unit with over 200 ft.-lbs. of torque and nearly 200 hp (final specifications still being determined at release date)
- Ultra-light EV with excellent handling and weight balance
- Luxurious, artisan-crafted interiors that harken back to vintage offerings from Maserati and Ferrari, featuring hand-stitched full leather with burled walnut accents
- Braking and handling improvements enhanced by Roadster Salon’s proprietary steering, chassis and structural upgrades
- A one-year warranty and two-year service contract (included with all EV models)
Priced from $139,995, the loaded Spider America options list is limited, but performance is not. According to Roadster Salon, the vehicle can go from zero to sixty in approximately six seconds, or half the time of a standard Spider, a top speed of over 130 mph can be achieved quickly and with ease, and its range is better than the range of Fiat’s own electric model, the 500e.
The EV Junior
In keeping with Italian tradition, a less costly “Junior” version is also available. Based on Roadster Salon’s popular Lusso S2, the EV Junior uses a single electric motor and a simplified battery package. Capable of reaching 60 mph in around seven seconds, the Junior model has more than enough power and range to make a Sunday cruise entertaining and worry-free. Its price is $89,995.
A limited number of reservations for 2020 production are now being offered to the public for the Spider America EV and Junior. Each Spider EV will have signed and numbered commemorative plates.
