Fiat 124 Spider

For those of you that don't speak Italian (like me), that's the English definition of an Italian word that originated in Baldassare Castiglione's seminal work published in 1528 , Il Cortegiano, or The Book Of The Courtier. Castiglione defined Sprezzatura as "a certain nonchalance, so as to conceal all art and make whatever one does or says appear to be without effort and almost without any thought about it." If Castiglione were alive today, he might use the term to describe the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider...or he'd have an aneurism the moment he saw the light switch operated. Nevertheless, the 124 possesses a certain sense of "sprezz" that makes it something truly unique.

Instead of prattling on about the appearance of the 124 Spider, I'm simply going to say that it looks fine when you walk up to it, and once you're behind the wheel, you don't have to look at it. So that's good. If you're the type of person who's more concerned with what other people think of the car you're driving, then the 124 Spider isn't for you, and that's your loss. It's a car that looks interesting enough to turn heads, and make any passerby curious. But not good enough to necessitate a walk across a parking lot for a few photos. Like I said, you don't see the surprised looking face up front, or rush job rear when you're behind the wheel. All you see is a lengthy creased hood chewing up asphalt at whatever rate you deem appropriate, all while sitting in some comfortable leather fitments. This was good news f...