The Abarth 124 is now a carbon-roofed coupe

Can’t make your mind up between a coupe and convertible? Still obsessed by lightweight focus, though? Abarth may have found the solution. Meet the 124 GT, revealed at the Geneva Motor Show.

The Abarth 124 GT takes the regular 124 Spider and adds a carbon hard top. Rather than morph the Spider into a fixed, permanent coupe bodystyle, though, the roof is removable – “in a few easy steps”, we’re promised – so when the sun’s out for a while, you can leave it somewhere. Preferably at home and not just in a layby at the side of the road.

While made of carbon, it weighs 16kg and is presumably a bit unwieldy, so you might want to practice a few bicep curls if you’re going to be lifting it on and off with regularity. In fact, you can probably cancel the gym membership and just improve your strength with carbon roof reps. Might work out cheaper in the long run, no matter what price tag Abarth sticks on the GT (it’s not said yet).

The GT gets the same 168bhp 1.4-litre turbo engine that makes the rear-drive 124 Spider so much fun to drive, if a bit antisocially loud. At least the hard top might stifle some of your concern about the volume pouring from its ‘Record Monza’ exhaust. There's a six-speed manual as standard, an automatic gearbox optional. The former is fabulous and you must stick with it.

The Spider's 144mph top speed and 6.8sec are unaffected by the extra 16kg on top, though there’s a chance it might ever-so-slightly skew the low centre-of-gravity that makes the regular 124 a real riot on a fun piece of road. Especially given a new set of 17-inch OZ alloys, exclusive to the GT, are 3kg lighter right at the car’s belly.

The ‘Alpi Orientali Grey’ paint is exclusive, too, though it's twinned with the matt black bonnet that’s familiar from the 124 Spider. Ever wondered why Abarth does that? It was used on the old 124 rally car to prevent drivers from being dazzled by bright sunlight. Which, if the weather's dictated you to leave the new carbon roof fixed in place, presumably isn’t an issue.

Prices? They've not been revealed yet. The soft-top 124 Spider starts at a smidge under £27,000, but you can expect the GT to sit over £30,000.