Taylor Adcox
Features Editor
Inhabitants of the junior lot have probably seen senior Kevin Travers zip by in his red 1977 Fiat Spider this year. The self proclaimed “giant kid who drives the tiny car” is the only student at Apex who can truthfully claim to own a red Italian sports car.
Features Editor
 |
| Senior Kevin Travers' Fiat Spider parked in the junior lot. |
Inhabitants of the junior lot have probably seen senior Kevin Travers zip by in his red 1977 Fiat Spider this year. The self proclaimed “giant kid who drives the tiny car” is the only student at Apex who can truthfully claim to own a red Italian sports car.
Many Americans are unfamiliar with the Fiat brand. Initially introduced to the United States
in 1903, Fiats were pulled from American markets in 1983. After the global financial crisis in 2008,
Fiat bought a 20% stake in U.S. automaker Chrysler. Part of the takeover deal was a
reintroduction of the Fiat brand to Americans after a 25 year hiatus. Today, an increasing number of Fiats can be
found on American roads.
Travers’ car comes from Fiat’s first production run in the U.S. While the Spider is from Italy, Travers did
not have to go far to find his car. “It
was on the side of the road near Green Hope,” says Travers, “the family was
moving to Colorado
and could not take it with them.” Travers was able to buy the car for around
$1,300.
Unfortunately, Travers’ car has some problems notably common
in older Fiats. “My car is pretty well
known for breaking down or having issues, but it keeps people asking about it
regularly,” says Travers. Part of the
reason Fiat pulled their American line in the 1980s was quality issues such as
rust and engine failures.
The Spider’s low roofline sits below that of a compact car,
such as a Honda Civic. “It's always fun to pull up into my spot and watch
people’s reactions when I climb out,” says Travers, who stands over six feet
tall, “people are so astonished that I fit.”
Fortunately for Travers, his car is a convertible.
