This is what we’ve been waiting for, the big one, the battle royale, Diaz vs McGregor, you get the idea. It’s time to get down to it and see which is better, the new Mazda MX-5 which in its latest incarnation is pretty much perfect as a small, open-top sports car, or the Fiat 124 Spider which is basically the same thing but with a different engine and, some say, much nicer looks.

As usual, the head to head comparison between Mazda MX-5 and Fiat 124 Spider is brought to you by the boys at Motor Trend. Hit it:

We have always been huge fans of the Mazda MX-5 and its recipe. And they say nothing will ever compare to the original. But I don’t know, those Italian looks and that busy little engine makes the 124 a very enticing proposition. What do you think?