Well, you can't really build light cars anymore, since they will not be safe enough. Besides this is supposed to replace the GTV Spider, NOT some old Alfa MX5 wannabe. Yes I know they precede the MX5.
That's the car i am waiting for. Seriously thinking of trading my Alfa Romeo 147 for either this one or the Brera.
I learnt how to drive on an 1986 Spider, without my dad even knowing. I loved this car: dark grey with burg leather. My dad loved that car and caused this little thing I call "vehicle insanity"
I like it. I'd buy one. Unlike some members here, I didn't enjoy the times when I had a 105 Spider in my hands. The steering was vague, the chassis flexed too much, and it was too slow (not much you can do with 120hp, even when the car weighed less than 3,000lbs). I did, however, enjoy the newer FWD Spider V6. The latter car was much better built than the old one. It covered ground with little effort, wear and tear on the driver. I still enjoyed the miles in the newer car, moreso than in the older one. It may not have the allure or mystique like the original "Graduate", but it's certainly more special than the countless 325iC's you see running about everyday.
Finally someone who can get over the whole RWD and old skool Alfas are the best bla bla argument. The 164S i drove not so long ago proved to me that it still had the Cuore Sportivo
My first car was an 1988 Spider 2.0 . I basically learnt how to drive with it too ( Driving school is so basic here ) . The RWD/Lightweight and somewhat torquey engine was amazing .
It looks OK, I'm not too wild about the whole alfa-headlight-thing, but certainly more interesting than an audi or something. . .
Like most italian products of today, im sure it will look stunning in flesh, much more interesting than a horrid Z4 or TT.
At this point I want to see Alfa here with good sales and reputation. The Spider isn't that bad, I'd consider one in the Q4 version. Let's hope the GTV looks good because that's the car I am waiting for.
What a waste of creativity! They have totally lost it in Milan & Turin. A genuine Spider should be a one-of convertable. Not some chopped Brera or 159 or whatever. Now they think they have got it with the new looks of the front and rear, and copy it to all possible vehicles to be on the safe side for the common customer. Doesn't do it for me, I'd go for a S2000.
OK, not the Spider, but still a pretty cool ad. You'll need Shockwave8 to view it, though. http://www.machinewarriors.com/?from=6
Colin Chapman might argue with that. Get the Q4 version and then try to distinguish from a TT roadster.
No sex appeal. The Fiat Barchetta was a cool design. The new Pontiac solstice is a looker. A fast one is being introduced soon. Rwd too. I drove a 98 alfa gtv 3.0 and was not impressed. Wet day. Lots of axle tramp. Dave
Alfa did. It's Fiat that doesn't know how to run a dealership net here. Compare owner satisfaction between the Alfa GTV 2000s and the Fiat Milano. Both were sold in the US in their day. Many GTV 2000s are still around. The Milano was the machine that kept the Jeep Cherokee from being the statistically least reliable car sold in the US in the early '80s. Despite being at least a decade newer than the GTVs, far fewer Milanos are still around. One of the best cars I ever owned was the Alfa GTV6 (The diDion/RWD, not the FWD econobox Fiat sells). I wasn't thrilled with the Bosch L-Jet injection, but the handling is what makes me want a 550 (or a Daytona) today. But even with the flexy frame, I still like my 115 spider. With the RWD and suspension flex, you can practically turn that car in its own length, with the tires picking up and setting down. "Hold me closer, tiny dancer." But the classic Alfas weren't for everyone. They were severely unforgiving. When a mechanic asked why I kept the Alfa along with the Ferrari, I told him it was for refresher training. The Ferrari and the EVO have far more capabilities than you'll use on a daily basis. You can get away with bad habits -- until the roads get icy. The Alfa will point out any poor technique behind the wheel. (Usually to everyone around, as the tires scream at you.) It's like different eras of fighter planes. A Sopworth Camel would dance on a wingtip, tickling the boundary between lift and drag. A F4 Phantom II demonstrated that even pigs will fly, with a couple of big honkin' afterburners stuffed up the back. Fat sticky tires will hold even an FWD car in the turns, if you don't mind the wear, and you have enough club under the hood to overcome the rolling resistance. But if that's all you want, you could get a modern 'Vette. Or an EVO. The classic Alfas were drivers' cars. It takes more skill to play a Stradavarius than an iPod. (Scotty! Warp power to the flame shields! )
How true. In the rain my old 58 alfa would spin 180 degrees if the entry speed was about 2mph too fast on a regular street corner. Thosee 155/80 tires only work when you drive it correctly. BT
