Alfa Romeo's return to America in 2007 was publicly kick-started last weekend with the stateside unveiling of an all-new concept car in the form of the stunning Alfa Spider. The new Alfa Romeo concept car was presented in the glamorous setting of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in California.
Alfa Romeo represented one of the featured brands at Pebble Beach, which included no fewer than 62 cars being presented. This was according to Concours Co-Chairman Glenn Mounger "the most significant display of classic Alfa Romeos ever assembled anywhere."
Based on the gorgeous
8C Competizione first seen at the
Frankfurt IAA almost two years ago, the Alfa Spider features minor styling changes. External differences from the 8C Competizione (other than the fact that the roof has been removed) are the crisp new GTA-style alloy wheels and reworked grilles with aluminium detailing. These present a slightly more elegant solution than the original design found on the 8C Competizione.
The engine remains the same Maserati-sourced 4.2-litre V8, fitted with a supercharger. With an impressive 400bhp reached at 7,000rpm, the 8C Spider is theoretically capable of blasting to nearly 190mph, and accelerating from 0-62mph in around 4.5 seconds. The supercharger is said to deliver a flat torque curve, enabling the driver to make good progress without actually needing to extend the engine to its red line.
Alfa Romeo decided to proceed with the Spider project almost directly after its launch in Frankfurt, thanks to the encouraging public reception of the 8C Competizione. The designers literally started the Spider project by sawing off a roof on one of the 8C Competizione. Inside reports stated that the results were stunning, but with the whole 8C project going on hold the open-topped variant never saw the light of day.
However, with Alfa Romeo awarded the prestigious honour of being a featured marque at this year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance - and a concept car to present being a firm requirement - as well as the superb opportunity of ramping up the brand's profile ahead of its stateside return in 2007, the opportunity to show this magnificent, but thus far hidden away, concept sportscar immediately came into focus. The car presented last weekend was not the original 'Spider' though; Centro Stile created this one just a month prior to the event. It would be great to see this Spider at next month's
Frankfurt Motor Show, but it is unlikely to be displayed, as it would outshine the new
Alfa Romeo Brera Spider. Is there a chance the 8C will make production? Here's hoping!
Words by James Granger. Photographs by Cristián Bertschi. (www.italiaspeed.com) - 29 Aug 2005
