The Perennially Seductive Alfa Romeo Spider

Produced between 1966 and 1993, the Spider had the longest lifespan of any Alfa Romeo model, yet, with just over 120.000 units sold, it very likely didn’t do much for the Company’s bottom line. #alfaromeo #history #pininfarina
Nevertheless, the Spider has perhaps been the Brand’s finest ambassador in the world’s markets, thanks to its various appearances in cinema and television and its unrivaled panache.
I’ve driven a few of these perennially seductive machines in my time, and I bet many of you too. But if you’ve ever wondered about their story, you’re definitely in the right place.
My automotive books:
Lancia Gamma Berlina & Coupé 1976 - 1984
www.amazon.com/dp/B09TN45L8Q
Six Appeal - The Story Of The Alfa 6
www.amazon.com/dp/1793931046
Alfa Romeo Giulietta - The Story 1977 - 1985
ENGLISH: www.amazon.com/dp/1983393746
ITALIAN: www.amazon.it/dp/B098GVJ7RK
Alfa Romeo Arna - The Full Story 1980 - 1987 www.amazon.com/dp/1656632500

[@garypelled6243]

My 74 Spider looks great at any angle, any distance. Beautiful machine..

[@graemelliott3942]

Thank you Matteo for putting on a video that expresses what I feel for Alfas. I’m on my 5th Alfa Spider in 45 years. 1958, 1976, 1973, 1986, 1974 I’ve had numerous other vehicles but always come back to the Alfa Spider. They’re a small car but not too small. They are packaged pretty efficiently, have a good amount of interior space and trunk space for their size. They’re fun to drive and beautifully styled.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Cool, I’m glad you appreciated my homage to the Spider. Alfa never fully managed to recapture the model’s magic, despite all the cool cars it made over the years

[@davidorama6690]

Whoa! That’s some motoring history there my friend.

[@mattbettany1174]

Such an iconic car of beauty. Teamed up with some fantastic engines. Imagine spoiling the fun with an electric conversion hey Matteo ? 😉

[@Matteo_Licata]

Yeah, I know what you mean 😉 Personally, I’d never convert an old Alfa to electric power, as the engine is such a key part of their appeal. But everyone is free to do anything with his own money, and I can definitely see the appeal of ev conversions for other cars… Especially those that came with weak or not especially interesting engines.

[@studiocalder818]

Bravo Matteo! It is the first time that one can finally see, well documented, the genesis of this model and appreciate the stylistic courage of the Alfa leadership and the importance of the coachbuilders of that time. A demonstration of trust and uniqueness in one's own means. It is touching; one of the reasons why the "Alfa Romeo Milano" was not just a car factory but a sort of mine from which a different idea of ​ cars came out. As if everyone, from managers to workers, were acting according to a passionate ideology. I think it was a unique case in the world of mass production cars. Precisely for this reason there are still many passionate Alfisti

[@gearhead9828]

Very well said 👍

[@Matteo_Licata]

Very well said indeed. Thank you so much for your kind words and appreciation!

[@johnp8150]

I owned an S4 and was privileged to drive it from UK to Alfa's 100th Anniversary celebration in Milan. Wonderful!

[@pklimbic]

Thank you Matteo for the great video. Two comments to the US Spiders: they were 2 inches higher than the European cars due to American headlight regulations and the one you are showing in the picture actually has retrofit fiberglass bumpers that are light but fit into the bumper brackets of the US car. When I bought my 1977 spider in the US, first it had the big heavy bumpers, and after a few months I replaced them with the ones in the picture. Also, the injection was Spica. It was a great car I did over 100,000 miles on it in New England and the New York City area. New York on the weekend was great, four-lane streets that were empty, you could drive like on an Italian country Road. The car was very reliable and robust.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you Patrick! I didn’t know about the retrofit fiberglass bumpers

[@martinclapton2724]

I remember having my own 105 series 1300 gt junior , a step -front model of 1970. Aside from the advanced mechanical specification for their day , twin cam, twin carbs and 5 speed with all round disc brakes, another part of the beauty of driving these cars is the lovely feel in the controls . The steering is wonderful in its creamy smooth action yet responding to the driver which even a Ferrari won’t match. The throttle response is immediate and the gearbox , although long in movement compared to moderns , is so precise , positive with a mechanical slick oily shift so difficult to put into words. Unfortunately, I rented an Alfa Spider of early 1990s vintage from a local classic car rental company , to pay respects to my long term friend at his funeral last year - he used his Alfa 105 series in hill climbs , particularly Shelley Walsh. The car I rented was not very well prepared , seemed to run hot , and it’s back axle tramping all over the place, so in need of refurbishment , usually the back end is tied down so we’ll on these cars , they put moderns to shame Great video, as always , Matteo. ( p.s I’d love to see one on the Fiat 132! )

[@Matteo_Licata]

All very true indeed. Speaking of rental classics, the Spider I drove in the video was a rental. It drove well, but it replaced the Giulietta Spider I had actually intended to rent: I returned that car shortly after taking it, because it obviously needed maintenance: the handbrake wasn’t working and the carbs had vapour lock issues that caused the car to stall and struggle to fire up again. After all, these companies have to turn a profit, and maintenance is expensive…

[@otomobilmece]

What a Nice story. Alfa 75 and Alfa Spider , two mythic models and both of them had a success in USA. 🙂👍The beautiful story of Alfa Romeo.

[@RobertKarlBerta]

I bought a 1969 ALFA 1750 US version spider new and kept it for over 40 years with many mods. Sold it to a collector and now have a 2015 ALFA 4C Launch Edition I also bought new. If I had the garage space I would still have the older car also. Lots of great memories of that car but the new 4C also is fantastic. Sadly ALFA, like most ompanies, is bending to public taste and government regulations so SUVs and sedans are the norm along with EVs. I for one wish and hope ALFA can continue to survive and could find a way to make those niche cars like the ones I owned or a modern GTV. Thanks for the great ALFA history videos. I like how you show the history behind the various models. The current CEO of ALFA stated he would still like to come out with a spider replacement but it would be a very limited edition so expect big $$$. I am obviously a hard core ALFA fan...had a 67 GTV that a friend and I raced in SCCA and my late brother had a 74 Berlina 2000. I have owned a lot of cars in my 74 years of life....but ALFA is the one that I always look forward to driving.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you for sharing your amazing Alfa ownership history. Well, given the state of the sports car market these days, I understand the hesitation in making a new one that’s not a limited, collectors only special.

[@DavidM-mb1vx]

I proudly own a 69 Spider veloce. Puts a great big smile on my face every time I drive her.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Cool! I bet it does 👍

[@paullacey2999]

Simply beautiful,Imagine if Alfa Romeo sell loads of SUV's and have some extra cash for a new droptop......

[@Matteo_Licata]

Indeed. The current CEO is on record saying he'd like to make a new "Duetto," but first the brand needs to bring up revenue. The best thing Alfisti can do to help is to buy many Tonales...

[@RobertKarlBerta]

The new CEO said he would like to do that but said it would likely not be a big production model but a limited edition run so more $$$. As a part owner of a 69 spider I bought new and kept for over 40 years and now owner of a 2015 4C Launch Editon also bought new.....I am sad that ALFA can't find a way to make those enthusiast models other than SUVs and sedans although those are nice and make the money for the company.

[@mikeyerke3920]

Another excellent presentation! 🏁

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you!!!

[@zeon5323]

Alfa, beautiful cars, almost all of them!

[@Matteo_Licata]

The brand has indeed a stellar design back catalog, and I hope they'll keep drawing gorgeous shapes well into the future!

[@pauldaviesvoiceover]

Great Alfa story, well told as always 🇮🇹 👏 👏

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you!!!

[@MichaelDiTullo]

So nice to see the one off prototypes! I had seen images of the Superflow but never the other iterations!

[@izno73]

I like your Videos about Alfa´s model history very much, and finally one about the Spider is here. I have mine for 19 years now, and it is a (very) late S3 model. Mine has already a Motronic in it and until now, I was not able to tickle it out of FCA, how many of these models were actually built. I think it was 1989 only, like they were gearing up for the S4, but had S3 bodyshells left or so ;) Anyway, keep the good stuff coming ;)

[@Matteo_Licata]

Cool! I didn’t know late S3s already had the Motronic EFI. Regarding production numbers, Alfa Romeo and the former Fiat Group in general are quite reticent yes. But, to partially excuse them, it’s also true that changes in production weren’t always recorded properly, so it’s possible that your question may never have a definitive answer.

[@JethroBronner]

I personally prefer the late style interior to the S2 interior. Although the best interior is the Osso di Sepia model.

[@anderslarsson6149]

Love my red S4 but you are dead right on the dashboard, it’s just looking cheep Great video 💚🤍❤️

[@nlpnt]

At least one Italian designer liked the big US bumpers on at least one '70s European car - Giugiaro specified them on his own personal VW Golf I.

[@judethaddaeus9742]

I’m one of the few that likes the plastic spoiler tails of the 1983-90MY cars. Perhaps changing them to body color would have been better, but I thought they were in keeping with the times. The true design tragedy of this era was at the front on US models (perhaps others, too), where the Alfa grille was replaced by an opaque black piece of solid, energy absorbing plastic that looked terribly fake and only seemed to emphasize the clumsy effect of the big rubber front bumpers. What a mess that was. The downgraded interior didn’t help, either. But I remember as an 8-11 year old how beautiful the Phase 4 Spider was in its day, and how deeply I coveted one. I fear its rising values may leave one out of my reach today, however.

[@Matteo_Licata]

I agree with you. The 80s Spiders were in keeping with the times, and things could be improved via a Zender kit with body-color pieces instead of the black plastic.

[@giuseppetaurino5002]

Thank you for this magnificent video about a magnificent car from an affectionate viewer and owner of a '74 1300 Spider Junior

[@Matteo_Licata]

Glad you enjoyed it, thank you!!!!

[@gearhead9828]

Wow, Matteo, what a great video. Probably the only Alfa Spider video on YT without a guest appearance of Dustin Hoffman. Thank you so much! Ciao 🙋‍♂️

[@studiocalder818]

Very well said 😉

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you! Yes, the “Graduate” mention has become so overused, such a cliché that I really wanted to avoid it. Great movie, though! :)

[@gearhead9828]

@@Matteo_Licata Oh yes, my favourite scene is the Duetto with a Karmann Ghia in the background on the bridge 😍

[@sainta2667]

LOVE the video and music Matteo

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you!

[@briankay4713]

Brilliantly researched and presented as always Matteo ....bravo.. The original "boat tails" were the most beautiful....but I have to agree with you ...the late model restyle was a beautiful car too ...

[@nrs6956]

Sold my 2000 Spider Veloce in 1984. Loved Italian woman, where is today's equivalent to Virna Lisi? Learned much when working on it. It was not difficult to work on, unlike today's junk. Bought an extra Spica pump for $100.00. Viva Alfa Romeo.

[@alister_grigg]

Lovely video...again!

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you!

[@drcarltonbrand749]

Bravo again Matteo.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you!!!

[@Goodstone_5488]

Nice story. I think the 80s version still have a good looking even with big bumpers, maybe i'm never shocked to see that on cars

[@brunotulliani]

Superb video again!

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you!!!

[@benzinapaul7416]

Funny how the Series 2 Junior also kept the older door handles of the Series 1, did the series 1 and series 2 have the same door pressings? If not it seems an extravagant excess. The Duetto was also unofficially known as the 'Osso di Sepia'. I agree the Series 3 Quadrifoglio was a low point but I quite like the early Series 3s with the Series 2 interior and the carb engine

[@Matteo_Licata]

Funnily enough, the Juniors kept the old door handles, while the full-fat 1750 and 2000 got the flush oblong handles we know and love. Why? No idea.

[@benzinapaul7416]

@@Matteo_Licata the 1750/2000 door handles were also used on the Fiat 124 Spider, Ferraris 365 GT 2+2, 365 GTC/4, the 365/400/412 series and the Mondials except the t, any other uses you know of?

[@lynnhooley7608]

Thank you, for another fantastic video.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you too!

[@MLC...]

The origins of the Spider makes for a very interesting story. I will always see them in this way now. Magnificent beauties. By the way, I like the S2 the most as well, more of a timeless style than the Duetto and 1750, in my humble opinion.

[@Matteo_Licata]

I got a soft spot for the S2 myself: I like its edgier design, which makes it less dainty and more "sporty"

[@MLC...]

@@Matteo_Licata Definitely more sporting. But I could fall in love with any of them.

[@F1Kamel_1992]

Bravissimo

[@Matteo_Licata]

Grazie!!!

[@anakondase]

One of the Alfas I've always wanted but never been able to get. Not because I couldn't afford or find one, I just haven't had anywhere to store it over the winter.

[@Matteo_Licata]

I know thw feeling :) Been desiring one all my life, but circumstances and other projects constantly got in the way. Will get it someday though!

[@AC-busso]

Gorgeous car, ' osso di seppia ' , serie 4, even 80' less loved... Normal, seeing the fabulous 3000 CM Superflow IV ....

[@Matteo_Licata]

Love them all too, regardless of version

[@ivangreco8874]

Bellissima

[@stephenswift9868]

Excellent, informative video on a gorgeous car! Just out of curiosity what does Duetto mean in Italian? Thanks!

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you! Duetto in Italian is the equivalent of “Duet” when two singers sing the same song together :)

[@Sharp931]

Why Alfa stopped its production? Its design is timeless.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Well, production could have lasted a bit longer, but not indefinitely. It still was, at its core, a 1960s design, so safety legislation would have caught up with it anyways.

[@davidorama6690]

All I can say is that it is a shame that the Mazda built Alfa Spider styling prototypes based on the MX-5 ND became Fiats.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Very true. Had it been an Alfa, I’d certainly have bought it

[@bcaviews]

I would live to have a boat tail spider one day

[@Matteo_Licata]

Same here :)

[@fhwolthuis]

Great video, but what is "fake plastic"? 🤔😉

[@oscarpimentel3315]

Piu bello,. Carrozeries Alfas

[@raufsahin334]

😎😎😎😎😍😍😍

[@elioboezio7107]

Wasn't the "Duetto" name used in North America?

[@Matteo_Licata]

It never was, anywhere in the world. Yet we all refer to the car as “Duetto” after all these years. It shows how good a name it was!

[@studiocalder818]

@@Matteo_Licata Bellissimo