Alfa Romeo Spider
Encyclopedia
The Alfa Romeo Spider (105/115 series) is a roadster
produced by the Italian
manufacturer Alfa Romeo
from 1966 to 1993 (190 Spiders were badged as 1994 Commemorative Editions for the North American market). Widely regarded as a design classic, it remained in production for almost three decades with only minor aesthetic and mechanical changes. The three first series were assembled by Pininfarina
in Grugliasco
and the fourth series in San Giorgio Canavese. The last Spider was produced in April 1993, it was also the last rear wheel drive Alfa Romeo produced before Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
was introduced.
production line only at the end of 1965.
Based on the Giulia 105
series chassis, the Spider was launched in the 36th Geneva Motor Show in March 1966. Unnamed at launch, the name "Duetto" was chosen in a write-in competition in Italy. The Italian firm of Pininfarina
was responsible for the design of the body; in fact, the Duetto was the last project with which founder Battista "Pinin" Farina was personally associated. Pininfarina were also responsible for the manufacture of the vehicle's monocoque
construction (designed with the relatively new principles of crumple zone
s incorporated into the front and rear). The engine was a 1570 cc variant of the Alfa Romeo twin cam
four cylinder
engine, and produced 109 hp
(81 kW). Sparsely fitted inside but including five speed manual transmission
, disc brakes and independent front suspension
, the price on launch in Italy was 2,195,000 lire
and upon its US
introduction in 1967, price was US$
3,950 which was about $1,500 more than an MGB
.
The original "Duetto" was in production from 1966–1967; replaced in late 1967 by the 1750 Spider Veloce, powered by a 118 hp 1779 cc engine. In Europe this was fitted with two twin carburettors, whereas models for the North America
n market (from MY 1969) had SPICA
(Società Pompe Iniezione Cassani & Affini) mechanical fuel injection. Modifications were also made to the suspension, brakes, electrics and wheels and tires though the car looked effectively the same. Visible differences were limited to the rear-view mirror repositioned to the door, and different badging on the tail. During the production run, the front repeater lights were moved ahead of the wheelarches. The car's official title was 1750 Spider Veloce, the name "Duetto" being dropped from this point on.
A new Spider 1300 Junior, with a 1290 cc engine producing 89 hp, was introduced in 1968. This lacked various features of the 1750, including the plastic headlamp fairings, the brake servo, hubcaps and opening quarterlight.
Due to its round (or long) tail, the Series 1 Spider is sometimes known by the nickname of "Osso di Seppia" - Italian for "cuttlefish bone". This particular car was the model featured in the 1967 movie The Graduate
, driven by Ben, the character played by Dustin Hoffman.
1971 saw the Spider Veloce get a new, larger powerplant - a 1962 cc, 132 hp unit - and consequently the name was changed from 1750 Spider Veloce to 2000 Spider Veloce. The 1600 Spider restarted production a year later as the Spider 1600 Junior, and was visually identical to the 1300.
1974 saw the introduction of the rare, factory request, Spider-Targa. Based upon the Spider, it featured a Porsche style solid rear window and lift out roof panels, all made out of black GRP type material. Less than 2,000 models of such type were ever made and was the only part solid roof Spider until the introduction of the factory crafted hard top.
The 1300 and 2000 cars were modified in 1974 and 1975 respectively to include two small seats behind the front seats, becoming a "two plus two" four seater. The 1300 model was discontinued in 1977. Also, between 1974 and 1976, the early-style stainless-steel bumpers were discontinued and replaced with black, rubber-clad units to meet increasingly stringent North American crash requirements.
The Spider underwent a major styling revamp in 1983, which saw the introduction of black rubber front and rear bumpers. The front bumper incorporated the grille and a small soft rubber spoiler
was added to the trunk lid. The change altered the exterior appearance of the car considerably and was not universally praised by enthusiasts. Various other minor mechanical and aesthetic modifications were also made, and the 1600 car (never available in North America) dropped the "Junior" name.
The Quadrifoglio Verde (Green Fourleaf Clover) model was introduced in 1986, with many aesthetic tweaks, including sideskirts, mirrors, new front and rear spoilers, hard rubber trunk mounted spoilers with integral 3rd stoplight, unique 15' alloys and optional removable hardtop. Different interior trim included blood red carpets and gray leather seats with red stitching. QV was offered in only 3 colours: red, silver and black. It was otherwise mechanically identical to the standard Spider Veloce model, with a 1962 cc double overhead cam, four-cylinder engine (twin two-barrel carburetors in Europe; North American models retained the Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection introduced for the 1982 model year except that the VVT mechanism was now L-Jet activated) and five-speed manual transmission.
The interior was revised with a new center console, lower dash panels (to meet U.S. regulations) and a single monopod gauge cluster (with electronic gauges). For the North American market a model dubbed the Graduate was added in tribute to the car's famous appearance in the 1967 film, The Graduate
, starring Dustin Hoffman
.
The Graduate was intended as a less expensive "entry-level" Alfa. While it had the same engine and transmission as the Quadrifoglio and Veloce, it lacked the alloy wheels and luxury features of the other two models. The Graduate model had manual windows, basic vinyl seats, a vinyl top, and steel wheels as standard. Air conditioning and a dealer-installed radio were the only options. It first appeared in 1985 in North America and continued until 1990.
Minor changes occurred from 1986–89, including new paint colors, a center high mount stop lamp (CHMSL) midway through 1986 for North American models, a move away from the fade-prone brown carpet and new turn signal levers. Some 1988 models featured automatic seatbelts that extended from a large device between the front seats.
-style rear lights stretching across the width of the car as well as plastic bumpers the same color as the car. This also marked the first generation of this car with automatic transmission
.
In North America, the styling changes did not appear until the 1991 model year; 1990 models featured the Motronic fuel injection but retained the black bumpers. Power steering, larger knee bolsters and a driver-side airbag also appeared as standard for North American market Spiders, which were available in two configurations: Spider and Spider Veloce. Primary differences were in standard equipment: the Veloce substituted leather seats for the base model's vinyl; 15" alloy wheels were one size up from the standard steel wheels with hubcaps; and air conditioning and a cloth top were standard.
Production of the original Spider ended in 1993. An all-new Alfa Spider
arrived one year later.
A limited edition Spider Commemorative Edition was produced for the North American market in 1993 and was badged as a 1994 model. Each of the 190 Spider CEs imported to the United States had a small plaque affixed to the dashboard that identified which of the 190 cars it was. The CEs differed from previous Spiders in that they had a special badge on the nose, a "CE" script badge below the "Spider Veloce" badge on the tail, unique gold center caps on the "phonedial" 15" wheels, and burled wood interior trim. Each model came with a leather portfolio, numbered keychain, and documentation. The cars followed the VIN
sequence 008276 to 008460, although there does not appear to be any systematic order numbering. It appears that all of the 1994 Spider Commemorative Editions were produced in May 1993.
In Europe this version was also sold with 1.6 L engine used in series 3, it was fitted with Weber 40DCOM4/5 carburettors.
Roadster
A roadster is a two-seat open car with emphasis on sporty handling and without a fixed roof or side weather protection. Strictly speaking a roadster with wind-up windows is a convertible but as true roadsters are no longer made the distinction is now irrelevant...
produced by the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
manufacturer Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars...
from 1966 to 1993 (190 Spiders were badged as 1994 Commemorative Editions for the North American market). Widely regarded as a design classic, it remained in production for almost three decades with only minor aesthetic and mechanical changes. The three first series were assembled by Pininfarina
Pininfarina
Pininfarina S.p.A. is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder in Cambiano, Italy.Founded as Società anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina in 1930 by automobile designer and builder Battista "Pinin" Farina, Pininfarina has been employed by a wide variety of high-end automobile manufacturers,...
in Grugliasco
Grugliasco
Grugliasco is a comune in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 9 km west of Turin.Grugliasco borders the following municipalities: Turin, Collegno, and Rivoli.-External links:*...
and the fourth series in San Giorgio Canavese. The last Spider was produced in April 1993, it was also the last rear wheel drive Alfa Romeo produced before Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
The Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione is a sports car produced by Italian automaker Alfa Romeo. It was first presented as a concept car at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show and later released for sale for the 2007 model year...
was introduced.
Series 1 Spider (1966-1969)
The first presentation of the car, as a prototype, was at the Turin Motor Show in 1961. However, the continuing success of existing models and the economic challenges facing Italy at the time meant that the first pre-launch production Spiders began to emerge from the PininfarinaPininfarina
Pininfarina S.p.A. is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder in Cambiano, Italy.Founded as Società anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina in 1930 by automobile designer and builder Battista "Pinin" Farina, Pininfarina has been employed by a wide variety of high-end automobile manufacturers,...
production line only at the end of 1965.
Based on the Giulia 105
Alfa Romeo Giulia
The Alfa Romeo Giulia is an Alfa Romeo automobile. Alfa was one of the first manufacturers to put a powerful engine in a light-weight car for mainstream production. The Giulia weighed about . The car was equipped with a light alloy twin overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine, similar to that of...
series chassis, the Spider was launched in the 36th Geneva Motor Show in March 1966. Unnamed at launch, the name "Duetto" was chosen in a write-in competition in Italy. The Italian firm of Pininfarina
Pininfarina
Pininfarina S.p.A. is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder in Cambiano, Italy.Founded as Società anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina in 1930 by automobile designer and builder Battista "Pinin" Farina, Pininfarina has been employed by a wide variety of high-end automobile manufacturers,...
was responsible for the design of the body; in fact, the Duetto was the last project with which founder Battista "Pinin" Farina was personally associated. Pininfarina were also responsible for the manufacture of the vehicle's monocoque
Monocoque
Monocoque is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin, as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin or coachwork...
construction (designed with the relatively new principles of crumple zone
Crumple zone
The crumple zone is a structural feature mainly of automobiles. Crumple zones have also been incorporated into railcars in recent years.They are designed to absorb the energy from the impact during an accident by controlled deformation. This energy is much higher than is commonly recognized...
s incorporated into the front and rear). The engine was a 1570 cc variant of the Alfa Romeo twin cam
Alfa Romeo Twin Cam engine
The all alloy Alfa Romeo Twin Cam engine series was an inline-4 cylinder engine produced by Alfa Romeo from 1954 to 1994. For earlier Alfa Romeo engines featuring twin camshafts, refer to the main Alfa Romeo page...
four cylinder
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
engine, and produced 109 hp
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
(81 kW). Sparsely fitted inside but including five speed manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
, disc brakes and independent front suspension
Suspension (vehicle)
Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. Suspension systems serve a dual purpose — contributing to the car's roadholding/handling and braking for good active safety and driving pleasure, and keeping vehicle occupants...
, the price on launch in Italy was 2,195,000 lire
Italian lira
The lira was the currency of Italy between 1861 and 2002. Between 1999 and 2002, the Italian lira was officially a “national subunit” of the euro...
and upon its US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
introduction in 1967, price was US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
3,950 which was about $1,500 more than an MGB
MG MGB
The MGB is a sports car launched by MG Cars in May 1962 to replace the MGA. Introduced as a four-cylinder roadster, a coupé with 2+2 seating was added in 1965...
.
The original "Duetto" was in production from 1966–1967; replaced in late 1967 by the 1750 Spider Veloce, powered by a 118 hp 1779 cc engine. In Europe this was fitted with two twin carburettors, whereas models for the North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n market (from MY 1969) had SPICA
SPICA
SPICA S.p.A. was an Italian manufacturer of fuel injection systems.- History :The company was founded by Francesco Cassani in 1932. SPICA fuel injection systems were used in diesel and petrol engines....
(Società Pompe Iniezione Cassani & Affini) mechanical fuel injection. Modifications were also made to the suspension, brakes, electrics and wheels and tires though the car looked effectively the same. Visible differences were limited to the rear-view mirror repositioned to the door, and different badging on the tail. During the production run, the front repeater lights were moved ahead of the wheelarches. The car's official title was 1750 Spider Veloce, the name "Duetto" being dropped from this point on.
A new Spider 1300 Junior, with a 1290 cc engine producing 89 hp, was introduced in 1968. This lacked various features of the 1750, including the plastic headlamp fairings, the brake servo, hubcaps and opening quarterlight.
Due to its round (or long) tail, the Series 1 Spider is sometimes known by the nickname of "Osso di Seppia" - Italian for "cuttlefish bone". This particular car was the model featured in the 1967 movie The Graduate
The Graduate
The Graduate is a 1967 American comedy-drama motion picture directed by Mike Nichols. It is based on the 1963 novel The Graduate by Charles Webb, who wrote it shortly after graduating from Williams College. The screenplay was by Buck Henry, who makes a cameo appearance as a hotel clerk, and Calder...
, driven by Ben, the character played by Dustin Hoffman.
Series 2 Spider (1970-1982/83)
In 1970 the first significant change to the exterior styling was introduced on the 1750 Spider Veloce, with the original's distinctive elongated round tail changed to a more conventional cut-off tail, called the "Kamm tail", as well as improving the luggage space. Numerous other small changes took place both inside and out, such as a slightly different grille, new doorhandles, a more raked windscreen, top-hinged pedals and improved interior trim.1971 saw the Spider Veloce get a new, larger powerplant - a 1962 cc, 132 hp unit - and consequently the name was changed from 1750 Spider Veloce to 2000 Spider Veloce. The 1600 Spider restarted production a year later as the Spider 1600 Junior, and was visually identical to the 1300.
1974 saw the introduction of the rare, factory request, Spider-Targa. Based upon the Spider, it featured a Porsche style solid rear window and lift out roof panels, all made out of black GRP type material. Less than 2,000 models of such type were ever made and was the only part solid roof Spider until the introduction of the factory crafted hard top.
The 1300 and 2000 cars were modified in 1974 and 1975 respectively to include two small seats behind the front seats, becoming a "two plus two" four seater. The 1300 model was discontinued in 1977. Also, between 1974 and 1976, the early-style stainless-steel bumpers were discontinued and replaced with black, rubber-clad units to meet increasingly stringent North American crash requirements.
Series 3 Spider (1982/83-1989/90)
The Series 3 Spider was previewed in North America for the 1982 model year with the introduction of 2.0 liter Bosch electronic fuel injection to replace the SPICA mechanical injection.The Spider underwent a major styling revamp in 1983, which saw the introduction of black rubber front and rear bumpers. The front bumper incorporated the grille and a small soft rubber spoiler
Spoiler (automotive)
A spoiler is an automotive aerodynamic device whose intended design function is to 'spoil' unfavorable air movement across a body of a vehicle in motion. Spoilers on the front of a vehicle are often called air dams, because in addition to directing air flow they also reduce the amount of air...
was added to the trunk lid. The change altered the exterior appearance of the car considerably and was not universally praised by enthusiasts. Various other minor mechanical and aesthetic modifications were also made, and the 1600 car (never available in North America) dropped the "Junior" name.
The Quadrifoglio Verde (Green Fourleaf Clover) model was introduced in 1986, with many aesthetic tweaks, including sideskirts, mirrors, new front and rear spoilers, hard rubber trunk mounted spoilers with integral 3rd stoplight, unique 15' alloys and optional removable hardtop. Different interior trim included blood red carpets and gray leather seats with red stitching. QV was offered in only 3 colours: red, silver and black. It was otherwise mechanically identical to the standard Spider Veloce model, with a 1962 cc double overhead cam, four-cylinder engine (twin two-barrel carburetors in Europe; North American models retained the Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection introduced for the 1982 model year except that the VVT mechanism was now L-Jet activated) and five-speed manual transmission.
The interior was revised with a new center console, lower dash panels (to meet U.S. regulations) and a single monopod gauge cluster (with electronic gauges). For the North American market a model dubbed the Graduate was added in tribute to the car's famous appearance in the 1967 film, The Graduate
The Graduate
The Graduate is a 1967 American comedy-drama motion picture directed by Mike Nichols. It is based on the 1963 novel The Graduate by Charles Webb, who wrote it shortly after graduating from Williams College. The screenplay was by Buck Henry, who makes a cameo appearance as a hotel clerk, and Calder...
, starring Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Lee Hoffman is an American actor with a career in film, television, and theatre since 1960. He has been known for his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and vulnerable characters....
.
The Graduate was intended as a less expensive "entry-level" Alfa. While it had the same engine and transmission as the Quadrifoglio and Veloce, it lacked the alloy wheels and luxury features of the other two models. The Graduate model had manual windows, basic vinyl seats, a vinyl top, and steel wheels as standard. Air conditioning and a dealer-installed radio were the only options. It first appeared in 1985 in North America and continued until 1990.
Minor changes occurred from 1986–89, including new paint colors, a center high mount stop lamp (CHMSL) midway through 1986 for North American models, a move away from the fade-prone brown carpet and new turn signal levers. Some 1988 models featured automatic seatbelts that extended from a large device between the front seats.
Series 4 Spider (1990/91-1993)
The final major change to the Spider came in 1990. The primary mechanical change was that the Spider was given Bosch Motronic electronic fuel injection with an electric fan. Externally, the Spider lost its front under-bumper spoiler and the rear trunk-lid spoiler and picked up 164Alfa Romeo 164
The Alfa Romeo 164 is an executive car with saloon body, produced by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo from 1987 to 1998.The 164 was re-badged as the 168 for the Hong Kong and Malaysian markets, as the number "164" had a very negative connotation , and "168" has quite the opposite The Alfa Romeo 164...
-style rear lights stretching across the width of the car as well as plastic bumpers the same color as the car. This also marked the first generation of this car with automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
.
In North America, the styling changes did not appear until the 1991 model year; 1990 models featured the Motronic fuel injection but retained the black bumpers. Power steering, larger knee bolsters and a driver-side airbag also appeared as standard for North American market Spiders, which were available in two configurations: Spider and Spider Veloce. Primary differences were in standard equipment: the Veloce substituted leather seats for the base model's vinyl; 15" alloy wheels were one size up from the standard steel wheels with hubcaps; and air conditioning and a cloth top were standard.
Production of the original Spider ended in 1993. An all-new Alfa Spider
Alfa Romeo GTV & Spider
The Alfa Romeo GTV and Alfa Romeo Spider were two sports cars produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo from 1995 to 2006....
arrived one year later.
A limited edition Spider Commemorative Edition was produced for the North American market in 1993 and was badged as a 1994 model. Each of the 190 Spider CEs imported to the United States had a small plaque affixed to the dashboard that identified which of the 190 cars it was. The CEs differed from previous Spiders in that they had a special badge on the nose, a "CE" script badge below the "Spider Veloce" badge on the tail, unique gold center caps on the "phonedial" 15" wheels, and burled wood interior trim. Each model came with a leather portfolio, numbered keychain, and documentation. The cars followed the VIN
Vin
Vin may refer to:*Voltage input, an alternative form for Vin-People:*Vin Diesel*Vin Scully*Vin Suprynowicz*Vin, the name of a character from the video games Jak II and Jak 3*a diminutive of the name "Vincent"...
sequence 008276 to 008460, although there does not appear to be any systematic order numbering. It appears that all of the 1994 Spider Commemorative Editions were produced in May 1993.
In Europe this version was also sold with 1.6 L engine used in series 3, it was fitted with Weber 40DCOM4/5 carburettors.
Production 1970-1993
|
Generations
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||