1975 Alfa Romeo 2000 Spider

Introduced to the public at the 1966 Geneva Salon, the Alfa Romeo Spider was named the Duetto after a competition was held and remained in production for the next twenty-eight years, which says a lot for the inherent qualities of the original design. With classic styling, based on a series of styling prototypes from the 1950s, by the renowned Pininfarina design house and relatively advanced mechanical specification, the new Alfa Romeo utilised the classic twin-cam 1600cc engine mated to a five-speed gearbox. With a great ride, sharp handling and disc brakes all round the car was a fine performer on the road and remains a superbly satisfying car to drive today. The original 1600 model was later joined by 1300 and 1750 versions and in 1971, the engine was enlarged to a full two litres to give a useful increase in power and torque. The hefty asking price - the Spider cost slightly more than an E-Type Jaguar in Britain for example - always meant the Alfa Romeo was destined for the fortunate few. Although Pininfarina's original shape survived largely unchanged until production ceased in 1994, numerous detail changes were made - most notably the adoption of the Kamm tail section in 1969. Early two-litre cars, with the torquier engine and chrome bumpers, arguably offer the best combination of looks, performance and charm of all the Spiders.