Friday 7th July 2006

Alfa shows Spider concept

New 8C Spider concept - curvy...

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Alfa Romeo 8C Spider concept

Alfa Romeo's displaying and running an impressive array of cars from its museum collection at Arese, Milan, during this weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, which starts today.

And alongside these seven historic vehicles, two new Alfa Romeos will be making their UK public debuts at Goodwood. The brand new Alfa Spider are starring on the Alfa Romeo stand, following its international public debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, where it was named Cabrio of the Year 2006 by a panel of international motoring writers. This all-new Spider has an important place in Alfa Romeo’s heritage, which began with the Giulietta Spider in the 1950s, and includes the Duetto which this year celebrates its 40th anniversary. The Spider becomes available in the UK at the start of 2007.

You'll also see Alfa's 8C Spider concept, which was designed by Alfa Romeo Centro Stile. It was first shown at last year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California, where Alfa Romeo was the featured marque, and more recently the car won this year’s Villa d’Este Concours d’Elegance Design Award for concept cars. The 8C Spider can be seen in action on the Goodwood hillclimb.

Trouble is, Alfa's been showing this car in one form or other since at least 2003: why doesn't the company just get on and build the thing...?

Historics

Among the museum cars in action and on display is the 500bhp Alfa 33 TT12 which won Alfa Romeo the world manufacturers’ title in 1975, winning seven out of eight races. Alfa Romeo star drivers, Arturo Merzario and Nino Vaccarella, will be reunited with this car at the weekend.

And completing this year’s Festival of Speed theme – Racing for Glory – a Century of Grands Prix – will be the 425bhp 1951 Alfetta 159 single-seater in which Juan Manuel Fangio won the 1951 World Championship; and the P2 Gran Premio which won the First World Championship in 1925, leading to the introduction of the laurel wreath around Alfa Romeo’s world famous emblem.

• Related story: Alfa Romeo 8C

[nubbin]

Yes please!

[scotty_917]

much better looking than the under performing & chubby Brera...light weight, rear wheel drive & classic Alfa engine (& noise!). This is what the marque's lovers want? Italian TVR anyone??

[jamieboy]

According to italiaspeed.com in April, they were planning to build 500 8Cs - half spiders and half coupes for 120,000 - 140,000 euros. I really hope they do, it's too nice to do nothing with.

[ghiblicup]

I don't know.......
Looks a bit like one of tomas the tank engines friends in that picture

[Yugguy]

I love Alfas but Im actually not sure about that one, looks a bit teletubbie.

[pdV6]

Yugguy said:

I love Alfas but Im actually not sure about that one, looks a bit teletubbie.

Wanna change that opinion?

[cathalm]

That's not agreat picture of the 8c, the colours a bit off. As an alfa owner im dissapointed that the sexy brera concept was turned into that tubby, slow, brera production car. I'll certainly not be changing in my gtv cup for one, I'd rather take the money to autodelta... The 8c is fantastic, I really hope the do build it because I'd be going straight to my friendly local bank manager, with a gun.

[_deejay_]

pdV6 said:

Yugguy said:

I love Alfas but Im actually not sure about that one, looks a bit teletubbie.

Wanna change that opinion?

It looks fantastic from the front wings backwards. I'm just not too sure about the headlights and grill....

[Stubby Pete]

pdV6 said:

Yugguy said:

I love Alfas but Im actually not sure about that one, looks a bit teletubbie.

Wanna change that opinion?

Just had a look, lovely looking car.
Also browsed and had a look at the Saab Aero x. Only picture I'd seen before was with the lid open (gimicky). Looks absolutely fantastic shut, why not produce with normal doors?

[jamieboy]

_deejay_ said:

I'm just not too sure about the headlights and grill....

If you look at the 1960's Alfa TZ, the headlights and grille make more sense.

[J1mmyD]

OK, I keep hearing about the 8C .... I need people to tell me about them. One Alfa lover, one Alfaphobe.

What's the lump in them .... are they going to change between now and production ... when are we going to see them ....?

[jamieboy]

J1mmyD said:

What's the lump in them .... are they going to change between now and production ... when are we going to see them ....?

Meant to be a 400bhp version of the 4.2 V8 from Maserati. Hard to say if they're going to change much from concept to production - the Brera did, but the SZ didn't. There was talk that they might launch it at Paris this September, but who really knows.

[Andy665]

It really winds me up when manufacturers produce stunning looking concept cars and then dither over whether they'll make them or not. Even worse is when they do make them but are seriously watered down, Brera / Boxster etc

[chrisbr68]

I like it apart from the horizontal vents. Looks like a moustache!!

[planetdave]

I'm going to need a change of pants.

[the_bovine]

Hmm, take away the curves and add appropriate blocks. It looks like a VX220 .

Edited by the_bovine on Friday 7th July 14:25

[zebedee]

the_bovine said:

Hmm, take away the curves and add appropriate blocks. It looks like a VX220 .

Edited by the_bovine on Friday 7th July 14:25

why edit the post, just remove it, as it is totally pointless

[pdV6]

zebedee said:

the_bovine said:

Hmm, take away the curves and add appropriate blocks. It looks like a VX220 .

Edited by the_bovine on Friday 7th July 14:25

why edit the post, just remove it, as it is totally pointless

Indeed.

Take away the bodywork, interior, engine, transmission and exhaust and its just a set of wheels.

[hendry]

They clearly ARE going to produce this, as the "concept" shown is seemingly engineered to production standards - just take a look at things like the rear lights (reverse, fog), door handles and interiro. This car is all set to go. Lovely!

[teen_cerbera]

Andy665 said:

It really winds me up when manufacturers produce stunning looking concept cars and then dither over whether they'll make them or not. Even worse is when they do make them but are seriously watered down, Brera / Boxster etc

Yeah I hate that too Just like these two:
Started as this:

Ended up as this: