Alfa Romeo Spider Buying Guide

The first "official" Alfa Romeo Spider (the "Duette") was released in 1966.  In 1967, the design was changed just slightly, and it was released as the "Spider Veloce."  Produced from that year through 1993--with various engine and design modifications here and there--the Alfa Romeo Spider is considered one of the world's great sports cars in terms of its design.  Not surprisingly, the Alfa Romeo Spider was designed by Battista Pininfarina, creator of many of the most famous Italian car designs in history.

Alfa Romeo released a "Spider" version of another car many years earlier.  The very first Alfa Romeo spider car was actually a version of their 1955 Giulietta.  Also designed by Battista Pininfarina, the Giulietta Spider contained all the classic Alfa Romeo features; it was a classic two-seater convertible, with elegant but simple steel wheels, and a full grille.

New sports car fans may not realize that a "Spider," (originally "Spyder") is not merely a name for a car.  It is, in fact, a very specific type of car.  In the same way that "coupe" refers to a car that has only two doors, "Spyder" originally denoted a convertible with a mid-engine, rear-wheel layout.  This meant that the center of gravity on a Spyder was in front of the rear axle.  The first was actually the Porsche 550 Spyder, released in the mid-1950s.  Other famous Spyder types include the Fiat 850, other Porsches, many Ferraris, the Chevrolet Corvair and the TR7.

Today, however, many contemporary carmakers--including Alfa Romeo--use the term "Spider" synonymously with "convertible."  Other contemporary manufacturers releasing Spiders include Toyota, Mitsubishi (the Eclipse and 3000GT) and the Lamborghini Gallardo.