Test drive Alfa Romeo Spider: Discovery

Thanks to its soft folding roof, the new Alfa Romeo Spider offers plenty of fresh air in a classic recipe. The car went on sale only in the fall, but first impressions of it show that the wait was worth it ...

Standing in front of such a machine, it would be nice to forget absolutely everything related to exact dimensions, technical data and pragmatism in general, at least for a while… The new Spider is not only a natural continuation of the Italian tradition of creating open models, it is, moreover, it has become so beautiful, that the most die-hard alfistas literally run the risk of getting heart problems from closer contact with an irresistible looking model. The extremely compact soft top folds almost silently and fully automatically in just 25 seconds, but this procedure can only be performed when the vehicle is at a complete stop.

About Italian moments of life

The Spider's interior is distinguished not only by refined materials and a driver-oriented console, but also by a combination of more soulfully thought-out ergonomics and signs of a certain ease of execution. The 3,2-liter V6 engine sounds more aggressive and exciting than the in-house versions, as all of its tones are much more distinct in the Spider. And although, strictly speaking, in a joint Australian-Italian project (the engine block is the work of Holden - the Australian division of GM), the sporty sound does not completely echo the real power characteristics, the new Spider will be a real treat for true driving enthusiasts. open air.

The Spider version takes advantage of the shortened wheelbase and maneuvers well into corners even with ESP on. Even the tightest turns can be done with minimal steering angle changes, and the feedback from the road is completely authentic and sporty. Overall, the car's behavior, with double wishbones at the front and multi-link suspension at the rear, is at least as refreshing to the driver as a dose of strong Italian espresso. Of particular joy is the fact that the body of the Italian beauty is quite durable and, in general, does not annoy with annoying noises when driving on bad roads.

For people who know what they are looking for and how to get it

Undoubtedly, there are convertibles with a more rigid load-bearing structure than this one, but there are hardly any convertibles that harmoniously combine elegance and dynamics. Especially in these days, when cars are getting smoother and more impersonal, this Alfa looks especially fresh precisely because of its strong personality and the little arbitrariness it allows itself.

Text: Bozhan Boshnakov

Photos: Alfa Romeo

2020-08-29