Alfa Romeo Spider: Born 1966 Died 1993
Because the term 'Spider' was rather generic for the open roadster genre, Alfa Romeo asked the public to suggest a name for its new two-seater when it was launched in 1966, and for a brief time it was subsequently called the Duetto. It was as this that the car made its famous appearance in the movie The Graduate in 1967. There is little doubt that its product placement association with Dustin Hoffman and Simon & Garfunkel was a significant factor in the American love affair with the Spider which sustained the model through several decades.
The original car was stylistically distinguished by its rounded rear, and was designated by Alfa Romeo as the 105 because it was based on the Giulia 105 chassis. Power was provided by a 1570cc DOHC aluminium engine outputting 109hp and the car was well specified in engineering terms with a 5-speed gearbox and all-round disc brakes, all way ahead of most of the competition of the time. But in trim and comfort elements the Spider was sparsely finished, with lots of painted metal inside and rubber mats instead of carpeting.
A year after introduction the original engine was replaced by a 1779cc unit with 118hp on tap, and was called for pre-war nostalgic reasons the 1750 Spider Veloce. European versions had twin-carburettor fuel management, which didn't meet US emissions regulations and meant no exports there until they were equipped with a mechanical fuel injection system that was quite remarkably efficient and enabled the car to keep within the regulations.
However, alleged 'flat spots' in the performance meant that many owners in the US changed back to carburettors subsequent to purchase. For Europe's more difficult motor taxation regimes, Alfa produced a 'Junior' version in 1968, powered by a 1290cc engine and with cheaper exterior and interior detailing - it would stay in production until 1972.
In 1969 came the first significant change to the look of the car, when the trademark round tail was chopped on the Veloce to provide a 'Kammback' rear that was taller. Improvements were also made to the interior trim, and the original 'hole in the floor' pedals were replaced with more modern top-hinged versions.
A 1962cc engine was provided in 1971 for the Veloce, causing a name change to 2000 Spider Veloce, which was at least more in line with the actual engine size. The following year the Junior series was upgraded by the installation of the original 1570cc engine, and now there were 1300 and 1600 Juniors. In 1974 the Juniors were built with a pair of small rear seats, a modification which was provided in the Veloce the following year, and the Spider was now officially a 2+2.
1974 was also the year that US-bound cars had to have the massive 'baby buggy' bumpers capable of withstanding 5mph shunts demanded by the insurance industry. These and other modifications added about 14 kilos to the weight of the car, and along with emissions restrictions reduced the Spider's performance.
Europeans were able to keep their chrome bumpers until 1984 when they were replaced with black plastic ones which, fortunately, were a better fit than the Americans had endured. The Junior name was deleted in 1986, the same year that a Quadrifolgio dressed-up model was launched on the European scene. This was to become the sole model in the US, and with the "Mrs Robinson" film enjoying cult status two decades on, the company marketed a Graduate entry-level specification to capitalise on this.
In 1990 there was a major change to the styling, penned by Pininfarina, including a new rear shape and colour-coded bumpers. The tacky sideskirts of the original Quadrifolgio were integrated directly in the bodywork. Performance was also further improved, in an attempt to liven up what had become a significantly heavier car than the original.
But none of this was enough to compete against the extraordinary success in the vital US market of the Mazda Miata (MX-5), introduced in 1990. The Spider was discontinued in 1993, and though a new Spider was introduced in 1995, it was related only in name to the original. By that time, too, Alfa had pulled out of the American market entirely, leaving the original Spider to remain as a collector's car.