2005 Spider concept
At the 2005 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, Alfa Romeo unveiled the 8C Spider, a roadster version of the Competizione coupι. The Spider concept was built by Carrozzeria Marazzi. Production of the 8C Spider was confirmed by Sergio Marchionne on September 25, 2007. It was announced that the Spider would be built in a 500 unit production run and would cost around €20,000 (US$27,500) more than the coupe version.
2008 8C Spider production version
Production of the 8C Spider began in 2009, in Modena, with Maserati in charge of building the cars. As previously announced, 500 cars will be built, each priced at €175,000 (US$241,000) excluding taxes. The production version was unveiled at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show. 35 of 500 Spiders are going to United States. In the October 2011 issue of Evo (magazine) the 8C spider won the title of the best sounding car.
Alfa Romeo claims that the 8C Spider's top speed is 290 kilometres per hour (180 mph), which makes it slightly slower than the coupe version. The brakes on the Spider are Brembo carbon-ceramic units. The Spider has a two-layer electrically operated fabric roof. The windshield frame is made of carbon fibre to try to maintain a 50/50 weight distribution.
----original 2005 press release----
Alfa Romeo was the center theme of this years Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. One of the main attractions was the first public outing of the stunning 8C Spider. The organizers of the event issued the following information:
Derived from the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, the 8C Spider is purely and essentially a thoroughbred sports car in the traditional Alfa Romeo spirit; it offers sophisticated engineering, a sporty yet elegant shape, and strictly two-seat accommodation.
Created at the Centro Stile Alfa Romeo, the 8C Spider expresses all that is most precious in the company’s heritage.
The low and aggressive front or the face of the car is characterised by the classical Alfa Romeo triptych—the central triangular “scudetto” flanked by horizontal “moustaches.” The lateral view of the car underscores its compactness and its classical mechanical layout, with longitudinally, front-mounted engine and rear-wheel-drive. The car is sure-footed on its prominent wheels, placed in the four corners. The “coda tronca” short tail with generous round taillights, typical for an Italian sports car, adds to the purposeful, dynamic image of the 8C Spider.
The interior design reflects the same philosophy; the cockpit’s non-compromised ergonomics, style, and choice of materials concentrate on one goal only: the ultimate driving pleasure.
Reply With Quote
