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Alfa Romeo 4C Spider brings roofless Italian performance to the well-heeled masses

Following through on its Geneva concept and year-end rumors, Alfa Romeo has introduced a roofless version of its mid-engine 4C at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show. Like the Lotus Elise, the canvas top on the 4C Spider isn't some fancy automatic roof. Instead, owners will need to manually sort things out. Unlike the Elise, at least, the 4C's top is easier to manage when both fixing and removing from the mid-engined sports car's body. For those that prefer the security provided by a hard top, a removable carbon-fiber roof will be added after launch. Aside from that change, most of the tweaks for the 4C Spider have to do with options and equipment. As we explained in our original post, opting for the topless version of this turbocharged Italian will still get you to 60 in just 4.1 seconds, while Alfa claims the 4C Spider can still pull 1.1 lateral g. Check out our full gallery of photos of the new 4C Spider, direct from the floor of the 2015 Detroit Auto Show, at the top of the page. And for more on Alfa's second US product, check out our original post, right here.

I love the Disco Volante Spyder

For the past couple of years, Touring Superleggera has always given me reason to pause at the Geneva Motor Show. Casually sitting on the company's rotating stand is the Disco Volante, an absolutely exquisite version of the Alfa Romeo 8C with custom bodywork. I first saw it in red, then green, and now in a powder blue, as a Spyder. Only seven of these open-top Discos will be built, and I want one. Photos do not do this car justice – you really have to see it in person. For those of you who won't make it to Geneva this year, this video gives a better look at the curves and lines of Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera's creation. The tuning house is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, and the new Disco Volante Spyder is (arguably) some of its finest work. Plus, bonus points for the name alone. How cool would it be to tell your friends you've got a Disco Volante in the driveway? But don't just take my word for it. Have a look at the gorgeous little two-door in the gallery below. View 13 Photos Image Credit: Live photos copyright 2016 Drew Phillips / AOL Design/Style Geneva Motor Show Alfa Romeo Convertible Original Video 2016 geneva motor show touring superleggera

Notes from the 2016 Alfa Romeo Giulia reveal in Milan [w/video]

It's an interesting time for Alfa Romeo. Wednesday marked the brand's 105th birthday, but also a rebirth of sorts. The new Giulia is the first of several new vehicles to come out of the Project Giorgio skunkworks that has been quietly working to reimagine the brand. Fiat Chrysler is banking on these cars to finally turn Alfa around. Before the Giulia was rolled out, Alfa Romeo CEO Harald Wester acknowledged that the brand has had its share of missteps in the past. He then called out today's sporty offerings for having evolved into near-perfect but boring, commoditized cars across the industry. They have no soul, he said, nothing to differentiate one from the next. While I'd argue that each brand in the performance space still has something to differentiate itself from the others, anything that can be done to restore some of the man-machine connection lost to electronics and added weight can only be seen as a good thing. I like what I'm hearing from Alfa so far; below are some notes gleaned from the unveil event that make me think this reawakening might just work. The head of the skunkworks is Philippe Krief, a former Ferrari engineer. This is certainly a good sign for the car's dynamics and powertrain. Krief was quick to note that the Giulia uses "real" torque vectoring, not a brake-based solution like some others use. The rear differential uses a pair of clutches to apportion torque side to side. Alfa claims the car's steering will be the quickest in its segment, which I take to mean the one that currently includes the BMW M3, Mercedes-AMG C63, and Cadillac ATS-V. Immediacy translates to the braking system, as well. Alfa has come up with a new design that combines the stability control and brake servo into one unit; it's said to be simpler than two parts and also improves brake response. I'm pretty sure Krief even called its design beautiful while it flashed briefly onscreen. Quadrifoglio cars get carbon-ceramic brake discs to further improve performance and reduce weight. I didn't get to sit in the car, or even open the door, but I liked what I saw of the interior. The center console is angled to hem the driver in a little, which works well with the canted, sweeping dash. It kind of reminds me of the look in newer Mazdas – clean and simple with a good balance of organic curves and straight edges.