1974 Alfa Romeo Spider Convertible White Restored Fun! on 2040-cars

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2015 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider doffs its cap in Detroit

With the debut of the 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider the Italian company's US lineup has officially doubled. Cosmetically, it makes most of its changes up top and out back, starting with its exposure to the sky. The 4C's 236-pound carbon-fiber monocoque was already engineered for open-air duty, so the Spider only needs an aluminum rollbar underneath the CF roll hoop - called a "halo" - as well as some new upper body brackets and a crossbeam in the engine compartment to maintain stiffness. The CF windshield frame is both bolted and glued to the monocoque. When it's time to close the cabin off, a stowable cloth roof or, later after launch, an available carbon-fiber hardtop will do the job. We've already had the chance to affix and remove the former, and it's a simple job that's good for a full 160 mph, unlike some rival's similar toupees that aren't approved for top-speed runs. When we saw spy shots of the 4C Spider on a photo shoot recently, we thought the center-mounted exhaust from the concept car had been retired, but that's not the case. Buyers will have the option of a center-set Akrapovic titanium dual-mode exhaust, with a carbon-fiber body surround. The aural sensations will be boosted further with three air extractors in the new decklid. The cockpit comes standard with cross-stitched leather in either black, red or Tobacco, depending on package. Details include CF vent surrounds, and an Alpine stereo with plenty of media input options (we're hoping it's better than the absolutely terrible head unit we've already experienced in the 4C coupe). Exterior touches will be enhanced by four new wheel designs in silver or dark finish, with four choices of brake caliper. How much performance will you give up to go topless? It doesn't look like much, if any. The 4C Coupe has been run from standstill to 60 miles per hour anywhere from 4.1 seconds to 4.3 seconds. Alfa gives the estimated time for the Spider as 4.1-seconds, to go along with 1.1 g of lateral acceleration, and says the car only weighs 22 pounds more than its fixed-head sibling. It looks like the Spider is out to earn all the attention it's going to get when it launches this summer. You can turn your attentions now to the mega gallery above and the lengthy press release below, and we'll have live shots of it from the Detroit Auto Show shortly.

Alfa Romeo 4C La Furiosa revealed by Lapo Elkann's Garage Italia

Visitors to the Dubai Motor Show who stopped by the Alfa Romeo stand were treated to this aesthetically modified 4C created by Garage Italia Customs. To make this particular example stand apart from an "ordinary" Alfa 4C, the customizers cloaked it in a velvet matte-finish red, similar to the original show car. The roof was left in exposed carbon fiber, fading into red, like the engine cover and brake calipers. The trim around the headlights, air vents, and side mirrors has been left in carbon fiber with a thin coat of candy red that leaves the weave exposed. The wheels are painted gold, and the interior is swathed in Alcantara. The creation was made for Alfa Romeo by the customizing firm started by Lapo Elkann. The eccentric brother of Fiat Chrysler chairman John Elkann is himself an heir to the Agnelli empire, and has played a variety of roles in the company - including brand promotion and the creation of the Gucci edition Cinquecento. Alongside fashion house Italia Independent, Lapo founded Garage Italia Customs to apply his unique sense of style and that of his team to models like the Fiat 500, Jeep Renegade, and Maserati Ghibli. Related Video: Milano, November 10th 2015 Garage Italia Customs in Dubai with Alfa Romeo 4C "La Furiosa" On the occasion of the 2015 Dubai International Motor Show, Garage Italia Customs presents a world premiere, La Furiosa, the 4C one-off created for Alfa Romeo. La Furiosa is the result of the meeting between the "Mechanics of Emotions" and the Style Center together with the Maestros of Garage Italia Customs. It is a unique model that combines the high level technical characteristics of this Alfa Romeo and the Tailor Made interventions of the Lapo Elkann team specialists. THE EXTERIORS The stage for the debut of this new creation by Carlo Borromeo - head of the Garage Italia Customs Style Centre – is the Alfa Romeo stand at the Dubai International Motor Show. Hence, La Furiosa is unveiled to the international press next to the Alfa Romeo 510 CV Giulia Quadrifoglio and the latest versions of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio, the Alfa Romeo 4C Coupe and the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider. The aim of the Garage is to create a car which emphasises the 4C wild style with a strong and extraordinary aesthetic impact. Special toned-down painting characterises the external livery.

Abarth 1000 SP is a retro-styled Alfa Romeo 4C

With the whittled-down Fiat lineup in the U.S., you might've forgotten about the brand's sporty division Abarth. But the brand is still active, still selling sporty Fiats in Europe, and now it has created a one-off roadster to celebrate its racing history. It's the Abarth 1000 SP, and it's styled and named after a 1966 race car that won its class at the 500-kilometer Nurburgring race that year. As other news outlets have noted, it's pretty obvious the Abarth 1000 SP is a restyled Alfa Romeo 4C (also disappearing from both the U.S. and overseas markets), even if Abarth doesn't say so specifically. That's not a bad, thing, though, being both an impressive sports car and one bearing the kind of curves that are perfect for the lines of the original car. The 1966 car's low pointy nose, curvy fenders and myriad vents and scoops fit great, and we also dig the exposed roll bar and cut-down rear cowls. The rear bumper maybe looks a little awkward, but overall, we think it's a well-executed car. Mechanically, it seems unchanged from the 4C. It has the same 1,742-cc turbocharged four-cylinder making 240 horsepower and sitting in the same carbon fiber and aluminum chassis. As such, it should probably be called the Abarth 1740 SP or 1700 SP rather than 1000, since the original was named after the displacement of the modified Fiat 600 engine it used. The car is just a one-off, so you won't be able to purchase one, but you might be able to see it at a European car show or museum someday. Related Video: