1988 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce on 2040-cars

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Alfa Romeo Disco Volante Spider is a beauty in blue

Be still our beating hearts. The beautiful blue sportscar you see above is the Alfa Romeo Disco Volante Spider. It's the latest work from Italian design house Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera, which is celebrating its 90th anniversary. As you can see, it's a work of art, but what you can't see is that, like the hardtop version that came before it, this car is actually based on the bones of an Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. That means it's bound to be a rare beast, since only 500 8C coupes and 500 8C Spiders were ever built. Apparently, just seven of these droptops are planned, and each one will be painted in a different color. The hue we see on the car that's debuting at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show is called Blue Ceruleo, which we figure pretty much means Sky Blue. Here's hoping at least one comes in a green scheme similar to the one shown off at Geneva back in 2014. We don't have any details about what powers the Disco Volante Spider, but we'd guess it uses the same 4.7-liter V8 and six-speed semi-automatic transmission that powered all the original 8C models. That would mean 444 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque, a 0-60 run 4-ish seconds and a top speed of around 180 miles per hour. But the actual performance seems mostly superfluous to the Disco Volante Spider's real mission, which is to look pretty. You'll want to check out our image gallery for more close-up shots. And if you just can't get enough, it seems that someone with early access to the show floor in Geneva smuggled in a camera. Check out the video above. Related Video: Related Gallery Alfa Romeo Disco Volante Spider by Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera View 17 Photos News Source: SellerieCimes via YouTube Design/Style Geneva Motor Show Alfa Romeo Convertible Luxury Special and Limited Editions Performance 2016 geneva motor show carrozzeria touring superleggera

Fiat 124 Abarth Spider spied, may get Alfa 4C power

We've long been excited to see, hear, and drive the car that results from the in-process Fiat-Mazda partnership. The Italian brand has had access to the excellent 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata on which to base its own roadster, and the fruits of that labor will soon ripen. Spied here is not only the ensuing Fiat 124, but a hotter Abarth tuned version of the spider. At least, that's what we're hoping. Our spy shooters indicated that the car seen here not only sounded more aggressive than 'standard' 124 mules seen previously, but that it also accelerated away from their long lenses with a smartness. The 124 Spider is already rumored to make use of the 1.4-liter turbo I4 that makes 160 horsepower in the Fiat 500 Abarth, and this version may have a still-more-powerful engine. Another tell about the added output are the quad tailpipes in place of the lesser car's set of two. There's no hard evidence to support exactly which engine might be under the 124's hood, however. It's possible that the 1.7-liter turbo from Alfa Romeo 4C could be in play – with its 237-hp output – as the 124 was originally going to wear an Alfa badge. If that were to happen, however, the Fiat would almost certainly get a dual-clutch transmission instead of the purer manual box. In any event, more details about the car will no doubt crop up closer to the expected reveal this fall. Related Video:

Alfa Romeo Giulia to get Ferrari-related engine

Alfa Romeo has a long, proud history of using V6 engines in its coupes, sedans, and sports cars over the years, but as the new Giulia sedan approaches, the Italian marque is allegedly turning to Ferrari for its next six-cylinder. This is obviously not the first time a Ferrari-sourced or derived engine has been found under an Alfa's long hood. While 8C Competizione famously used a version of Ferrari's F136 V8 during its short run, the Giulia's new V6 will be offered on a much larger scale, slotting in above an entry level, four-cylinder turbo (likely the next-gen version of the 4C sports car's 1.75-liter engine). According to Autocar, the new V6 will be "specially developed for Alfa Romeo," and will be built at the Termoli engine factory alongside the new turbo four-cylinder. As for the rest of the Giulia, Autocar has been able to shine a light on a number of other details about the new midsizer. It will, thankfully, be rear-wheel drive, and designed to counter the "mostly cold and clinical" and soulless cars of the German competition, Maserati chief Harald Wester told AC. Some of the new sedan's structural elements will even be shared with Maserati's entry level model, the Ghibli. Most notable of all, though, is what the Giulia means for American consumers. After the limited-run 8C and the niche 4C, the new sedan will lead Alfa Romeo's long-awaited, large-scale return, where it will combat the popular BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4, not to mention rivals like the Cadillac ATS and Lexus IS. Look for more on the Giulia next week when it's officially revealed in Milan.