The Tragic Failure of The Last Alfa Romeo Spider
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- Опубликовано: 25 фев 2022
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The “939” generation #AlfaRomeo #Spider was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2006. The model was a close derivative of Giugiaro’s Brera, so the #Pininfarina input on the design was, of course, limited to the rear quarters and the canvas roof, which folded away electrically in just 25 seconds. I must say that, back then, I wasn’t entirely convinced of the final result, and I appreciate it much more now.
Like the Brera, the Spider was initially available in two powertrain configurations: a front-wheel-drive 2.2 liters four cylinders and a 3.2 V6 with permanent “Q4” all-wheel drive. Both units were developed under the Fiat-GM Powertrain joint-venture and used existing GM aluminum blocks mated to specific Alfa-designed cylinder heads, featuring variable valve timing for both intake and exhaust. Both engines failed to impress potential buyers, though, and the addition of Fiat’s inline-five turbodiesel during 2007 didn’t improve matters. Like the Brera it’s so closely related with, the Spider was misunderstood in period and sold poorly as a result: just 12.488 examples were ever made, and it’s a real pity, as there’s a lot to like about this Spider. Relatively spacious and very comfortable, it’s a stylish cruiser rather than a canyon carver, but that’s not what people typically have in mind when they hear the words “Alfa Romeo Spider.”
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What a beautiful piece of Italian engineering!! the car looks good too
Thank you for the video, proud owner of one Spider 939 “Oro Metallico” here. For me has everything: short production, made in Pininfarina installations (closed after), exclusive chassis by Alfa (i mean the platform), Giugiario design… as many Alfas hated today, big classic tomorrow 😄
👍🏼👍🏼
More beautiful than the coupé to me
@@nessuno5403 to me, too
Rock on! Congratulations and enjoy!
Good Video. I love my Spider 939. Sometimes people talk to me about this car and wonder, that it was built in 2007. Even 2022 it looks timeless.
👍🏼👍🏼
Una delle auto più belle mai realizzate, è un peccato che non esista una continuazione di questo modello
That look of the model smiling says it all. Viva Alfa Romeo!
I always and will continue to love Alfa! I wish they would build cars that the average person can afford. All their current models are out of reach for most of us. The Stelvio, GTA and 4C are as you said are "collector" cars here in Canada. Alfa should remain true to their roots and build fun and affordable reliable cars with no fancy interior technology. No power windows and seats. Time to bring back the manual transmission and the analogue gauges. No radio! I drove only one Alfa and it was a GTV6 and it was instant love at first drive!. Great episode grazie et buon lavoro!
I personally own one of these, the 2.2 variant. The car has a sense of occasion to it ,and the shape has aged much better than most of the roadsters of the time period.
I've owned 8 Alfas over the years and loved them all, including a Brera and my current Giulia Veloce. The Brera was too heavy and slow but looked amazing. The related spider was even more so. What confused people back then was not knowing whether it was a sports car or a cruiser. It was also too expensive.
Proud owner of a 1750 TBi Red Alfa. After 12 years, is more beautiful than ever!
Wow, that's fantastic. Rare too, as it was made for just a year. Congratulations and enjoy!
@@Matteo_Licata Grazie!
1.8 Turbo Benzina is a great engine.
I wish I bought a Delta with that engine rather than the one with 1.9 Mjet TT.
Oh well...
Spider is a really pretty car. I love Italian design.
Perfetta descrizione del motore V6 su base GM-Holden. Nel video della Brera, i canguri avevano commentato che era tutto GM! Imparato vuole un Duetto... quindi un futuro ci sarà ancora!
Kind of a forgotten Alfa but still good looking. Didn't know that just so few were built. It's a shame FCA and now Stellantis, don't take advantage of Alfa's unique heritage. Thanks for this nice video, ciao 🙋♂️
Magnifique
We can only hope in the foresight of the French: the Italian management has been quite lavish with disasters
Those certain TV car shows back in the day reviewing these cars, gave a false impression that these would break down all the time🙁It can really hurt sales. But they knew nothing. 939 models have proved theirselves over the years, they did not break down all the time. I believe huge effort was made to improve reliability and quality.
But also the previous ones!
The problem with the old Alfas was the inaccurate maintenance on production cars with racing performance! Let's talk about the time of the Giulia 105 .. 50 years ago !!
Yes it's that twat Clarcson and Co again. Big mouth no Automotive knowledge. I have a 939 Spider and I love it. 2.2 ltr 185 bhp more than enough for legal road use and a delight for long or short journeys. I keep the car well maintained as per the design engineers' specification. No problems. Whst a surprise. Love it and ofcourse it looks stunning.
@@TheLRider Jeremy Clarkson loved the Brera, probably did more to promote it than anyone else. As I recall, they even campaigned to have it included in a Scottish art museum :)
How beautiful these Alfa Spiders were….. Lovely lovely cars.
We agree!
A beautiful car and story you tell. And I can only agree it has aged so well. But like the Brera, this car was a nice and refined cruiser, but not able to meet the driving expectations of a true enthusiast. From its looks to it's driving prowess, a tragic missed opportunity.
Thank you!!!
Yes just beautiful car I have a 2010 spider 939 3.2 v6 TI series just a ,superb convertible
Wow, that’s a very cool spec indeed, congratulations!
Okay only 159 left from the type 939 family 😀 I would really love a video about 159gta concept
I look forward to film a 159, and I hope it'll happen soon :)
The main problem of 939 Brera and Spider is the comparison to 916 with Busso V6 or even to the 105 series. Without that these cars would have been understood way better.
Being a Londoner, nay, living in England. I'm afraid a soft top convertible would never survive more than a few days before being cut open by thieves or the jealous types. Folding hard top would have sold plenty.
Then buy a Brera...
Love somewhere more civilised.
Lovely looking car, nearly bought one a 159 🥰
159 😋
I owned a 939 spider. It was a beautiful car and great cruiser. A little heavy to be a sports car I think.
Got lots of attention though.
Owned a black 07 Spider 2.2 for nearly four years now. Expensive to run, lots of electrical problems, just refurbed the wheels. Very difficult to get some parts now, although some are shared with Brera or 159. Still can't stop looking at it on a sunny day though, such a beautiful car compared to ugly, samey, modern day shapes.
I'm sorry to hear your Spider hasn't been as reliable as it should. Yes, parts for it are discontinued and will only get rarer as time goes by, sadly.
@@Matteo_Licata I saw Nissan has started a refurb project, where owners of older models can have the factory refurbish and in some respects modernise the owner's existing car. I suggested the same to Alfa on their LinkedIn page, but so far no response. Maybe owners clubs need to start campaigning using these green activist tactics, which could help keep older cars on the road? It must be less wasteful in resources to restore a car say 10-20 years old than create a new one.
Sorry drove two Aflas and the second was an '82 Spider. GTV6 just left me so surprised and marked me the most......
I occasionally think of replacing my 916 Spider with one of these as I get a little older, very pretty cars.
I had a fiat racing red fiat Barcheta back in 1998
And am saving hopefully will get one of these Spiders this summer I do not plan on selling this time as the world is sliding in to a nightmare and I would be able to live my own private dream driving the pice of Italian magic on a sunny day.
Believe me in 2023 this car looks amazing and always will
I’m a huge Lancia and Alfa fan. This car is still quite expensive for me to buy in the UK. However I’m not sure if I want one. The looks are not so beautiful as the 916. If I owned one I don’t think I would turn around to look at it when walking away after parking. I haven’t driven one or even sat in one yet so my mind can change. An interesting video and clear explanation of the engines. 🍺
Thank you! Personally, I'd happily buy one of these Spiders: they have definitely grown on me over the last few years.
Proud owner of a spider, as for Italian cars, the look n design is everything n only thing that makes me buy it! You will have to compromise everything else 😅Even after 14 years It still look sexy n exotic. Besides I have only seen the same car twice, makes it more rare than a Ferrari. Yeah my brother’s Boxster S is faster and handles better but mine got more taste n style 😚 it is always a pleasure to take it out for a spin and get some attention! 😊👍
Nice car and very interesting video Matteo. I fully agreed about your take on the likely last Spider. Just would like to say that this design and car would be much more attractive over a classic front engine and rear wheel drive. It's just a question of proportions, but as you know very well, proportions are really important!
I
Totally agree. The Spider is attractive, but proportions do let it down a bit.
To make these cars better you do need to 'tinker' with them a bit. Yes they're a bit heavy but with a remap, 19" wheels and rear box delete they look and go much better. Having owned around 15 alfas, several Maseratis and a few Ferrari's I never thought I'd see the day of me enjoying a diesel alfa sports car - but I do. It's totally fab. Something that needs to be experienced rather than armchair writing about or second guessed. Delightful car. The biggest issues are the roof. A manual one would have been nicer and saved a lot of weight
Thank you for sharing such an interesting take! Personally, I wouldn't mind getting a diesel Spider, given the kind of car it is.
Bel video. In Australia, the Spiders of this shape are way more $ than Breras in the used car market.
Thank you! Prices are higher here in Italy as well
I had one for three years and it is a stunning looking car imo. It was the 2.2 ltr petrol engine, but found it too front heavy but enjoyed the compliments and there were plenty. I had no issues with it and was very reliable. Think all "sports cars" should follow the Aston Martin layout with a front mid engine and rear transaxle layout.
A sad tale.
Almost beautiful.
Almost lovely.
It must be a pleasure to drive and own one, bit clearly not enough of a pleasure to save the model.
I have seen perhaps three or four... ever. This car was almost a lot of things.
I still think this is the most beautiful 2 seater out there. I would love one but also I can only afford one car to run and alfa just can't be counted on to get you where you need to be unfortunately. Alfa really created a beautiful looking car here though. Proper head Turner.
Bellissima ❤️🇮🇹❤️
Un capolavoro assoluto 🔥
A gorgeous car.
I am a huge Alfa fan (I own 3) but I have never considered this a proper Spider, its just a Brera convertible. The Spider, IMO ended with the Giulia 105 Spider. Good video though, thanks.
Thank you for your appreciation. Which Alfas do you have?
@@Matteo_Licata I have a GTV V6 (916) a 156 JTS Supercharged and a Giulia Veloce Q2 and love them all, for different reasons. Although I don't know why I have two 4 door saloons. Would love a Giulia Super (105) or a 2000 GTV also 105 but their prices (for a tidy one) are a little beyond me. Maybe if I sold all 3 current cars??
Spider for ever! 🍀
It's been great to see a new upload from you, by the way! A big hug to you and all the Greek Alfisti!
I don’t think the engine options were to blame for the poor sales but rather the target customers suffered mostly under the effects of the economic crisis and couldn’t afford a fun car. Additionally, this spider is in a different luxury class than the original ones so it was more a timing issue than a bad car which made it unsuccessful.
You have a point: numbers show that sports cars have never truly recovered from the crisis, with even the MX5 failing to reach the same sales it used to make. I think it's a consequence of wider socio-economic trends in the world we're living in.
so beautyfull
Thier is something about this design in its convertible form that has never grown on me. I sometimes think it's just to radical looking 🤷♂️
I love this car.
There’s only one thing I can add; in the proverbial word of the Bersaglieri captain on the BBC’s series Allo! Allo! …… what a mistake-a to make-a!!!
It will be a long time, if ever, that there will be a car within the means of mere mortals as pretty as a 939 Spider.
Unfortunately, she looked more than she was trying to be like an Audi cabrio that lacks 2 seats, than an A Spider with 3 heavy in heritage generations on her back.
While it looks beautiful (much better than the plump Brera imho), I have to admit that I had totally forgotten this car even existed before I saw this video. Somehow they just don't awake the desire to own one like previous Alfas do, even though they are pretty and probably fun to cruise around in. Maybe they will in some years.
The Premium Platform based Alfa Romeo cars - 159, Brera and Spider - were huge technical choice mistakes, with desperate engineering attempts to limit the disater, like the smart & light Torsen based 4x4 system : but at that point it was like trying to put a bikini on a hyppopotamus !
The engines failed to impress ...of course, nothing to be astonished about : they were based on a succession of moronic choices, like abandoning aluminum, abandoning the Busso V6, abandoning the Boxer, keeping Fiat derived FWD architecture, going for a 300 kg overweight body and thinking to get away with it, I don't know based on which idiotic fairy tale theory - just going totally opposite to all the essential Alfa Romeo DNA, probably thinking styling is the only thing that matters - styling that was not even a decent rendition of the rather exciting prototype.
And so it was a failure, a WELL DESERVED FAILURE !
Would it be more successful if it was rear wheel drive? The Spider has got the looks. Speaking of Stelantis, thoughts on another convertible Chrysler TC by Maserati?
I don't think people care a whole lot about where power is sent. But people expected a lighter, feistier car than the Spider actually was, and shopped elsewhere. It would be fun to see a new TC, by the way :)
Fantastic car
Indeed 👍
Professore, the red 4C @0:52 is rosso competizione or rosso proteo? Grazie
I think it’s neither of those. That is the show prototype of the 4C, not the production car, and the color is specific for it
@@Matteo_Licata Ho trovato sulla web Rosso Villa D’ Este, molto simile e mi ricorda anche il rosso della fiancata posteriore dell’ Alfa F1 del 2020 e 2021. Sarebbe un colore di produzione? Grazie
But These Spiders Are Nice to Look At ....But Sadly I Have to Agree With U ...
A very pretty car, one I have often considered before being put off by poor performance and in the case of the lovely 3.2 V6, the outrageous £600 road tax.
Don't get me started on how expensive taxes are here in Italy, too... A 3.2 Brera is no joke here either: about 680 Euros per year
I think the 939 Brera was an interesting car for sure that just didn’t translate well as a convertible. The 916 GTV however was a natural convertible, and I owned three of them. The Brera Spider however was just too standard looking.
I see your point, the absence of the roof compromised the car’s proportions to a certain extent. Still a pretty car though
939 is better looking than the 916 (GTV) and the Z3 - Z4 or Audi TT. Engine choice was poor though so it was ignored. A good tip for future classic status in my opinion.
True!
Great Video btw…
Thank you!!!
Una delle più belle spider di sempre.
Peccato che il voler passare dalle proporzioni del concept originale del 2002 - trazione posteriore su base Maserati Coupé - a quelle della macchina di serie - trazione anteriore su pianale GM - abbia fatto saltare tutte le proporzioni.
Parole parole parole......soltanto parole !!!! Non la cambio con nessuna auto moderna !
I am in the UK. I agree with the fact that the Spider was a beautiful car, well made, spacious ect ect. However one of its worst defect was its weight, which turn the Spider into a slow car. I remember the press(at last here in the UK), which pointed to this issue, and the road tests from the major Auto magazines were a big dissappointment. I was lucky to get a ride in one, the 2.2 petrol engine, and the owner of the Spider, who had previously own an Audi TT clearly stated that there was no comparison between the two cars. The Spider was slow as hell compare with the TT.
Beautiful styling but as with all the 939 series Alfas so disappointing to drive. I see this one in the pics has a strut brace, the scuttle shake was awful. A cruiser as you say rather than a sportscar, shocking to say but these Alfas would not suffer from having an EV swap
When it became front wheel drive they lost me🥲
Wouldn’t say no to one of these!
Me neither :)
By the way: wouldn’t say no to a Rover SD1 either! Those are cool cars, and pretty rare here in Italy
@@Matteo_Licata Thanks! They are good fun!
Fiat, which has exceptional experience in ruining good projects, in one move has doomed:
- A stunning design coming from the 2002 Giugiaro's Brera concept on Maserati Coupè base
- another Alfa Romeo's market share
- Pininfarina San Giorgio Canavese plant.
And if you still have doubts about Fiat's negative abilities, just check the work done in the 90-2000 years to reduce Lancia to a pile of rubble.
I am convinced that Fiat's stubbornness at the time to offer stylistically embarrassing cars indirectly condemned the glorious Italian coachbuilders, Pininfarina and Bertone first.
Bella machina. As a South African Italian i appreciate Italian cars and design. I myself own a modified FIAT X19 with classic Ghandini's Bertone lines. ALFA should have only made this in rear wheel drive then i think it would have been a different story. Unfortunately I don't know why they love bullshit fwd systems. Ce cazo👏🏻
Cool car the X1/9! Which mods did you make to it?
@@Matteo_Licata 13b rotor and all that must go with it. Rewired brand new front to back as you know our Italian wiring is suspect on these old classics
Wow, that must be a hoot to drive! Cool 👍
Do you still work as a designer?
Not anymore. Now I’m a writer (books and magazines) and RUclipsr :)
To be honest with you, I’m having way more fun this way! However, I’m happy that I got to live my childhood dream of being a designer. I ticked that box, now I’m busy with other stuff
If only Stellantis had stuck to their original plan & made their joint venture with Mazda the new Alfa Spider instead of the Fiat/Abarth 124. Granted that would mean no 4C but it'd also mean a proper front engine rear wheel drive Alfa Spider
I wish they had done that Mazda-based Alfa Spider. I'd have definitely bought it over the Mazda MX5 I got in 2017
I believe Alfa got too expensive with the 159 generation of cars, and this continued with later models. Those cars were so much better than the previous generation Alfas by regular people's standards in almost every aspect, but they did not sell at all. Enthusiasts say that poor engines were the problem, also the weight but Alfa should sell cars to everyone not only enthusiasts and "normal" people know nothing about where the engines came from and the weight of the car, they mostly look at their calculators. :)
Well I think the 166 is still a much better car than a 159. Maybe the amenities outdated in the '66 but the car itself way much better to drive than the 159. I have four Alfas (mostly classics) a well kept 166 among them as a daily driver. I tried the 159 (I wanted a younger car at some point) but at the end I kept the 166 and overhauled it to use for years to come. As from a viewpoint of an alfisti the 159 and all its derivatives are too "german". I know what they wanted to achieve (more marketshare) but they lost lots of loyal afficiados - VW or Opel buyers never want an Alfa and alfistis never want an Opel (and their smaller models were reskinned Fiats mostly in the time of 159). That's it.
@@szabogabor6823 What does "too German" means actually?
unfortunately it is as bad as it looks good, the 159 was a quite good car for what it was. This drives almost the same, a litte worse if anything. And thats just not good enough for this type of car. Its so forgettable. But the again, like the 159 it is well built and feels nice. So sad it never got the RWD and v8 engine as the concept car.
Still stunning but of course purists shun the Alfa Romeo/GM era of cars yet they still have character.Future classic?think so....
Prices for the best ones have been firming up lately, at least here in Italy. So it seems it's a classic already, yes!