Alfa Romeo Spider 3 '88

• Battista Pininfarina’s last car design


• Nostalgia combined with modern features and a contemporary design

The Alfa Romeo Spider was built for an impressive 27 years on end and was eventually released in guise of four different generations. Pininfarina were the ones to design this convertible car, they had already designed numerous other cars for other brands in, they were seasoned and they did excellent jobs.

The Spider was brought to the market in 1966, it carried the fame of Alfa Romeo’s Giulietta Spider, though it was a seperate and independent model, apart from the Giulietta. Initially, nobody would have ever expected a 27 year production run, but it was designed by Pininfarina himself, Battista Pininfarina, making it needless to say that this car was a bull’s eye to the market. Unfortunately, the famous designer passed away in 1966, making it the very last car he designed.

Under the hood, you would always find a four-cylinder engine originally delivering 109 horsepower. Over the years, the power was increased to a maximum of 135 horsepower, and the engine displacement grew from 1.6 liters to exactly two liters.

Throughout the years, the unique design with a long hood and stretched rear end underwent several revisions and modernizations, but the core Pininfarina designed remained the same: modest dimensions, a tailor-made engine, together creating a driving experience that felt very pleasant and sporty, as usual with Alfa Romeo’s cars.

Alfa Romeo Spider 3

In 1983, the Spider was updated for the second time to keep the car well-performing and attractive in now modern times. As mentioned before, the core design remained the same, rubber bumpers were added to the front and rear, a spoiler found its place in the conventional rear-wing spot. A Bosch injection system was now installed, ensuring a smoother-running engine. In 1986, the Spider 3 received a sporty makeover with an optional sports package that included sportier rims, a sprayed hardtop, sleeker bodywork on the doors, and a leather interior. In 1990, a succeding fourth generation was released and would be manufactured until 1993.

The charming design resembled previous Alfa Romeo models but was contemporarily designed to meet the 80s car trends and market demands. The Spider 3 is an accessible classic car that appeals to a wide audience.

Technical information:

Body work

• Length (cm): 425 (167 inch)


• Width (cm): 163 (64 inch)


• Height (cm): 129 (51 inch)


• Wheelbase (cm): 225 (89 inch)


• Weight (kg): 1161 (2560 lbs)

Mechanics

• Engine: 1962 cc four-cylinder front-engine


• Valve gear: 8


• Gear box: 5-speed manual


• Transmission: RWD


• Left-steered


• power: 126 hp (94 kW) at 5400 t/m


• torque: 178 Nm at 4200 t/m


• Top speed: 197 km/h (122 mph)