The 8C Spider - an exclusive and beautiful Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo has produced many seminal cars over the past 99 years, and its 8C Spider lives up to an illustrious heritage, says Andrew English in The Daily Telegraph.
Inspired by the 1930s original, the remake first made an appearance at a motor show six years ago, and there were no plans to put it into production. But, beseiged by pleas from the public, Alfa finally agreed to turn out 500 of them. There were three customers for every car.
So now here's the drop-top version. There will still only be 500 models, and all those that are destined for Britain have been sold already, but it's a "fabulous, beautiful" car, and "pretty hard core" to drive.
If you were lucky enough to get your order in, your wallet will soon be £174,000 lighter.
The engine in particular is a "masterpiece", says Ben Oliver in Car. It is "ludicrously loud, powerful and responsive with a slick, sharp shift" and it powers the car from rest to 60mph in just over four seconds and on to a top speed of 190mph.
On the downside, although the Spider "changes direction with remarkable agility for a front-engined car", the steering is "heavy and disappointingly lifeless" and the brakes "offer little feel".
In all, you shouldn't be too "gutted at having missed out on the Spider". The looks, noise and price "make promises the chassis can't keep", and the Ferrari California "has it licked dynamically for £35,000 less, and Ferrari will still take your order". True, but the Alfa has "beauty and sound and soul to match anything", says Paul Horrell in Top Gear.
The design is "sheer oozing palpitating glamour"; the engine is "epic" and "furiously responsive" and sounds so great "you can play tunes on the thing". It is "exclusivity, beauty and performance in one glorious package".
The world's favourite drop-top
The Mazda MX-5 is the world's favourite drop-top, says James Martin in The Mail on Sunday.And it's easy to see why. The original 1989 model was inspired by classic British two-seaters such as the Lotus Elan and Triumph Spitfire, and it was a "light, cheap, simple sports car wrapped around a 1.6-litre engine". And "we Brits loved it".
Now the car is in its third generation. The latest models offer bigger engines, flappy paddle gear changes and even a folding hardtop roof in the Roadster Coupé version. They remain "pretty basic" inside, and six-footers are going to feel cramped, but the MX-5 is still "the only true sports car" you can buy for the price (from £15,000). "Drive it like a nutter, and it's also one of the most fun roadsters out there." At normal speeds, however, it's beginning to show its age. "I'd go for a 1989 original."
Both new and used MX-5s topped a Which magazine drivers' survey for reliable cars. "Owners absolutely love them", used or new, as "few cars can offer so many smiles at sane speeds". They have excellent handling, lively performance and a comfortable driving position. Buy it new and you'll get tweaked engines and styling, which just make "a great package even better".
