Test Drive Alfa Romeo Spider since 2006 Convertible
Angel wears Prada.
The power of the first impression is able to work wonders. It was worth the Alfa Romeo to light a year ago in Geneva a new Spider, as he was immediately titled for a convertible year. But it happens that from the first test drives, which in major colors are arranged for the press, only superficial impressions. This time everything was different. We were presented with a novelty not in some kind of color flower garden on the ocean, but in a purely working atmosphere - at the Fiat polygon. This made it possible to compare Spider with other Alfa, and most importantly - evaluate the car without auxiliary illusions. 
When you sit in such an elegant car like Alfa Spider, and you also know that it is the successor of the traditions of the legendary beauty Giulietta Spider, you must think about something very elevated. At least about Giugiaro and Pininfarina combined - this is with their help the center of the Alfa Romeo style made a masterpiece with an open top, on which we collaire from another edition mastered the Fiat polygon. Actually, the thoughts were that high. - They say nearby somewhere there are Outlet with fashionable clothes. Did not heard anything? There everything is sold without extra charge.
-- Yes!? I just need a new leather bag ...
The 260-strong all-wheel drive car flew along the winding row of the autodrome pure and naturally. She did not require the slightest concentration and did not distract him from conversations. The spider as if they managed the angels themselves.
Having gotten up with the track, I decided to catch up at the limit. Gas to the floor, brake in the floor, gas in the floor, brake ... Spider's spicy swing spidelly clearly gave to understand where the limit. Handling is so accurate that the enclosing cones can be tripped literally in millimeters. It would seem to catch a buzz from the drive. So there is no way, on the mind - Chert's bag! Well, this is normal - to give a whole day by monotonous windy ride, then return to Moscow from Italy with empty hands?
At the next pit stop for changing the machine among the journalistic brethren, zipper spread: after lunch, you can take any Alfa from the landfill and to roll on it until the evening you look. And most importantly - there will be some particularly large outlet. Here is the clever, Italians - can not do not only cars, but also thoughts read. And on shopping was determined, everything was determined - immediately an unhealthy interest in the suitability of the trunk. As far as Spider is different from other ALP, I felt, recreated in GT. The handle goes here a little less clearly, the pedals are not so informative, the handling ... No, no worse, it is more likely to, without a rail effect, which is so expressed that on the Spider that on Brera. Diesel accelerates the car very incendially - just have time to beat the clutch and distort the transfer. This coupe has a different base - from the 156th, hence such a difference in behavior. In other words, GT is more adrenaline, it requires greater college, mercantile dums are weathered at the moment.
By the way, from the landfill, I drank at 159 Sportwagon. A shopping appetite has nothing to do with it - in order to take the mountain of shopping, there would be enough freight opportunities and spider (on the convertible standards, he has a considerable trunk, and most importantly - it does not cease to be such with a folded roof). Just with the car somehow all sorted out at all. At first I tried 159 q4 3.2 V6 and I realized that it was so lucky for our Chief Tester Nikolay Fomenko. But when I moved more compromising into the car, in the front-wheel drive Sportwagon with 2.2 JTS gasoline engine, then my surprise there was no limit. Let this Alfa are less dynamic, and the gas will no longer give it to it before refusing to turn (such aggression causes the legislative demolition of the front wheels). But at the expense of a much easier engine, the car has better ravings along the axes - the reaction of this being is sharper and clearer. In addition, this modification seemed to be the most comfortable. High-breeding 2.2 JTS does not pass on the body of vibrations and barely audible even on the highest note. There are no aerodynamic noises. Complete understanding. 
Intrigued, I returned to Spider again. How will the cabriolet with a 2.2 liter engine behave? In general, thoroughly. The car prescribes the devices so dingantically what you want to yawn. He jewelry holds a course with the most hysterious acceleration and braking. The cabriolet suspension seemed a little more tougher than the 159th, and, apparently, was configured to a sports field - hence the advantages. Again, the body of Spider has an integrated power frame - Alfovtsy said something there about its incredible stiffness. But the low noise Motor Spider is just nothing. His pleasant falsett on tops does not differ at all in aerodynamic noise when you go with an open top. Engine turnover has to constantly track the tachometer. Besked - and the cut-off is evading. Because of this, if I, I would buy a buyer, first of all I would look at the SPIDER with the bass high-power V6. The price of the car is also in favor of this choice. At first glance, the difference is tangible. In Moscow, Italian cabriolets with row foursome will be sold from $ 43,600, and with a 3.2-liter six - from $ 54,400. But it should be considered, firstly, the presence of an advanced full drive system (the mechanical inter-axis differential TWIN DIFF distributes The torque between the front and rear wheels depending on the clutch of the tires with the road, and under normal conditions gives 57% torque back). Secondly, we take into account the difference in dynamics. V6 version is accelerated to hundreds in less than seven seconds, and 2,2-liter - for 8.8. Whether there are two seconds of surcharge at 10,000 - to solve you. I note only that the main competitor Spider - Audi of the TT family is the difference in acceleration characteristics between the weak and most powerful modification in seconds less, and in the monetary signs more.
Text Ruslan Tarasov, Photo Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Spider 3.2 JTS Gasoline engine, V6
Working volume (cube. Cm) 3195
Power (hp at rpm) 260 at 6200
Moment (nm at rpm) 322 at 4500
Corner full
6-speed gearbox, mechanical
Length / width / height (mm) 4395/1830/1370
Mass Curb (kg) 1765
Maximum speed (km / h) 240
Acceleration to 100 km / h (c) 6.8
Fuel consumption (city / highway, l / 100 km) 16.9 / 8.4
Price in Moscow from $ 43,600 (from $ 54,400)
A source: "Autopilot"
