Alfa Lifts The Lid On Brera

Fresh from wowing crowds at the Geneva Motor Show with its stylish Brera coupé, Alfa Romeo is to produce another stunner - the Brera Spider.

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Matt Joy

17th March 2005

An inside source at the Italian firm has confirmed that the drop-top will make its world debut at the Frankfurt expo in September. As the Brera was designed from the outset to be a convertible and a coup΃©, the Spider has a flat rear deck to house the fabric hood, yet retains its seductive styling.

Wide wheelarches and virtually flush bumpers contribute to the sleek lines, while the bold grille and triple headlamps complete the look. Even with the roof raised, it stays faithful to the Alfa Romeo style. Underneath sits a platform shared with the new 157, but smaller overhangs mean the Spider is shorter than the saloon. Both two and four-wheel-drive layouts are possible, with the most powerful versions getting the latter option for maximum grip.

As with the coup΃©, the Spider comes with a choice of powerful engines. The range-topping 3.2-litre V6 develops 260bhp, while a four-cylinder 2.2-litre JTS unit provides a healthy 185bhp. It's also likely that Alfa will be one of the few manufacturers to produce a diesel convertible, as the excellent 2.4-litre JTD oil-burner has the strength and refinement to suit top-down motoring.

The Spider is expected to hit British dealers in early 2006, within months of the coup΃© variant going on sale.