Spider Sense: Alfa Romeo 8C

1.565052-3202176155 — Both the coupe and the Spider have been designed by Alfa's Style Centre. No need for Pininfarina or Bertone when you're Alfa Romeo Image Credit: Supplied

The first thing I did when Amit called was to check the date. Nope, it wasn't April 1, it was mid-December. So I had him repeat the question: "Tim, any chance you could get to the Autodrome this evening to drive an Alfa Romeo 8C Spider? Sorry for the short notice."

Oh boy, apparently my Christmas had come early. Then it dawned on me that I didn't have enough time to buy everything I needed. New shoes, crisp cotton shirt, a pair of cufflinks. "A haircut — I need a haircut!"

You see, you can't just turn up in any old pair of comfy slacks and a threadbare, button cuffed shirt, and expect to be taken seriously by an Alfa Romeo engineer.

Because if your designers are capable of producing a car as beautiful as the 8C Competizione Coupé, and your engineers can transform it into the seductive Spider you see on these pages, you have every right to expect those fortunate enough to be invited to drive it to make a little effort in the couture department.

There are plenty of pretty convertible sports cars on the roads today, a large percentage of which have been styled and built with a flair that seems unique to Italian manufacturers. But, to my eye, the 8C Spider really is in a class of its own. Nor are those beautiful curves simply flattering in order to deceive. Trust me on this, it drives as well as it looks, but incredibly, it sounds even better.

Fangs of venom

Underneath the sensual carbon fibre bodywork lurks a 4.7-litre Ferrari block-based V8 engine generating 450bhp and 480Nm of torque. Variable valve timing ensures that 80 per cent of the torque is available from 2,000rpm and allows a maximum of 7,500rpm for those high spirited moments — of which, if you have a heart, there will be plenty.

Technical facts and figures may define the engine, but the operatic engine note and exhaust burble define the entire 8C experience, whether you are enjoying the encounter from the side of a track or, if you are really lucky, from the driver's seat. It's as though the Alfa Romeo engineers had a point to prove, and set out to ‘out Ferrari' Ferrari. Either that or they saw how good the bodywork looked and realised that if the engine didn't sound better, they'd never be able to look the styling team in the eye. Now the styling team has to look them in the ear.

Step into the cockpit and the first thing you notice is how little there is to sit on. The weight-saving carbon fibre seats are completely adjustable to suit the driver's frame, though changes to the shape and position are all made manually. But don't think for a moment that's because an accountant said electric motors cost too much. No, it's because an engineer said they weigh too much. And frankly, if you own one of the mere 500 8C Spiders Alfa Romeo will ever build, you'd be daft to let anyone else drive it.

Prospective owners might also like to note, most of the Spiders were sold the moment production was announced, but in the Gulf, you could still order one at the time of going to press. Owning one of only 500 vehicles not exclusive enough for you? Despite the limited production, every owner is invited to specify the colour of the leather and stitching in the cockpit (would Madam prefer contrasting or matching stitches?), to choose the colour of the fabric roof, and even to select the colour of the Brembo brake callipers. Now that's Italian flair.

The hood is raised and lowered hydraulically, though you must remove and replace the tonneau covers manually, which some observers have said shouldn't be necessary in this age of automated cabriolets. It does occur to me that if you can afford this vehicle, chances are that fixing half a dozen press studs may be the most arduous thing you'll do all day, so you might as well get some exercise.

With excited drivers all waiting their turn to experience the Spider, I was to be allowed just three flying laps of the Autodrome's Club Circuit before returning to the pits. There was no way my passenger and minder, Alfa Romeo engineer Domenico Martino, was going to let me stay on the circuit any longer, but he enthusiastically encouraged me to try to find the limits of the Spider's Maserati-built chassis. Sorry, but I'm unable to tell you what they are because a) this is a vehicle worthy of the supercar title, b) I kept telling myself "Remember it's one of only 500", c) it costs in excess of a million dirhams, and d) I've never driven the Club Circuit at night before. So I didn't come close to driving at its limits, but then I suspect, neither will 99 per cent of 8C Spider owners. Why would they, when they'll be happiest cruising the strip at 35kph on beachside boulevards? Its 292kph top speed and 0-100kph acceleration in 4.5 seconds are all very well, but at those speeds, no-one can admire your purple Brembos.

Hairy legs

What I can tell you is that Alfa Romeo claims a 50:50 weight distribution, putting the weight of the gearbox at the rear of the car through the use of a transaxle, whilst the combination of steel chassis and lightweight body helps to lower the car's centre of gravity.

Gear changes are via steering wheel mounted paddles, with a choice of either automatic or manual operation and Normal or Sports mode. Selecting Sports mode also activates a valve in the exhaust which, ahem, ‘acoustically enhances' the driving experience. It works.

It should come as no surprise that the Spider is a joy to drive on a circuit, the Sports gear changes being as slick as you could want, whilst the turn in is sharp, accurate and the car remains poised, with very little roll thanks to the firm suspension. A heavy right foot on the exit of a turn results in a satisfying helping of oversteer, before the traction control saves you from making a fool of yourself and a mess of the car. The Spider weighs in at 1,675kg, a full 90kg more than the original 8C Coupé, but as is common with convertibles, all that weight is in the form of bracing and chassis strengthening.

The job of decelerating an 8C Spider has to be the least rewarding on earth, but is handled admirably by carbon ceramic brakes — 380mm discs up front and 360mm at the rear — set within 20in wheels. Tyres are ultra low profile 245/35 at the front and 285/35 out back.

Clearly the additional bracing has been put in just the right places, because the car revels in the right, flick left, flick right combination through the Club Link part of the circuit. And as you feed in the power through the Link and the engine note starts to rise, I swear you can feel your heartbeat increasing in time with the revs.

Meanwhile engineer Martino reminds you that a certain Mr Enzo Ferrari first learned the art of racing cars at Alfa Romeo, and that they list amongst their other works drivers Nuvolari and Fangio, so you can't help but be impressed by the vehicle's heritage. It is, after all, named in homage to the mighty Alfa Romeo 8Cs of the Thirties, cars which won the Targa Florio twice and dominated the 24 Heures Du Mans, winning that prestigious race each year from 1931 to 1934.

Verdict

In summary, I have only one reservation about the 8C Spider. It's not how pretty it is — it's stunning. Nor how expensive it is — if you can afford one, please buy one. Or indeed how well it's made — it's beautifully built by passionate engineers. No, my concern is that with only 500 available worldwide, they are destined to be housed inside air-conditioned glass boxes in the homes of the really wealthy, when instead they should be hurtling through European mountain passes or down California's Pacific Coast highway. So for those of you who buy one, but who can't be bothered to drive it; please note my fees for exercising Spiders are very, very reasonable.