Alfa 8C drops its top

Sports car lovers and Alfa Romeo aficionados are to be given one more chance to get their hands on an Alfa 8C – except this year, it’s the even more beautiful 8C Spider that’s on offer.The Alfa 8C Spider, pictured in our gallery, will debut at the Geneva motor show next month. Powered by the same 450bhp, 4.7-litre V8 that sees service in the 8C Competizione coupe, it also runs the same six-speed paddleshift gearbox. Its advantage is the folding cloth top hood, which is likely to operate and stow electronically.Alfa Romeo will have just 500 of these 8C Spiders made, to go with the 500 Competizione coupes produced at Maserati’s factory in Modena. It has yet to confirm a price (expect it to be in the region of £120,000) or how many will be imported to the UK (only 41 coupes made it here). One thing it did confirm, however, was that the order books for the car have not yet closed – so if you are smitten enough to want one, don’t dally.

Other new Alfas for Geneva

Alongside the gorgeous 8C, Alfa will show a special edition of the 147 called the Ducati Corse, which gets a 168bhp 1.9-litre JTDM diesel engine and Alfa’s Q2 torsen front differential.Also on display will be its 2008 model year 159 saloon and Sport Wagon models and its ’08 Brera and Spider (all of which get new, powerful, front-driven ‘Q2’ models) and the Alfa GT Black Line III, which gets the same engine and drivetrain as the 147 Ducati Corse.