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Alfa Romeo has produced an instant classic by combining the Alfa Romeo Spider, one of the most stylish sports cars in the world, with its charismatic 162 kW quad camshaft V6 engine and a six speed gearbox to produce the Alfa Romeo Spider V6 24V.
But with a price of $71,950 and full standard equipment list, Alfa Romeo is providing Australian car buyers with what must be one of the performance, style and driving experience value packages of the year.
The classic race track-bred Alfa V6 engine not only provides the Alfa Romeo Spider V6 with outstanding performance - the top speed is 223 kmh and it cuts the dash to 100 kmh in 6.8 seconds - it also provides a unique aural soundtrack that sends shivers down the spine.
"The new Alfa Romeo Spider V6 24V provides a stimulus for nearly every sense," says Kevin Wall, General Manager for Alfa Romeo in Australia. "Of course it is great look at, it is an Alfa Romeo, after all. The fine hand crafted Momo leather interior, with its deep pile carpet and wealth of standard comfort features means that Alfa Spider V6 is appeals to the sense of touch. And the spine-tingling sound of the expressive Alfa V6 engine, now more clearly audible then ever before provides every drive in the Alfa Spider V6 24V with a unique soundtrack."
The Alfa Romeo Spider V6 24V is a fully equipped car. As well as the Alfa V6 engine and a six speed close ratio manual gearbox, standard mechanical features include ABS anti-lock brakes with electronic brake force distribution (EBD); power steering; a power operated hood and alloy wheels with low profile tyres. Safety features include twin front air bags, with a switchable front passenger seat air bag to allow the fitment of child safety seats; pyrotechnic pretensioning seat belts; and deformable front and rear sections around a strong occupant safety cell.
The Alfa Romeo Spider V6 24V is luxuriously appointed. Fine Italian leather has been hand crafted by upholstery experts Momo to produce an interior that is as visually impressive as it is comfortable and supportive. Deep pile carpet is used throughout and the hood is multi-layered, for excellent sound and heat insulation, with the inner most layer being a fine woven cloth. Angled minor instruments in the centre console, which also houses the standard CD player audio system and the controls for the climate control air conditioning, compliment the classic cowled main instrumentation. Stowage space includes the glovebox, which houses the remote release for the boot, a lockable compartment behind the seats and pockets in the doors and the centre armrest.
Alfa Romeo, unlike most other car makers that produce generic engines for multi-purpose applications, developed its classic 24 valve V6 engine with one purpose in the mind: To produce the ultimate performance engine, one that not just produces the kilowatts, but which does it in fashion that will excite and interest the driver in the way it performs and the sound it produces. With its polished chrome inlet manifold, it even looks the part.
Alfa Romeo's normally aspirated 2956 cc 24 valve alloy 60 degree V6 engine provides the V6 version of the Spider with stunning performance. Its key technical features include:
- Cylinder heads with hemispherical combustion chambers, central spark plugs and narrow 37 degree valve angle.
- Twin overhead camshafts for each cylinder head and four valves per cylinder operated directly by hydraulic tappets.
- Static ignition with one coil per cylinder and dual knock control, one sensor per bank of cylinders located in the cylinder block.
- A lubrication system which uses specially designed jets to spray oil onto the piston crowns, ensuring highly effective cooling
- Dual platinum electrode spark plugs.
- Special belt tensioners which free the engine from frequent maintenance.
The Alfa Romeo Spider V6 shares the same advanced chassis as the Spider Twin Spark. This means passive four wheel steering, fully independent suspension with a subframe-mounted multi-link system at the rear.
This translates into a driving experience that is both involving and responsive, yet when the limit of adhesion is reached, the Spider reacts in a neutral and safety orientated way to keep the driver out of harm's way. This is one Spider that does not have a nasty sting in its tail!
Between the passenger compartment and boot on the Spider a recess houses a durable all weather soft top which is covered by a hinged 'V' shaped hard cover in body colour. The hood combines attractive appearance with aerodynamic efficiency, acoustic comfort and practicality. It is also easy to use and quick to raise and lower thanks to use of mechanisms that are specially designed for the purpose.
Its most significant features include:
- A five hoop steel and aluminum frame on which the hoop is shaped to align itself with the upper edge of the windscreen in a way that optimizes the car's aerodynamic performance with the hood up.
- A double layer covering. The outer layer in flame resistant multiply fabric, which meets both EU and USA standards, the inner layer in material with a pronounced cabin sound proofing quality.
- Special systems designed to prevent aerodynamic noise even at high speeds when the car is driven with the hood up, such as specially shaped quarterlight support channels.
- A plastic window attached to the outer canvas by a zip and Velcro system for easy removal and/or replacement.
- A hook system that automatically releases the rear hoop and opens the hood cover by means of two switch-operated electro-mechanical actuators. A manual back-up system is available is the automatic system is unavailable.
- A safety system prevents operation of the hood if the engine is not running, with handbrake on.
"With the arrival of the Spider V6 24V, Alfa Romeo now offers one of the most comprehensive sports car ranges in Australia," says Kevin Wall. "Two models, one each of the Spider and GTV are positioned just above $50,000 and two models now offer the outstanding performance and driving experience endowed by the Alfa Romeo V6 engine. In short, it is a range of sports cars that are exactly what would be expected from one of the most famous sporting names in the world."
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