Two thoroughbred sports cars that relaunched the Alfa Romeo spirit in the mid-1990s: coupé and spider, part of the long sporting tradition of the Biscione brand.
At the turn of the century, the two “GTV” and “Spider” sports cars were showcased together on two international stages, a short time apart: the debut took place at the “Mondial de l'Automobile” in Paris in October 1994; shortly afterwards and just as successfully at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1995, the year when production began.
The names evoke some of the most famous Alfa Romeo sports cars of the past, specifically to underline the modern evolution of the concept of sportiness the brand is known for.
The initial styling proposals were made in the late 1980s at the Alfa Romeo Centro Stile, in close collaboration with Pininfarina, which designed the top-of-the-range “164” saloon that relaunched the Alfa Romeo stylistic features in an effective mix of elegance and distinctiveness that contributed to its success on the market.
Some of the ideas came from the “Protéo” concept car (based on an evolution of the 164) from the Arese Centro Stile, presented in Geneva in 1991 with design cues that anticipated some of the solutions adopted on the GTV-Spider a few years later. The clearest detail was the shape of the front light clusters.
The front lights were an outstanding combination of style and design: the two light clusters were anchored to the bumper crossbar, with four headlights emerging from the round slits in the bonnet, made of synthetic material. The wrap-around front cover had two ribs that began at the shield on the front, where the grille reproduced the texture of the Formula 1 Alfetta 158/159's nose panel, and were connected to the sharply sloping pillars of the windscreen.
The side groove, which continued seamlessly from the wrap-around bonnet's rubber stopper bonnet towards the side, ended at the base of the rear window for the GTV, whereas on the Spider it surrounded the rigid cover of the soft top compartment. The main difference between the two body variants lay in the solution used for the tail: truncated with a spoiler for the coupé, descending and gentle for the roadster. The only common feature was the slender, widened headlights, reminiscent of the “164”.
The interiors had a typical Alfa Romeo style: “telescope” instrument panel, central console with three analogue indicators and sports seats (2 on the Spider, 2+2 on the GTV), for driving pleasure with the utmost usability and safety.
Faithful to Alfa Romeo tradition, the GTV and Spider offered the dynamic behaviour of thoroughbred sports cars, thanks to the sophisticated geometry of the multi-link suspension and the outstanding engines: from the 4-cylinder Twin Spark 16-valve, to the powerful V6 2.0 Turbo, 3.0 and 3.2 both 24-valve with a heavenly sound, all the way to the introduction of the 4-cylinder petrol direct injection.
The GTV and Spider had a first-rate chassis, featuring five-fold multi-link rear suspension, and were the first Italian cars to adopt such a sophisticated and effective solution that offers the best in driveability and handling.
Suspension suitable for performance and a responsive braking system that could even stand up to prolonged use.
The real strength was the outstanding engines. Two two-litre units were available at launch: the 2.0 V6 turbo, a refined 200-hp supercharged V6, and the 150-hp 2.0 Twin Spark 16v (raised to 155 hp from 1998). In late 1996, the range was added to with the 220-hp 3.0 V6 24V, later paired with a six-speed gearbox and, finally, by the entry-level engine: the 144-hp 1.8 Twin Spark 16v, which continued to ensure high-level performance.
In 2000, Alfa Romeo production at Arese ended, with assembly of the GTV and Spider then taking place directly at the Pininfarina plants. In 2003, the two Milan sports cars benefited from a restyling, mainly in the front: the shield was lengthened and traversed by horizontal strips of chrome plating and the front number plate was moved to the left, a feature shared by other cars in the range.
Under the bonnet of this new GTV and Spider series, instead of the two-litre V6 turbo was the innovative 2.0 JTS (Jet Thrust Stoichiometric) 16v, which used direct petrol injection into the combustion chamber: it delivered 165 hp but was already compliant with the stringent Euro 4 regulations for the reduction of emissions. The 150-hp Twin Spark 16v remained and the displacement of the 24V V6 was raised to 3.2 litres, for an output of 240 hp. For the latter GTV, the eye-catching “aerokit” was available: a series of aerodynamic appendages that included front spoiler, rear wing and side skirts, enabling the coupé to achieve 255 km/h.
