Lot 032: Alfa Romeo Spider S4 RHD

Alfa Romeo has been producing pretty little roadsters endowed with the name 'Spider' since the launch of the Giulietta in 1955. The most famous is probably the new model that was launched at the Geneva Salon in 1966: the Duetto. Beautifully styled by Pininfarina and overflowing with Italian brio, the car was a huge success from the outset but was immortalised by its starring role in The Graduate in 1967, sharing the limelight with Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft.The original 'boat-tail' design of the Duetto was dropped in the late sixties in favour of a more aerodynamically efficient Kamm tail. At the same time a 132bhp 2-litre version also became available. The model continued in production for over 27 years with only detail changes to the original Pininfarina design before production finally ceased in 1993 after an amazing 30-year run. This particular car is the last and most refined of all the Spiders, the fuel-injected S4. Although only ever officially available in LHD, a small number of S4 Spiders were converted to RHD by the importer Bell & Colvill and this car is among them. Bought new by the current vendor in 1991, it has been cherished ever since and has covered a mere 40,000 in all those years. Said to be in excellent condition throughout and to drive beautifully, it has just had a major brake overhaul and will have a fresh MOT before the sale. Sold complete with an interesting personalised number, JI DAR, it must surely be as nice an example as you could ever wish to find.