Lot 211: 1969 Alfa Romeo Duetto 'Boat Tail' Spyder

The 1966 Geneva Motor Show saw the debut of the Alfa Duetto, which replaced the existing 101 Series Giulia Spyder. The Duetto's Pininfarina designed body was inspired by a styling exercise on a 3.0 Iitre Disco Volante chassis seen at Geneva in 1959, and sported an extremely attractive and individual line. The mechanical components were largely unaltered from those of the Giulia, providing the new model with excellent reliability and superb performance for a car of its size. The traditional Alfa qualities of lightness, agility and fine handling remained, ensuring that the Duetto was as popular and sought-after as its predecessor had been. Real worldwide success came though, as is often the case, when a Duetto featured as Dustin Hoffman's transport in the cult classic "The Graduate". Although the model soon began an inevitable evolution which has kept it with us in recognisable form until this day, it is the earlier cars, with their unmistakably clean and simple shape, which are today easily the most cherished by aficionados of the marque.Todays car is a Spider, a boat tail convertible, with V5, MoT until July 2006, and road tax until August 2006. Supplied with past MoTs to substantiate its 81,000 mileage, and bills relating to its restoration between 1998 and 2000. This car has benefited from lavish expenditure to bring it to its present condition.