Men and Motors – 1998 Alfa Romeo Spyder GTV Review – Video

 

Jeremy Taylor is in Scotland for the launch of the 1998 Alfa Romeo Spyder GTV. He takes a look at what the car has to offer both in terms of engine and interior luxury, before taking it for a spin to test it’s performance and handling.

Though the Spider and the GTV share a distinct similarity in their design and general styling, they are aimed at particular market niches, according to Alfa.

For example, the Spider is for the wind in the hair two-seater sports convertible market, while the GTV is intended to appeal to the prestige coupe buyer who prefers the security and style of a closed car. The GTV offers 2+2 accommodation (that’s two adults up front and two small children behind).

Both the Spider and the GTV are powered by a brand new 2.0 litre four cylinder Twin Spark 16 valve engine, with a 3.0 litre 24 valve V6 engine available in a second GTV model. All models come only with five speed manual transmission; automatic isn’t available.

Prices rose after the first batch of Spiders and GTVs and at the time of writing, the 2.0 litre Spider was priced at $66,000; the 2.0 litre GTV cost $59,990 and the 3.0 litre GTV was $75,000.

At $67,900, the 1.9 litre BMW Z3 convertible is priced close to the Spider, while competitive coupes include the Peugeot 406 at $75,750, the Mazda RX7 at $89,505 and the Volvo C70 at $99,000.