New Alfa Spider

"El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First!" (lightningzone) 12/03/2013 at 13:29 • Filed to: PiePiePieinthesky

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Can't come soon enough.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 12/03/2013 at 13:34

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Absolutely. This is probably the only new car I actually want that I might be able to afford. I'd like an F-Type or a 4C, but those are way beyond my budget.

I really hope it's good.

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 12/03/2013 at 13:59

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Well, I wanted this pocket supercar. I even wanted to place a deposit for it, at the local dealership.

They're not gonna make it, and it even fits this post's tag, even more than the Alfa.

Guess that I will have to settle for something a little bit heavier, and more practical.

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 12/03/2013 at 14:05

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This. I could seriously be swayed to buy a new Alfa Spider if it looks like that, has Miata-like handling, and if the motor has some personality to it. It'd be like a cut rate, slightly more competent F-Type, and I think that's just fine.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney 12/03/2013 at 15:05

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If it sounds half as bonkers as the 4C it would be a mini F-Type. I'm not sure how I could resist.

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 12/03/2013 at 15:11

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I'd probably buy one even if it only comes with an automatic if that's the case, although I would be surprised to see that happen, but then again it's possible given the same decision being made with the 4C.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 12/03/2013 at 15:13

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I for one was really looking forward to Lotus' new lineup. It was great to see them actually doing something, and some of the cars they had planned looked brilliant.

I wonder how they'll do now. They can't survive just making their current line-up, so something's got to change. I heard news that they were having a big intake of engineers so fingers crossed that means something's in the pipeline.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney 12/03/2013 at 15:17

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I heard somewhere that the problem with a manual in the 4C was one of packaging. That might be completely wrong of course.

I hope it does come with a manual, but it won't be a dealbreaker if it doesn't. I might try to swap one in at some point, but I'd be content without.

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 12/03/2013 at 15:21

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Put about 100k miles on it and then swap in a Busso V6 along with a manual? Tempted to also suggest a transaxle swap, but that seems like a giant engineering task, and I might want a break from the sloppy-ass shifter action in my other, future transaxle Alfas.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney 12/03/2013 at 15:28

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Sounds like a plan :)

My go-to idea for any transaxle swap into a modern Alfa is the one from a Maserati 3200 GT. There was a 6-speed manual version, and as far as I know the shift quality was just fine with them.

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 12/03/2013 at 15:35

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Into which modern Alfa? I'm not thinking particularly modern, here, but a 155 DTM clone would be nifty, as would be a transaxle'd 164.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney 12/03/2013 at 15:45

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I was thinking my 156 actually. That is sort of the ultimate build for it. Tuned 3.0l and go chasing E46s.

A DTM clone 155 would be bonkers. I'd do that :)

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 12/03/2013 at 15:46

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Do the 156 and post pictures!

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 12/03/2013 at 15:59

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am I the only person in the wold that thinks this car is ugly.

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 12/03/2013 at 16:08

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Don't know if the current Lotus owner has(or want to invest) the money needed for new products, I still think that a real car maker needs to buy Lotus, as the company has the potential to become a real Porsche rival. Hiring engineers is good, but they can't do much with no money.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 12/03/2013 at 16:14

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Very true. I'd love to see someone have a proper go at them. There's a lot of cache in the Lotus name, and it could be used to great effect.

I suppose what I'd love to see is if JLR becomes a big enough player that they can start being adventurous buying other marques.

Speaking of JLR and other marques, I sincerely hope that the reborn TVR uses the 5.0l Jaguar V8 for its cars. It makes such a rude sound, and is definitely bonkers enough for a TVR application.

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 12/03/2013 at 16:33

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I don't know, JLR is Tata's pet themselves, unless Ford has vision and buys them back, realizing they sold them just before Jag's rebirth. The ideal buyer for Lotus would be Ford(GM had a chance with Lotus and missed it), the Japanese big 3(Toyota, Honda or Nissan) or BMW(as it already owns RR, Mini and Triumph). VW has too many brands, Daimler is in relationship with Aston, Fiat already doesn't have enough money for the brands it owns and the French are broke. Hundai - Kia could be a solution, but I'm not sure they have the technological expertise to actually help Lotus.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 12/03/2013 at 16:52

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Good point, although the sum total of Tata's role at Jaguar seems to have been 'here's a bucketload of cash, keep doing what you're doing'.

It still irks me that BMW owns Triumph. They haven't done a thing with them, although I suspect the Z3/Z4 was originally designed to be a reborn Triumph. Just look at the styling similarities between them and the Spitfire/GT6. I also suspect that the only reason they still own the name is that Triumph was a fairly decent competitor to BMW back in the day, and they could do without that competition nowadays.

I'm not terribly confident of Ford's ability to manage other marques. They've been great with Volvo and Jaguar after they sold them, but weren't nearly adventurous enough while they still owned them. Plus, Lincoln needs attention first.

Toyota, Honda or Nissan would be ideal. They've also got the sort of engines that would thrive in a Lotus chassis. Imagine a flat-4 mid-engined Lotus using the engine from the BRZ/FT-86.

Hyundai/Kia could be good actually. They don't need to provide technological expertise, only money and a firm hand pushing them forwards.

McLarry > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 12/03/2013 at 19:07

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Is this a real thing? That looks awesome

Sinanigans > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 12/03/2013 at 21:48

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They're probably gonna screw it up by not putting 3 pedals...

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > McLarry 12/04/2013 at 09:15

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A rendering posted on some Dutch forum.