In 2010, Alfa Romeo flit-gunned its disastrous 159-based Spider into bug heaven after only four years of production, but now the Milanese marque looks to reincarnate its iconic roadster in rear-wheel-drive guise with Mazda’s help.
Mazda and Alfa Romeo this week signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop and produce two new roadsters based on the platform of the next-generation Mazda MX-5, which is – and hopefully always will be – a compact, lightweight and, importantly, rear-wheel-driven product.
The last time Alfa Romeo produced a rear-wheel-driven Spider was in 1993, and the front-wheel-driven successors to the iconic boat-tailed Duetto, which rose to prominence thanks to Dustin Hoffman’s role in the classic Sixties film The Graduate, never achieved the same impact. In fact, the nadir of the Spider came with the introduction of the portly, compact-saloon based Spider in 2006. Although beautifully styled by Pininfarina, the last Spider offered mediocre performance, marginal build quality and was overpriced. It failed miserably.
Mazda, now virtually untethered from former parent company Ford, has produced more than 900 000 units of the MX-5 (or Miata as it is known in some markets) since 1989, and will welcome the opportunity to share development costs for its next-generation car with the Fiat Group, which itself is looking to re-establish Alfa Romeo in North America – with a product that can build on what little brand cachet it has left in the US.
Fiat boss, Sergio Marchionne, has been quoted as saying that the agreement between the two companies “demonstrates (Fiat Auto's) commitment to Alfa Romeo and the determination to grow it into a global brand”, but both parties are obviously keen to avoid a brand-engineering exercise. Therefore, the pair of roadsters that will be produced by the Hiroshima-based manufacturer after the MX-5 makes its initial debut in 2013 will be “distinctly styled and powered by proprietary engines unique to each brand”.
Although the idea of a Japanese-built Spider will not sit comfortably with all fans of the Milanese marque, the prospect of a competitively priced and overtly sporty Alfa Romeo product with a traditional roadster configuration at least gives the Italian manufacturer a fighting chance to achieve significant sales volumes.
It remains to be seen which engines will be offered in the future Spider line-up, but it stands to reason that the turbocharged four-cylinder MultiAir motors offered in the current Mito and Guilietta line-ups, mated with either six-speed manual or dual-clutch (TCT) transmissions, are likely to be considered.
By virtue of sharing its underpinnings with a car that will definitely be offered in the Japanese market (the MX-5), it's virtually guaranteed that the Spider will be produced in right-hand-drive form as well. Start saving up now!