Next-Gen Alfa Romeo Spider Won't Be An Upscale Miata
News of the next Alfa Romeo Spider sharing its technology with the Mazda MX-5 led to some speculation that the Spider would be a more expensive version of the MX-5, perhaps with a bespoke powertrain and styling. Not quite.
According to Retuers, the Spider will be the volume model, while the 4C mid-engined sports car will occupy a premium role.
The 4C should be priced in the BMW roadster or Mercedes range ($42,000 to $67,000).
As far as I’m concerned, more affordable sports cars is always a good thing. The agreement between Fiat and Mazda likely stipulates just how similar the two cars can be, but it’s hard to imagine too much overlap between two sports cars with fiercely loyal camps. If anything, the fashionista crowd may gravitate towards the Italy narrative that goes with Alfa Romeo, while the older gents who have actually owned an Alfa (and dealt with the various issues associated with them) may be more open to the idea of a Miata.
More by Derek Kreindler
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I have to wonder about the wisdom of Alfa having two roadsters in the US market at such wildly different price points. Alfa has the potential to be Fiatsler's true high end luxury brand. The brand has virtually no baggage in the US, and most people associate it with high end, high style Italian sportscars. Anything Italian is almost automatically associated with luxury and exclusivity in ths US. Alfa could become a more mainstream and affordable Ferrari or Maserati here, but it should be competing with Mercedes, BMW, and Porsche, not Ford, Chevy, and Toyota. Fiat would be the perfect US home for an Italian Miata-clone, a sporty affordable, but beautifully styled roadster would help elevate the image of the 500, and it would allow Alfa to concentrate on marketing and building high end and high margin cars.
As a Miata owner and the go-to guy for wrenching help from my neighbor the Alfa owner, I see absolutely nothing wrong with this collaboration. I suspect the hype over the final product will exceed the hype generated by the Hachi Roku.
NulloModo said it best!
New Alfas, be still my foolish heart! I hear the symphony! As far as model choices, back in the day, Fiat had two roadsters, the x1/9 (which i still sorely miss) and the 124. Alfa had the Spyder. I guess I'm suprised that the smaller one is not gonna be a Fiat brand and the more expensive 4c badged an alfa. But who cares really, so long as i live long enough to actually buy one, and i REALLY hope it maintaines the magic.