Alfa Romeo Spider.....or is it? - Geoff Lipscombe

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Geoff Lipscombe

Alfa Romeo Spider.....or is it?

Look under the skin and you'll see the tell-tale signs that a 2019 Mx5 lies beneath.

I'm from the UK and in the dim and distant past worked as a design engineer at Aston Martin. I've been working outside the car industry for a while now and needed to reacquaint myself with my passion for cars. I've always been a car man....stemming back to the days growing up around my Dad's MOT garage. I tinkered with various projects growing up.....acquiring my first Alfa aged 20. A 1500cc Sprint Green Cloverleaf.....as with most Alfas of that era it was riddled with rust but it gave me the Alfa bug nonetheless!

Back in 2013 the FCA group and Mazda announced a collaboration that was supposed to give life to a new Alfa Romeo Spider. The basis for this car was to be the MX-5 ND soon to be launched in September 2014 and still on sale now. Alas, this project was abandoned by the Italian-American company or at least redirected eventually giving birth to the Fiat 124 Spider in 2016.

Alfa took another path giving those looking for a two-seater sports car the high-performance and rather more expensive Alfa 4C. But what if the MX-5 - Alfa 'Spider' project had progressed...... Well in early 2020 I decided to give it my best shot.

So, Mazda made the MX-5.....universally regarded as an excellent car; so much so that Fiat based the 124 Spider on it. Only it's not the prettiest effort! It was however meant to be an Alfa project.....but Alfa deemed it wasn't good enough to wear the Alfa badge so it was handed down to Fiat.

I'd seen renderings of 'what might have been on the internet and post the Covid-19 lockdown I thought it was time for a project and took inspiration from those renderings and my personal love of the 8C; which I believe to be one of the most beautiful cars ever built. I have some form in the automotive world so didn't enter into this project without a level of ambition (and competence). Back in my younger days, I worked at Aston Martin in charge of interior trim engineering in the DB7 era. Various other automotive positions followed, even as random as working on the Gibbs Aquada!

So, my project began with the purchase of an MX-5 ND rear bumper and the rear lights from an Alfa Mito. Having made a mock-up of the rear light installation I was convinced this would work. Next step.....the purchase of a 2019 MX-5!

My plan evolved from there.....careful selection of some key Alfa 8C parts; the front wing grills and door mirrors, for that special 'Alfa look'; with help sourcing them from Classic Alfa in London.  Upgrading the interior feel with seats from a Jaguar F-type SVR followed. Significant modifications to make them fit onto MX-5 seat runners and the 'Alfa Romeo' logo embossed into the leather for the finishing touch. Again, with a nod to the 8C.

Many hours in my garage followed (and many more doing paint prep and a stunning respray at Spa Garage, Leamington Spa!)....eventually completing my project this August, about 18 months after starting. My first outing in the ARx-5 or 'Spiata' (as others have since named it) took me to the Silverstone Classic. After a brief correspondence with the Alfa Romeo Owners Club, I left my car on their owner's club stand for the weekend to see what reaction it got. Quite a stir by all accounts!

My favourite weekend quotes were "I have never been so confused!" and "I've just run past 2 Ferraris and a Lamborghini to see this!" The MX-5 owners club have since been in touch.....their members were highly interested and are the people probably best placed to appreciate the amount of work that has gone into my little project.

I'm very proud of my 'Spider' and the interest it has created; my favourite part is probably the back end in its entirety. A bespoke rear bumper and diffuser based on the rear end of an 8C.....taking many hours to create! Then there are the little details you just don't notice until you inspect them closely like the LED's in the headlights. The Mazda lights have been dismantled and the internals from an Alfa Giulia has been modified to slot inside the Mazda housing giving the characteristic aggressive Alfa Giulia 'eyes'.

So where to from here?

I've had thoughts about producing a version of the modifications. Just how many people out there want a very rare Alfa Spider'?

The reality is I probably won't do this.....unless two things happen.....

1. Dozens of people get in touch and start waving chequebooks (I'm showing my age!) in my face.
2. A car conversion/kit car manufacturer gets in touch wanting to discuss a joint venture.

Assuming this car remains a one-off......a very stylish and special Alfa Spider that Alfa Romeo never made.....then I'll be driving it around on those sunny days confusing all those petrol heads out there that think they know their cars! 

Until one day someone else wants the privilege of owning and driving a one-off car....and what's that worth? I can be found via this magazine or the MX-5 owners club in the UK if anyone wants to make me an offer!

The final spec of the car follows:

• Start with a standard Mx5.....then go shopping for some Alfa parts:
• Headlight internals from an Alfa Giulia
• Fender vents from an Alfa 8C
• Wing mirrors from an Alfa 8C
• Rear lights from an Alfa Mito then modified
• 18" wheels from an Alfa Mito then modified on lowered suspension...about 30mm
• Alfa 'V' grille from a Giulia then modified

Then take an angle grinder to the back end of the car:

• Modified rear quarters
• Modified boot lid
• Modified front bumper
• Bespoke rear bumper
• Bespoke 8C style rear diffuser
• Bespoke exhaust to match

Then add a collection of badges for the finishing touches

Oh, and then there's the interior...

• Modified seats from a Jaguar F-type SVR
• Alfa airbag cover
• Alcantara trimmed the steering wheel
• Alfa sill finishers
• Alfa door courtesy lights

Just one thing I'm still working on...

Is there anyone out there who can hack the infotainment system to change the Mazda logo to an Alfa one?!?!?

Please get in touch if you can help.

Please leave your comments in the comments section at the bottom of the page

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