Alfa Romeo Spider: The Complete Story [Hardcover]

John Tipler (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Complete Story | Publication Date: November 15, 1998

Alfa Romeo is synonymous with style and performance. These qualities are epitomized in forty years' production of the famous Alfa Romeo series of Spider sports cars. From the Giulietta Spider of 1955 to the latest style launched in 1996, John Tipler offers the full and fascinating story of the conception, design, introduction and production of these stylish automobiles.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Crowood (November 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1861261225
• ISBN-13: 978-1861261229
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #623,699 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #39 in Books > Professional & Technical > Automotive > Luxury

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Better for English/European readers, March 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Alfa Romeo Spider: The Complete Story (Hardcover)

Good information, well written, great pictures, but the book is from the U.K. market. Nearly half of the book is dedicated to the newest Spider, which is not available in the U.S.

If you're looking for information leading to purchasing a spider, this may not be the best book. If you just want good reading on Alfas, then it's a good buy.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars OK book, but it's a UK publication w/ little detailed info, July 16, 2000

By 

Crusader (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alfa Romeo Spider: The Complete Story (Hardcover)

I bought this book hoping for a detailed, year by year comparison of each and every year Spider. What it is, in effect, is a vague story of the Spiders. It has its good points but lacks very much the precise detail Alfa owners need. Not enough pictures in color. The title is misleading, should be called "A Vague History of the Spider". Not a good purchase...

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The complete story? Not quite!, September 16, 2005

By 

Daantjie Badenhorst "Daantjie Badenhorst" (Pretoria, South Africa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alfa Romeo Spider: The Complete Story (Hardcover)

Mention the name Alfa Romeo Spider, and most people will refer to the models produced between 1966 and 1993.

The original boat-tail Spider became an instant classic by starring in the 1969 movie The Graduate, co-starring Dustin Hoffman and the recently-deceased Anne Bancroft. That is reason enough for a history of these cars to be written.

John Tipler, who is known as a "real" enthusiast, has obliged, although in this case, one wonders whether the word "complete" is relevant. There are several reasons for saying this. Firstly,and most importantly, Tipler has included too many models. Yes, the Giulietta Spider and the new Spider are relevant, but more attention should have been given to the classic 1966-1993 Spiders, because those were the real classics.

Another important reason is that Tipler had to apologise because he did not get access to the factory, or to relevant information that could have made a major difference. Maybe that is why the classic models could not be discussed in more detail. The people responsible for this dastardly decision have deprived Alfisti of important information. Maybe that is one reason why so much attention is given to driving impressions. However, it is John Tipler we are talking about, and a dedicated chapter is an integral part of any automotive history that he has written. Fair enough, reading about it is not the same as experiencing the real thing, but for those who are not fortunate enough to drive a Spider, even for a short while, he tells you what it is like.

It is really a shame that Tipler did not have all the information he needed, because this book had a lot of potential. Unfortunately, that will not be fulfilled.