Customer Reviews

Alfa Romeo Spider: The Complete Story

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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.

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...

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.

This book focused more on the history of the famous auto maker. I wish it addressed the notorious mechanical problems that Alfas are associated with.