1970 Alfa Romeo Spider Series II 1.3L 5MT FWD (87 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Alfa Romeo introduced the Spider on the market in 1966, becoming a desirable car despite its low power output, and in 1970, the Italian automaker refreshed the roadster.

With a design signed by Pininfarina and spirited engines, the Spider was a real success on both sides of the pond. Still, there were some voices that didn’t like the sloped rear end of the car in the U.S., so the Italian automaker considered remaking it for the second series of the open-top vehicle, which was introduced in 1970. In addition, the automaker offered a lower-spec version that made the car more affordable for many customers who couldn’t afford the more expensive engine variants.

For the 1970 model year, the Spider received a modified front fascia for the U.S. version. The European one got the same bumper, but over the Atlantic, it got thicker ones to pass the 5 MPH (8 kph) crash-test regulation. Furthermore, the American customers’ vehicles had turn signals with amber lenses on them, while those from the Old Continent had a parking/blinkers combo there. The headlights for both versions were still the same round units as before.

From its profile, the car’s front fenders received round blinkers in Europe and rectangular, bigger ones in the U.S. In addition, Alfa Romeo noticed that some customers didn’t like the boat-tail rear end of the vehicle, so it altered it with a Kamm-back design. It means that the rounded rear end had a straight, vertical cut and featured a flat panel where the rectangular taillights were mounted, with thin and vertical reversing lights on their inner side.

The Italian automaker also improved the cabin. While it was still fit for just two adults, it also featured a rear parcel shelf behind the seats, which became the most used storage space. Fronting the driver was a small instrument panel where Alfa Romeo installed two wide dials for the rev counter on the left and the speedometer on the right. In addition, on the center stack, the automaker added three other gauges for the fuel level, the oil pressure, and the coolant temperature. All these Jagger instruments wore the carmaker’s badge printed in white on black dials and white needles. On the center console, the automaker placed the gear stick, and below it, the buttons for the parking lights, the wipers, and the fan. The car didn’t have an AC option. Still, it featured a sliding control next to the gear stick that allowed some cold or warm air into the cabin, blowing through four round vents mounted on the dashboard’s center and on the sides.

Under the hood, Alfa Romeo introduced a new 1.3-liter engine in the lineup. It was carried over from other vehicles and produced just enough power for those craving an open-top vehicle and fuel-efficient engines. Later, in 1971, the automaker brought a 2.0-liter fuel-injected engine paired with a five-speed manual gearbox.