Bit of a confession here. I’m not keen on convertibles.
In fact, whenever I drive one I try and make a habit of keeping the roof up.
Partly because I’m obstinate, and partly because if I’m doing many miles I just find the whole wind-in-your-hair experience annoying.
You can’t hear the radio, can’t hear your passenger, get earache, sunburnt – the list goes on.
But last night I was in the Alfa Spider. And damn me if I didn’t drive all the way home with the roof down. There was a bit of a scientific experiment involved here because I wanted to see how much scuttle shake there is (it’s not all that cracking to be honest), but it was mainly because the thing just looks so good that you can’t help but lower the roof.
And you don’t even feel like too much of an idiot sat in traffic like this. There’s something about Alfas that other people love. They don’t get jealous of you and your car, they simply appreciate it.
One final thing. Bit of a punt here (because I’ve only driven the V6 in a Brera), but I reckon the 2.2-litre petrol I drove could be the engine to go for. It’s wonderfully smooth, doesn’t sound like a four-cylinder and doesn’t bring on wheelspin quite as much as the V6.