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Alfa Spider S2 Rent a classic alfa spider couple overlooking nelson vineyard

Drive the motherlode of all classics, thoroughly original and in superb condition, our 1975 Alfa Romeo Spider S2 for hire resplendent in period lemon ‘n lime is ripe for driving with zest around our Mediterranean style vineyards and twisting coastal roads. She may be a classic, but with nearly new seats and folding fabric roof, you’ll be amply comfortable as you enjoy an iconic motoring pleasure available to very few.

 

 

Features and Specification

  • Umm, nice new seats with headrests?!
  • Oh, a wooden steering wheel…
  • Servo assisted disc brakes all round
  • Non-intertia reel seat belts
  • High level brake light

      Ride = Bouncy!

  • Seats 2
  • Luggage Space = Excellent
  • Boot space roof up = 100 x 65 x 33 (cm LWH)
  • Boot space roof down = as above
  • Also significant storage space on rear seats
  • 2.0 litre Twin Cam
  • Manual 5 speed transmission

What's she like to drive?

Entertaining, enchanting and invigorating. This rare instrument of delight has a lovely mechanical timbre, with zesty notes of lemon and lime and overtones of wanderlust euphoria….although it’s possible I’m mixing my vineyard, automotive and musical metaphors somewhat….

What do I need to get used to?

Apart from being the unavoidable centre of attention in that lemon n lime curvaceous  classic? Well there are a few practicalities in going back to the 70’s, (or 60’s really), that you need to be realistic, as well as romantic about. Firstly the long throw gears won’t like the effects of being hurried, (and neither will your ears), but best suit a languid, almost rhythmic change.  The manual choke of the Alfa Romeo Spider S2 can take a bit of random experimentation and getting used to for starts from cold, as can the floor mounted pedals which are offset slightly to the right of the steering wheel, but you’ll get the hang of those. As for keeping your windscreen watered, well it’s probably easier to get your passenger to lean over the frame and squirt from your plastic drinking bottle than use the floor mounted washer pump but hey it does work and it’s certainly an idiosyncratic talking point. 

Things harder to adjust to and that may make you think twice if you’re much over 6ft, is not the lack of headroom which is generous with the roof up, (and really generous with it down). It’s more the fact you’ll likely be having to wrap your knees around and under the steering wheel to change gear and brake, along with it suiting ‘gorilla style’ driving i.e. not beating your chest at fellow motorists who drive like Italians, but rather being suited to a long arms, short (and offset) legs position. The ride is quite bouncy, noise can be fairly intrusive at speed and there’s no power steering, so you’ll find parking needs a fair bit more effort than modern counterparts. 

Still with us? Well your rewards are there’s absolutely oodles of luggage space for the Chianti, the burbly exhaust and twin cam that comes alive and starts to sing with revs from a well blipped throttle, and that this is one of a handful of places in the entire world you can hire and drive one of these iconic delights.

What about safety and reliability?

Yes an Alfa Romeo Spider S2 is a 40+ years older classic and yes it is an Alfa Romeo which doesn’t sound like a great combination in the reliability stakes. Hence it’s possible you may have to give it the benefit of the doubt occasionally. However this one has had a lot of attention lavished on her, she’s regularly serviced and has to pass the Certificate of Fitness (CoF) test required for all rental cars every 6 months. Given the age of the car with only basic safety designs compared to modern cars though, the only driver safety aid along with the servo assisted disc brakes, non inertia reel 3 point safety belts, high level brake light and a horn built for driving in Rome is….you, the driver. Hence do ensure you drive appropriately to the car and road conditions, planning your manoeuvres on sharp braking and turn in reasonably well ahead. The 2 litre engine has no issue in keeping up with modern traffic though!

What condition is she in?

Peachy, although the colour is more lemon but she’s certainly not one of those. Nothing is at all tatty inside or out. The vinyl seats, fabric roof and rear perspex window have been recently refreshed, and everything essential is in good working order, (except the heater….but that’s not essential!)

How much luggage can fit?

A surprisingly good amount of multiple soft bags. The boot while shallow is broad plus you have loads of extra storage space on the rear bench seats, (she’s only for hire as a 2 seater remember). Please refer to the Seating & Luggage tab above for exact dimensions.

How fast will she go Mister?

Hey this isn’t all about quantity, it’s more about style….but have you heard of a slow Italian sports car….?

How would a certain Mr Clarkson describe it?

“….if you are after stylish motoring, the sort where your hair is held in place with a Hermes headscarf, the Alfa Romeo Spider S2 runs rings round a flashy Ferrari or the Mazda MX5 with all the personality of a Sony Walkman….”

And the RentAClassic description for the Alfa Romeo Spider S2?

“…bella, bella, macchina….afferrare la vostra sciarpa!” 

Ready to select?

All cars come with unlimited km, comprehensive insurance & roadside assistance. We also provide a personalised familarisation session and documentation for your car. 

The car you see here is the car you’ll get. A 20% deposit using secure payment facilities reserves your unique car and tour dates, so why not….

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