Alfa Spider

[Paul Freemantle]

Does any one know which is quicker a sport 172 or the Alfa Spider 2.0 T.Spark. Some posh t**t has just started at my other halfs work and is trying to take the Pee out of my beloved motor. I would love to be able to take my car and leave him eating dust. Alfa is not covered in the Comparisons bit so any one have any ideas on its performance.

Paul

 

[Scudetto]

the Alfa has 150bhp I think. Or it might be 160bhp. Theyre lovely cars, but a performance comparison with the C172 is a little unreasonable. I would suspect that he Alfa is a fraction heavier. While it is far from slow, I dont think the Spider would outperfrom the C172.

However, if the Alfa was a V6...

g

 

[Tom]

? hello the 172 would kill it it would have the v6 too (not top end)
a fraction heavier? no try 400+kgs

 

[Scudetto]

so i was right then?

g

 

[Tom]

hell yes you were right

 

[Ben H]

The 2.0 Twin Spark would be easy meat for a 172 - and most reasonable hot hatches. The latest 2.0s are up to 165bhp, but the older ones (and that means almost all of them) are 150bhp ones. Fantastic engines still, but not a real challenge for a 172.

The 3.0 V6 would be a more interesting proposition however...

 

[Ben j]

mate i left one for dead in my valver and i mean FOR DEAD!! there well slow!!

 

[cyue005]

true like you say 2.0 L yes u can eat one for snack (not breakfast too light) but 3.0L is 210hp or so maybe we can go hunt for one their list time for 0-62miles is like 6.8 but I m really not sure if it can do that (slower or quicker) but those 156 GTA is definately fast ...... oh yeh I went to see a Jaugaur S Type R any comments on that ?

 

[Scudetto]

i think you should also bear in mind that the Spider isnt really about outright performance. More for chillin.

g

 

[Tom]

so you cant chill in a 172?

 

[Matt - Leics]

Paul - check out New Car Information in the Research Centre at http://carview.msn.co.uk/http://carview.msn.co.uk/

Itll even let you do a comparison of two cars on the same page. Great for settling stat disputes!

 

[Paul Freemantle]

Ta Lads

I will show that jumped up mummies boy.

Paul

 

[Scudetto]

hey, of course you can chill in a c172, but you can also blast hard in a c172. the Spiders more suited to chillin than outright blasting. i guess that was the point i wanted to make.

g

 

[JonC]

Paul, youll have no trouble with a 2.0ltr spider. Driven a 2.0ltr GTV and they are pretty gutless below 3500rpm, and come to think of it, not much after that either. Straight line drag the Alfa has no chance. In the bends, the Alfa driver will be too pre-occupied with the scuttle shake.

 

[Spiderman1]

Paul.



For the record the Spider 2.0ts gets from 0-60 8.4secs.However outright performance alone is not the point of a Spider.As Scudetto says you can enjoy a Spider when just chilling.The sound and sweetness of the motor,directness and feel from the steering,nice gearshift all give you something to savour even when you are say driving at 7/10ths.With a 172 you need to be bloody brutal with it to enjoy it and how often can you do that on todays congested roads?

The Spiders more about subtlety, involvement and the intangible stuff than bold on paper performance stats.

Different cars for different reasons.

Scudetto probably wont like to admit it here,but I know for a fact he still yearns for a GTV V6!

 

[teady172]

You dont have to be bloody brutal in a 172 to enjoy it, I enjoy it every time I turn the key!!!!

 

[Ben H]

GTV and Spider are lovely cars - just unlikely to appeal to the hardcore hot hatch fans we have here.

 

[Spiderman1]

Ben H

Agreed,lets face it there isnt anything to touch the 172 for sheer performance per pound!

Most people dont get Alfas til they drive one though!

(Im an Alfa owning ex-Renault owner by the way!)

BTW Found out about this site through Scudetto,who is an ex Alfa owner!

 

[Paul Freemantle]

Spiderman1

I never asked teh question to dis-credit the car. This guy was claiming his motor was faster. i do like to car but i wouldnt give up my sport.

Paul.