“DUETTO”: A FAMILY AFFAIR
You say Spider and you think of the “Duetto”, the Alfa Romeo Spider, one of the most loved and most desired convertibles, ever since it was launched on the market in 1966 at the 36th Geneva Motor Show.
But worldwide recognition came in 1967 when it became the main star of one of the most significant films of those years: "The Graduate", starring actor Dustin Hoffman. When it comes to Duetto, how can you not think of Dustin Hoffman who runs the length and breadth of the streets of California with his red Duetto?!
For the choice of the name, back in the day the marketing deparment of Alfa organised a competition: “Spider 1600: give it the name. It will become famous” - with an example of the new Spider up for grabs. The most popular names turned out to be "Pininfarina" and "Pinin", in honor of the great coachbuilder who had just passed away. However, the commission judged those denominations unsuitable and opted for the third classified "Duetto", a name that "will stand for double harmony, in the sense that this machine achieves a harmony between grace and strength and at the same time harmony in pairs", as the poet Leonardo Sinisgalli, president of the jury in charge, motivated.
The winner of the car offered, Guidobaldo Trionfi of Brescia, was drawn from a ballot, and collected his white Spider on June 17, 1966, personally delivered to him by President Luraghi in the historic Portello headquarters.
Starting from June 1966, the name was officially added to the 1st series of the "1600 Spider", but could only be used for the first 190 units built, due to the homonymy with a chocolate snack of the time, whose manufacturing company claimed the right of commercial use of the name "Duetto", obtaining its exclusive use from the Court of Milan.
In 1994 the name "Duetto" officially reappeared on the bodywork of the "Spider Veloce CE" which represents the last commemorative set-up of the 4th series, made in 190 units for the US market alone.
The protagonists of this story are the four series produced from 1966 to 1993.
First series: "Osso di Seppia" 1966-1969.
Second series: "Coda Tronca" 1969-1983.
Third series: "Aerodinamica" 1983-1989.
Fourth series: "Ultima" 1989-1993.
The Spider is the car that comes closest to the true sense of freedom. The car is synonymous of independence but the Spider gives a greater sense of freedom, probably due to the sensation of the air in the hair, the sun warming the skin, the feeling of being an integral part of the car and also closer to the nature surrounding you.
And it is precisely this desire for freedom that in this pandemic period we are denied, leads us to want to go out, escape, go back to travel, wait for the summer to finally be able to pull back the hoods!
