The new Alfa Spider and Alfa GTV have inherited great handling and driving comfort from their predecessors, due above all to the suspension layout adopted. The front suspension is an independent MacPherson system with wishbones and stabiliser bar. The rear suspension is multilink. The multilink configuration assures extraordinary precision, prompt approaches to bends and high stability. 

That takes care of the driving satisfaction. But Alfa Romeos must also offer on-board wellbeing. And that means surrounding the driver and passenger with technologies that ensure the very highest acoustic and climatic comfort. Hence the need to make the interior environment into a cosseting, enveloping living room. So the new Alfa Spider and GTV offer an automatic climate control system complete with pollen filter and thorough soundproofing thanks to the body's high torsional and flexural rigidity. 

Acoustic comfort is also optimal on the open-topped model because the hood comes with improved looks and streamlining. Its practical details have also been improved with mechanisms specially designed to make folding and unfolding operations easier, faster and safer. 

Interior climate is one of the main comfort factors during a trip and is also very important for interior safety because temperature, humidity and ventilation affect the driver's well-being and thus his level of alertness. And of course the heating and ventilation system is also responsible for demisting the windscreen and side windows. For this reason, the New Alfa Spider and Alfa GTV come with a sophisticated climate control system that automatically controls temperature, air flow, air distribution, compressor activation and recirculation by means of an electronic control unit. 

On both new cars you can also experience the joys of highly realistic hi-fi music from a radio system with subwoofer. Customers will also find the satellite navigation system (optional throughout the range) a great aid for a relaxed and comfortable drive. This device will guide you step by step along the route to your destination.

suspension

The front and rear suspension systems on the new Alfa Romeo sports models are derived from those of the original models but offer special settings and a few new mechanical details. 

The front suspension is an independent MacPherson system with lower wishbones and a new stabiliser bar for the version equipped with a 3.2 V6 24v unit. Overall suspension geometry aims to achieve high transverse rigidity (to ensure the best possible roadholding in critical situations) and effective longitudinal flexibility (for improved driving comfort). The pressurised shock absorbers with a segmented intake valve also come with new settings to improve comfort and driving noise levels. Tapered offset springs facilitate steering and reduce noise levels transmitted to the body. 

The new Alfa GTV and Spider also come with multilink rear suspension (wheel struts guided by four arms) that offer impeccable roadholding under all driving conditions, particularly over winding roads travelled at speed, for a significant contribution to driving comfort even in extreme conditions. This suspension has also been revised to incorporate new adjustments and shock absorber settings. 

Multilink suspension systems are a development of the conventional double-wishbone geometry always adopted on high-performing Alfas. They are remarkable for the fact that their constituent elements - upper triangle, double lower wishbone, and stabiliser bar - are anchored to a light alloy subframe arranged beneath the floorpan.
The most outstanding feature of the Alfa rear suspension is the ability of its drive chain to exploit transverse loads generated in the car while steering (that normally tend to trigger vehicle roll (sideways tilt) to optimise rear wheel working angles. This helps give the car the stability that is so vital during sporty driving at high speed over mixed routes by making it easier to adopt a new trajectory and improving tyre grip on the ground.
More specifically: 

during the initial steering stage, the suspension sets up a steering motion out of phase with the front wheels so that the car takes up the new trajectory more rapidly; 
then, as the vehicle takes the bend, the suspension cancels out the rear wheels' out-of-phase steering manoeuvre while the side force exercised on the tyres induces a steering manoeuvre in phase with that of the front wheels. Car handling is thus improved during the first part of the curved trajectory and stability is improved during the next stage. Further advantages of the rear suspension system on the Alfa GTV and Spider are: 

- the ability to optimise the rear wheel camber angle automatically to maximise tyre contact area with the ground. This aids lateral grip and thus roadholding even at the maximum lateral acceleration levels (g forces) achievable by these cars; 
- the negative kingpin offset typical of its virtual steering angle that helps the car remain perfectly stable even when braking on bends; 
- optimal drive train performance even during sudden emergency manoeuvres to avoid obstacles (sharp steer and countersteer). 

automatic climate control system

The new Alfa Spider and Alfa GTV come with an automatic climate control system that offers the best comfort and safety conditions. Passenger compartment temperature, humidity and ventilation affect the driver's alertness and wellbeing - not forgetting that the climate control system is also responsible for demisting the windscreen and side windows. 
One of the benefits of the automatic climate control system fitted to the new models is its ability to store a temperature setting and reactivate the system with the same settings even after parking with the engine off. The variable displacement compressor also makes the system very efficient because power uptake is related to the temperature difference between car interior and exterior. 
Particular attention has been devoted to air quality. In addition to the recirculation function, useful during traffic jams and when driving through tunnels, the new Alfa Romeos are also fitted (as standard on medium and deluxe versions) with a filter for air entering the passenger compartment. This traps particles bigger than 0.5 microns in diameter and pollen, which may give rise to allergic reactions.

hood

The Alfa Spider's new hood is truly a thing of beauty. The first of its five steel and aluminium arches is shaped to mould to the upper edge of the windscreen thus continuing the exterior shape seamlessly and making the car more aerodynamic with its hood closed.

The hood features two skins. The outer skin is a multiplayer cloth with good flame propagation resistance while the inner skin effectively soundproofs the passenger compartment. The rear window, in plastic, is secured to the outer skin by zip and Velcro. If required it can easily be removed and replaced. 

The hood also offers special features designed to prevent wind noise while driving with the hood closed, even at high speed. For example, the window retaining channels are specially shaped, the mechanisms include gas compensation springs for maximum containment of operating loads (less than 10 kg at each stage of the folding/unfolding process), spherical hinges that allow the hood to spread out sideways according to whether it is folded or unfolded to make the best possible use of space - and self-centring pin pairs that guide the front and rear hoops into closed position. The rear hoop is released and the automated hood cover opens by means of two pushbutton-operated electromechanical actuators (with fallback manual operation in the case of a fault). 

The pneumatic circuit also incorporates a total of 6 actuator pistons (2 to open/close the hood cover, 4 to move individual hood hoops) that are operated by six solenoids - plus 4 automatically-operated catches. 

car radio

The new Alfa Spider and Alfa GTV come with a car radio plus CD player according to the version. The sound system should be good because it was developed and adjusted to the specifications of the passenger compartment. The system consists of four speakers and offers a power output of 4x40 Watts. It is complemented by a rear subwoofer (one for the Spider and two for the GTV).

The radio is integral with the dashboard design and located in the middle of the facia in a position that is convenient for both driver and passenger. It can store up to 30 stations. It offers RDS (Radio Data System). 

And also TA (Traffic Announcement) and PTY (programme choice option), options in addition to an automatic device that adjusts the volume to the car speed and also a big alphanumerical display. Each time the radio is turned on, the volume is the same as when the set was turned off. The set comes with an external CD player control (with 10 disk capacity). 

The radio with CD player also comes with a 7-band graphic equaliser. This device offers a choice of four equalisation settings: the default setting and also Jazz, Rock and Classic. The motorist can choose special effects or adjust and save the sound parameters. 

satellite navigation system

The new Alfa Romeo sports models would not be complete without a satellite navigation system. This high-tech device comes with a Dot Matrix pictogram display for dynamic navigation and CD Changer.

The navigation system is available over the entire range and is an effective aid for a relaxed drive in full comfort. The device uses visual and voice messages to indicate the route to reach the destination step by step. 

All you have to do is tell the driver where you want to go, by indicating (you need only use a few letters) the town, address or even a crossroads along a road near your destination and the screen will display a list of towns or roads, which you can click on to choose. The navigation system also takes into account preferences indicated by the motorist when deciding on a route: motorways only, faster route etc.

From that moment until arrival, an electronic co-pilot will inform the driver in advance of direction changes to be made. A pictogram representing your route will appear on the screen. 

When the car is started up, the first car position signal arrives very quickly. The computer receiver receives data from the GPS (Global Position System) satellite aerial. ABS sensor signals are also considered when calculating car movements (particularly if GPS reception conditions are poor). In order to compute the route, the system needs the map disk to be inserted in the CD-audio player. Once the relevant area has been loaded into the memory, you can continue to listen to music by replacing the map CD with the music CD.