When the Alfa Romeo 2000 was first put into production in 1958, it was designed as a more upscale alternative to the smaller Giulietta coupes, sedans and spiders the company was selling at the time. Initially designed as a 6-passenger saloon car, the 2000 line was developed to include a convertible and a coupe within the first two years of production. Powered by a 2-liter inline 4-cylinder engine, these cars were built to cruise at high speed for hours on end and were the perfect method of transportation to whisk you and a passenger to your lake house for the weekend. Although the sedans were all produced in-house at Alfa Romeo, the bodies for the spider were produced by Touring, while the coupes were built at the Bertone factory.
This 1960 2000 Touring Spider was sold new through the legendary US importer Max Hoffman to a buyer in New York in 1961. It was enjoyed in the United States for nearly 35 years before being exported back to its homeland, ending up in Florence sometime in 1995. Presented in the ultimate Alfa Romeo color scheme of Red with a black leather interior, this car has been comprehensively restored and is in outstanding condition throughout. This car is an absolute wonder to behold in person- from many angles the shape is very reminiscent of Ferraris of the era, but has its own unique touches like the almost gill-like vents along the lower edge of the front fenders. With the 2000 Touring Spider, you can tell a car was originally destined for America by the hood vents- the US cars had both of the inlets positioned right next to one another with a chrome strip separating them, while the European cars had the openings placed further apart on the hood.
The main reason that this car was chosen to be restored was that it was already a very clean example that retained all of its numbers matching componentry. But that is not to say that the restorers splashed some paint on it and moved along. Photos of the restoration-which are included- show that master craftsmen spared no effort or expense in the recommissioning of this car and it was completed with the utmost care and consideration This resulted in what can only be described as a Concours-level example. The restoration was completed in 2018 and has been used enough to work through the post-restoration punch list but still looks fresh and as if it had just rolled out of the workshop.
The black leather interior of the car is classic Alfa Romeo- exceptionally simple, yet everything is truly elegant. Sitting in the driver’s seat, you look through the top of the 3-spoke wheel at a large tachometer and speedometer in front of you- although basic, everything from the shape of the needles to the font used on the dials brings you back to a more stylish time. Flanking those two gauges are a pair of split gauges that help you keep track of the car’s temperature, fuel level, and oil pressure and a slew of HVAC controls sit directly under the dash on pusher levers. A set of floor-hinged pedals help you operate the 5-speed manual gearbox and an original-style radio sits in the center of the dash with “All Transistor” scrawled in cursive across the top. The inside is a glorious place to spend time and thanks to the comprehensive restoration, everything appears in nearly as-new condition.
Between 1958 and 1961, fewer than 3445 Touring Spiders were produced and due to rust, the number of cars remaining is significantly fewer. Arguably one of Alfa Romeo’s most elegant road cars, the 2000 Touring Spider really fills the role of a baby Ferrari 250 in many ways yet is far easier to run and live with. Given this example’s outstanding, well-documented restoration, replicating one to this standard would be exceptionally expensive and time-consuming. This US-spec example is ready to find its new owner and provide years of top-down driving enjoyment.
