The first Alfa Romeo Spider was officially launched at the Geneva Motor Show in 1966 with a body design by Pininfarina and was actually the last project with which Battista 'Pinin' Farina, the founder, would ever be personally involved. Gaining international appeal in the 1967 film The Graduate, the Spider ceased production in 1993 with mild updates throughout the four models, culminating in the Series 4. Launched in 1990 with curved, colour-coded bumpers, the Bosch Motronic fuel injected 2-litre engine was mated to a 5-speed gearbox and the interior offered more luxury. As a left-hand drive only model, very few were supplied new to the UK, all with odometers in kilometres, and those that did were often converted to right-hand drive in period by the specialists at Bell and Colville.
Apart from Del Boy’s Reliant Robin and Ford Capri, few comedies featured a specific car as part of the plot, more often used as mere props to establish a character’s image, with limited screen time. Having sold a previous example of the Trotter Reliant Regal Van and Boycie’s E-Type, we are delighted, therefore, to present this very special Alfa Romeo that starred in another much loved British comedy series.
Superbly written by and starring Jennifer Saunders, the outrageous antics of Edina and Joanna Lumley’s iconic Patsy in Absolutely Fabulous first delighted audiences in 1992 and led to a 2016 feature film. Internationally acclaimed, with all five series still streaming across multiple platforms, most fans agree that the second series of 1994 was the best, with the fifth episode, Poor, a favourite amongst many. Forced to economise, and with Harrods no longer delivering, Edina gives up her chauffeur-driven Daimler and buys 'the smallest car she could find'. Causing mayhem, goaded by Patsy, on the roads of Holland Park en-route to the supermarket, and later clamped outside Harvey Nicholls’ front door, she is eventually arrested at the wheel with the parcel-shelf groaning with Champagne and designer shopping bags.
Supplied new to Fiat Motor Sales Ltd, of Wembley on 1st April 1993 with a factory hardtop, the car was registered to them as K857 SLB, we assume as a demonstrator. The numberplate is visible from the outset, whilst the eagle-eyed may notice that the car was left-hand drive when filmed.
Converted in period to right-hand drive, this famous little Spider has known ownership from new, and is presented to auction with factory hardtop, bookpacks, copy historic registration documents, historic receipts and MOTs, the current MOT Certificate valid until November 2024 and the V5C in our enthusiast vendor’s name since 6th August 2016. The car is not without a few scuffs to the paintwork, but as an Italian roadster that has covered 74,556km, or 46,326 miles, on British roads from new, the condition is remarkable overall.
An ideal first time classic or a must have for a diehard fan of the show, this ‘darling little Alfa’ is an ‘absolute sweetie’.
