How Does It Drive?

For a mid-60s design the Spider is commendably modern in its engineering, with a zesty twin-cam engine of varying capacities, a five-speed gearbox, disc brakes all round and power, size and weight pretty much bang on the same as the first-generation Mazda MX-5 it so obviously influenced.

Only the recirculating ball steering and live axle date it but, like the MX-5, the Spider delights for its innocent sense of open-air fun, an engine that punches above its weight in terms of character and enthusiasm and a sense of Italian glamour to set it apart from the MGs and similar it competed with. True, the body can get a bit wobbly over bumpy roads, and it’s a car for enjoying the scenery and admiring glances more than on-the-doorhandles sportiness, but with the sun out and wind in the hair that’s just fine.

What’s Good?

With those gorgeous Pininfarina-styled lines and the romantic pull of that famous badge the appeal of the Spider is all too easy to understand, the engine under bonnet equally evocative for its distinctive twin-cam valve cover and classically Italian power delivery.

With plenty made over a 27-year production run, and many of those cars having lived lives in the Californian sunshine and escaped the worst of the rot afflicting many contemporaries, there’s a reasonable supply of cars to choose from as well, though the more desirable early models are getting expensive now.

The proven powertrains and running gear meanwhile ensure there’s a huge support network of expertise and parts to keep them running sweetly, while the interchangeability means opportunity to swap engines if you want a bit more poke.

What’s Bad?

Depending on who you speak to the Spider is either a proven and dependable classic or a stereotypically Italian nightmare of poor build quality and iffy reliability. The reality will very much depend on the quality of the car you view, so go with an open mind and prepare to move on to the next one if something looks awry.

Flexy bodies are a known feature of the Spider but serious structural corrosion can make this a more significant issue if you don’t do your due diligence when inspecting a car – blocked B-pillar drain holes that allow water to collect and rot the sills from the inside out are just one of many traps to catch the unwary. Given the endless market-specific modifications over the long production run it may be hard to establish or prove originality as well, if that matters to you. Most cars will be left-hand drive as well, which shouldn’t be a deal breaker for UK roads given how small it is.

Which Model To Choose?

This will largely be dictated by your budget, and generally the older the Spider the more desirable and expensive it will be to buy. So, if you find the boat tail is as seductive as Anne Bancroft’s portrayal of Mrs Robinson expect to dig deep to secure one. Debate rages about whether this is the best-looking, many preferring the chopped Kamm tail of the Series 2, especially in its earlier form with its delicate chrome bumpers. Given these were sold in greater numbers over a longer period this may be the more sensible option, the choice of engines also including the stronger feeling 2000 Veloce.

When it comes to the rubber-bumpered Series 3 these cars wear the look more convincingly than the leaden MG Bs of the same era and are better value, while the late Series 4 cars have their fans as well and can be had in converted right-hand drive form as well. Our pick? The revvier 1750 engine in the Series 2 body would seem the ideal combination of looks and driving manners but each to theirs.  

Specifications

1.8-litre four-cylinder, petrol

134PS (99kW) @ 5,500rpm

187Nm (137lb ft) @ 3,000rpm

Five-speed manual, rear-wheel drive

1,040kg

9 seconds

115mph

1969-1971 (total production 1966-1993)