First seen at the 1954 Turin Motor Show in coupé form, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta was intended to bring a small platform to Europe’s citizens that could easily cut through small European streets with ease. Alfa went on to produce a saloon in 1955, and at the request of U.S. importer, Max Hoffman, a convertible variant of the Giulietta, which was called a spider, was also produced in that same year. As with most small sports cars, the convertible was the model everyone wanted, and the spider helped increase awareness and popularity of the Alfa Romeo brand throughout Europe and especially in the United States.

Relatively small in stature, the Giulietta in any form is a delight to drive. Perhaps the best looking model of the entire Giulietta family, the spider was designed by Pininfarina, and it quickly won the hearts of many upon its unveiling. An updated version was introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1959 and featured many cosmetic changes, including new recessed headlights, a revised nose and grill design, and a redesigned dashboard for the interior.

Based on the Bertone-bodied Sprint, the spider utilised a variant of Alfa Romeo’s 1.3-litre four-cylinder engine, which produced 74 horsepower. Weighing in at 1,896 pounds, the spider was 121 pounds lighter than its coupé sibling, which translated into marked improvements in performance and resulted in a top speed of close to 100 mph—a remarkable feat for a car that had much less than that number in terms of horsepower.

This Giulietta Spider, tipo 101.03, was produced on 3 April, 1962, and delivered new to Hoffman’s own dealership in New York City, wearing White over a red leather interior. In its history, the original engine was replaced by an earlier 1,300-cubic centimetre Alfa engine, designated tipo AR 1315 by the factory. The car is offered today from the collection of a gentleman who is fortunate enough to own several Italian sports cars of this era.

The Giulietta Spider is one of Alfa Romeo’s most iconic post-war automobiles, and it represents an affordable way to step into classic Italian motoring. The looks of the Spider are just as charming today as they were at the car’s introduction nearly 60 years ago. Upon testing a Spider, Autocar magazine wrote that “there is no more desirable small sports car; it sets standards of performance, handling, and refinement that very few others can match”. Driving this Alfa will surely not only bring smiles to the driver, but also to all those that see the car in passing, as it is a reminder of the days of simple top-down motoring.