1998 Alfa Romeo 916 Spider 2.0 Twin Spark

Highlights

• Lovely example of a Phase One 916 Spider
• Sought-after Proteo Red metallic
• Black leather sports interior
• Large history file
• Never welded

Overview

Alfa Romeo 916 Spiders are like buses – you wait ages for one, and then two come along all at once. Or that’s certainly what happened to the vendor of this one. They had wanted a 916 since they first clapped eyes on the Pininfarina-designed car at the age of 17, when they were working as a Saturday car-cleaner at a Fiat and Alfa Romeo dealership.

29 years later, they finally treated themselves to a car they had coveted since they first started driving, after a long search over many months. The criteria was clear. It had to be a Phase One 916, and it had to be Proteo Red, the Alfa Romeo launch colour.

It took months to find one that met their needs – both in terms of colour and condition – so when this example turned up, they knew they had to have it. Reportedly always garaged, it had never seen a welding torch and was the perfect specification: with optional Lusso pack black leather sports seats and a manual roof. 

After such a long search for the perfect car, why on earth are they selling it? The answer is that another Spider came up for sale, in the identical colour and specification. Except the other one was a very early N-plate car, registered in the first week of production and used as an Alfa Romeo press demonstrator, in immaculate condition. As they wanted to keep it forever, the older car was the one to retain in their collection, meaning this one has to go. 

So here’s a chance to get your hands on a really lovely example of the first all-new Alfa Romeo Spider to appear in 31 years, continuing a tradition that dated back to the original Duetto. Aside from the striking looks, they’re amazing machines – based on the front-wheel-drive Fiat Group Tipo Due platform, renowned for its sensational steering and impressive handling. And in this case it’s backed up by the growl and chatter of a 2.0-litre Twin Spark engine. Some 916 fans prefer this to the Busso V6, not least because they’re cheaper to buy, but also because they’re lighter and give the car better balance. 

This is a very nice example – it took the vendor months to find one this good, and it was cherished by its long-term previous keeper, who reportedly kept the car garaged and only used it during the summer months.

It has an MOT valid until November 2025, has never been welded, and is original. As the days get longer and summer gets closer, it promises a lot of fun for a modest investment. 

History and documentation

• Supplied new Alan Day Alfa Romeo in Finchley, London, on 6 February, 1998

• Original PDI and delivery report

• Book pack containing handbook, key code card and audio handbook, but unfortunately the original service book was misplaced by the previous owner

• MOT until 15 November 2025

• Lots of invoices for servicing and repairs from past two owners, dating from 2004 to 2024 and covering 20 years of maintenance

• Original 1997 brochure

• Old V5Cs showing previous ownership details 

• Owned by previous owner for 15 years, covering an average of less than 1,000 miles per year

• Lots of old MOT certificates

• Three sets of keys including the important purple programming key and a valet key

 Interior

• Black leather Lusso interior

• Stitched Alfa Romeo logos in both seat backs

• Driver’s side seat bolster has been repaired and while not immediately noticeable, the repair is visible

• All dials and controls work as intended, with none of the ‘sticky’ switches often seen in Alfas of this era

• Aftermarket Wharfedale Bluetooth CD radio

• Leather steering wheel and gearknob

• Spacesaver spare wheel and original (highly sought after) GTV/Spider tool roll, complete

• Lusso-spec leather door cards

• Fully working air conditioning

• Manual roof controls with working solenoid switches for back window and rear deck panel

Exterior

• Beautiful Proteo Red paint that still retains a lovely shine

• New Alfa Romeo bonnet and boot badges

• 16-inch factory alloy wheels in good condition, with minor kerb marks but nothing of any substance 

• No notable body damage

• One very light scuff on nearside rear quarter (pictured)

• One tiny bubble of surface rust on nearside door closure and some paint touch-up marks on very edge of driver’s door from where the previous owner opened it against the garage wall

• Some small stone chips on fibreglass bonnet

• Very small scuffs on rear bumper corners

• Appears very sound underneath and has never had a corrosion advisory on the floorpans for the MOT

• Roof is in good, serviceable condition but has some age-related wear on both rear corners and a small paint scratch on rear closing panel

• Rear screen has no splits or cloudiness, but does have some crease marks

• Vendor reports it is fully watertight with the roof closed

• Manual roof retracts as it should and is very easy to open and close

Mechanical

• 2.0-litre Twin Spark engine

• 150 bhp

• Five-speed manual transmission

• 0-62 mph in 8.1 seconds, 140 mph top speed

• According to the previous owner, the cambelt and tensioner were replaced in 2018 at 88,000 miles 

• The car has covered less than 6,000 miles since and has been stored in a dry garage

• Vendor reports it starts on the button with minimal exhaust smoke and runs beautifully

Summary

The Alfa Romeo 916 Spider is an up-and-coming modern classic, celebrating its 30th birthday this year and rapidly becoming more appreciated in collector circles as one of the prettiest Alfa Romeos ever made – and that’s against an incredible back-catalogue. 

Good examples are getting hard to find – our vendor will testify to that having sought for months to find this one. It’s a great example, with a couple of areas you could improve if you wished to, but as it stands it’s in great condition, having been kept by a long-term owner. If you want a stylish soft-top ready for this summer, it’s hard to ignore. 

Were it not for the unexpected appearance of a truly immaculate launch car, the vendor wouldn’t even entertain selling it. 

To arrange a viewing, please request this in the Q&A section. You can click through to the seller's profile and use the 'Email Me' function to arrange a viewing privately. The car is located in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire.