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101 Cars: Duetto Spider
Written by: SPEED Staff
SPEEDtv.com   
06/28/2008 - 07:16 PM
Charlotte, North Carolina
 
In The Graduate, a fresh young actor named Dustin Hoffman drove an Alfa Romeo Duetto; both went on to lead long, successful careers. (Photo: AutoCollections.com) ยป More Photos

Even by the mid-1960s, product placement in movies was still in its relative infancy. But cars had been garnering major roles in movies since the silent era. Just three years after James Bond's use of a DB5 in Goldfinger single-handedly saved Aston Martin, cars began figuring more prominently in scripts. In The Graduate, a fresh young actor named Dustin Hoffman drove an Alfa Romeo Duetto; both went on to lead long, successful careers. The Duetto is the two-seat convertible member of Alfa's 105 platform, which spawned all manner of configurations. The best part - well, perhaps besides the shapely Pininfarina design - is the lusty Alfa twin-cam four. Although not as torquey as later 1,750-cc and 2.0-liter offerings, Duetto's 1,600 revs high and sings with perfect pitch. The five-speed shifter stuck out from the dash at an odd angle, but otherwise, the cabin was classic Alfa roadster. The Duetto's round derriere was redesigned for 1969, and the car was renamed the Spider thereafter. It remained in production through 1991, but somehow, the later cars were never as pure, or as cute, as the original.

Specifications
Engine: 1.6-liter Inline four
Horsepower: 125
0–60 mph: 9.5 seconds
Top Speed: 115-120 miles per hour
Price New: $3,950
Value Now: $15,000-$30,000
Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider Photos



Claim to Fame

Alfa Romeo ultimately marketed a later version of the Duetto called the Graduate.


Soundtrack

“Mrs. Robinson” by Simon and Garfunkel, of course...


Perfect Passenger

Katherine Ross, the younger love interest of Dustin Hoffman's character in The Graduate


Behind the Wheel
Easy enough. Join the Alfa Romeo club, and start shopping.


Did You Know?
Various version of the Spider remained in production for 25 years.


The Perfect Drive
The Duetto isn't picky; any smooth, picturesque mountain road will do.



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