The four wheels simply run in the blood of the post-war roadsters, which in Italy – where they come from – where named as “spiders”. The name of the “spider cars” comes from a specific type of horse-drawn carriage used in the 1800s, that was called “spider” because of the contrast between its large wheels and its small body that made it look like the eight-legged insect. Despite its English origins, this name is mostly used in Italy, and it's such a pervasive term that in other countries it's used to refer to Italian open two-seat cars. Anywhere else, these cars are called roadsters of even spyders – but we're still talking about a kind of car that is both a status symbol and a dream, a desire for freedom, happiness (because you need it to be sunny outside to drive it), and the feeling of the wind through your hair. And that's right during the post-war euphoria of the '50s that spider cars became a point of reference. So, let's start our journey right there, in the '50s, with the Lancia Aurelia B24 designed by Pininfarina and featured in the movie Il Soprasso. Next to Vittorio Gassman and Jean-Louis Trintignant, this car is the co-star of Dino Risi's movie, and it symbolizes the Italian economic miracle as well as the wellbeing and freedom of movement and expression that characterized that period.
“Spider cars”, the status symbol of the post-war economic boom
Silent protagonist of Dino Risi's movie Il Sorpasso, the Italian myth of the convertible sports car soon reached many other countries and became the vehicle that best represented the freedom after the war. And certain English models are unforgettable.
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- Alessio Lana
- 22 June 2022
This simply extraordinary Italian car mixes design and craftmanship. Its official name is Alfa Romeo 1900 C52, but the nickname Disco Volante (Italian for "Flying Saucer") says it all. This streamlined and rounded car is a great example of the scientific imagery of the period when everyone was constantly talking about UFOs. Thanks to its extremely low drag coefficient (0,25) it was so fast and powerful that it could attain a top speed of 220 kilometers per hour.
The BMW 507 speaks German but aims at the USA. Produced in Bavaria, it was first presented in 1955 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York, and its main goal was to export BMW to the United States. Its very classic, no-frills look was meant to be liked by as many people as possible: at the time, BMW was going through a hard time, and the 507 model was the trump card to seduce the United States and repair the brand's financial situation. Sadly, it didn't go as planned. The 507 was outclassed by the Mercedes 190SL and 300SL, which were bolder and sportier. But the BMW 507 manage to steal Elvis Presley's heart.
The Triumph TR3 (TR3 being an acronym for Triumph Roadster 3) is one of the very first roadsters to be launched onto the market. It's super classy, and still very sought after in the market. This English stylish and sporty car was created in 1955, and from the side, it looks like a swallow from a painting – the curve of the wings is formed by the car's nose and tail, and it reaches the extremely low doors. The color of choice is "British Racing Green", but despite its British blood, it was an Italian movie that made it so successful – Marcello Mastroianni in Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita rides this very car.
And now, the 300 SL Roadster – the car that made both Europe and the United States fall in love. It's the progenitor of all SL models, Mercedes' super sports cars, where SL stands for Sport Leicht (Sport Light) and hides the desire to start fresh after being demolished by the war and its limitations. The 300 SL was born to race, and it became a huge success thanks to its coupe version with upward-opening doors, which were later implemented in the roadster model. What made it so interesting, besides its design, were its performing features and the top speed of up to 220 km/h – which made it perfect for racing.
Rigid, minimalist, lacking any comfort – the Lotus Sever was the spider car for those who wanted (and want, as it's still being produced by Caterham) as much contact as possible with the road. Extremely low and uncomfortable, this car was so essential that it was sold in the form of a kit to assemble at home as if it was made of LEGO bricks. Its nickname was "four-wheeled motorbike", it weighed as little as 406 kilos and it was extremely powerful despite its little 1,172 cc engine. It could accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 6.2 seconds.
When it comes to spider cars, Ferrari is the undisputed king, and it's not easy to choose just one model to show it. However, the 250 Testa Rossa has two merits: it's among the cars that have won the most competitions, and its design is really out of the ordinary. The aluminum bodywork was designed and hand-made by Sergio Scaglietti, and it was as successful during races as it was among design lovers. It is so rare (only 34 units were produced) that it's the Ferrari car most wanted by collectors – during an auction, a model was sold for almost 30 million euros.
Although the original E-Type was a coupé, the Jaguar E-Type didn't lose its charm once the roof was removed. Launched in 1961, the Spider (or OTS, Open Two-Seater) version kept the qualities of its sibling– that mixture of English elegance and boldness that magically emerged from the pens of Malcolm Sayer and William Lyons, and was described by Enzo Ferrari himself as "the most beautiful car in the world". Inside, it is elegant and sporty, with a large wooden steering wheel that contrasts with the aluminum dashboard.
Designed by Tom Tjaarda, the Fiat 124 Sport Spider was a much-revised and even more accurate version of one of the Turin-based brand's most famous sedans. The undeniably Italian style and the rather affordable price made this car a sort of affordable dream, a low-cost spider (as low-cost as this kind of car can be), for the rampant years of the economic miracle. It is a long-lived car as it continued to be produced until 1985, and was recently revived by Fiat in 2016. There are also rumors of a new version coming out in 2023.
In the 1960s, Italians believed there was only one true spider car – the Duetto. There were the English MGs, of course, the Triumphs, the powerful Germans, but this Alfa Romeo Spider was considered the best of the best. After all, it was the product of three great masters – Bertone, Giugiaro, and Carrozzeria Touring, so it could not fail. Also known as the Osso di seppia ("cuttlebone") because of its rounded nose and tail, the Spider also burst onto the scene in the United States with its flaming red livery. It was celebrated by one of the cult movies of the time: many will remember it as the car driven by Benjamin (Dustin Hoffman) in The Graduate.