As far as celebrity connections go we’ve had some pretty big name machinery roll through the Car & Classic virtual showroom. There was Elvis Presley’s Cadillac, Led Zep manager Peter Grant’s Ferrari Dino, and Paul McCartney’s tour bus, to name just three, but we reckon this Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider takes the top spot because it was owned by none other than Alan Partridge himself, Steve Coogan. Smell my Alfa!
Yes, we did just place Steve Coogan ahead of Elvis in the fame stakes but anyone who’s British or has a passing interest in cringe comedy, irreverent parody and just honest to goodness japery will no doubt have a fondness for, and deep seated appreciation of Coogan’s Partridge. Hmm, is it just us or does Coogan’s Partridge sound like a pretentious IPA that you can only buy in 2/3 of a pint from pompous tap rooms that look like they’ve been styled by the set designer of the Crystal Maze? Ahem, we digress.
The character – once described by Vanity Fair as a British national treasure (and we have to agree) – has certainly left his mark on UK popular culture but Coogan, the man behind Norfolk radio’s most inept broadcaster, is anything but, with a hugely successful TV and film career under his belt earning him a fortune. And it’s a fortune that he’s keen to splurge on classic and exotic cars. A man after our own heart then, minus the fortune, unfortunately.
A self-proclaimed motoring enthusiast, Steve Coogan has owned many a sweet ride, including various Ferraris, Porsches and Astons – a far cry from Alan Partridge’s Rover 800 we hasten to add. We’ve nothing against Rover, clearly, we’re just pointing out that Coogan’s tastes are a little more, how shall we say, refined. A fact further evinced by the Alfa Romeo Giulia that was once part of his collection and the focus of this particular feature.
Predecessor to the Alfa Romeo Spider, the Giulia broke cover in ’62 but in reality it was an updated Type 101 Giulietta. Furnished with a 1.6-litre in-line four chucking out around 90bhp it was agile enough but it was in the looks department where the car really shone, especially sans roof and it remains an incredibly handsome Italian two-seater that is eminently fun to drive.
Ridiculously rare today, especially in right-hand drive format, many have succumbed to rust but the one we have available here from Dylan Miles in Tunbridge Wells – purveyors of rare automobiles and motorcycles – has always been looked after. Whether it be its three owners in the West Country, the subsequent father and son custodians (both Alfa Romeo Owners Club members who changed the Alfa’s colour from grey to blue) or by Coogan himself as part of his private collection of classic cars.
Beginning in 2015 the car was treated to a full nut and bolt restoration by Italian classic sports car specialists DTR European Sports Cars of Coulsdon, Surrey with supporting invoices retained on file and available with the car. Completed in January 2017, the rebuild included repainting the Spider in period correct Alfa Romeo grey before it was acquired by Coogan.
Thanks to its rather charmed life, as well as that top end resto, this Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider looks as good as it did when it first rolled out of the factory whilst still retaining the heart and soul of a classic Alfa, which as any aficionado will tell you is incredibly important because despite any perceived flaws, the purity of any Alfa is what makes them so bloody alluring.
So take a drive down south and check out Dylan Miles and the Spider. Tell Dylan and the team we sent you and maybe take the old girl out for a test drive. We reckon you’ll be hooked before you can say “AHA!”…
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