April 2024 – In the beginning of October 2023, I found myself in need of a car. Considering how well our 2006 two-litre Alfa Romeo 147 TS has served us, at the time for well over seven years, I opted to search for a similarly powered 916 GTV and bumped into a Spider TS.
The quick and agile and reliable 147 belongs to my wife, and it seemed time to get myself a car of my own. What can be more cool than two Twinspark powered Alfa Romeo cars parked in front of our house? Exactly…
My urge for a GTV changed after two phone calls to check recent classifieds, when a decent looking Spider TS came across my path. When I wrote this practical youngtimer review I racked up well over 8,000 kms* since, and without issues. So there were no more excuses. There’s a fair chance this Nero devil will be the last car I own.
Added for accuracy:
Life with the daily beater
Because of the practicality of this impractical car – and because so many have weird ideas or no clue what a 916 is about – I decided to honour this epic piece of design with my basic review.
Basics
Many have no idea what to expect of a 916. The perception regarding a front-wheel drive sportscar is mostly negative. Which is a bit strange, because Alfa Romeo did such a good job finding out what would suit their cars best. Back in the days they took a good look at the Honda Civic and Lotus Elan underpinnings, found benchmarks and made an even better car. The result may surprise both friend and foe: a 916 GTV and Spider really are proper driver’s cars.
In brief a 916 Spider TS is a well built and intelligently constructed car, albeit a bit heavy to really rocket the roads. Let’s call a 916 TS a compact GT and move on. Also it’s a typical early 90s product which developed into the new century just because there were no alternatives. In this case a follow-up of the Alfetta GTV (1972-1984) and aging Spider S4, which kept going from 1966 to well into the early 90s! The 916 series was introduced in 1993 (GTV in 2004) and ran until 2004.
In the year 2000 the Alfa Romeo Arese facilities closed and 916 production moved to the Pininfarina plant in San Giorgio Canavese (Turin). The last batch of 916 cars were built there, and in small numbers.
It’s a thing to say something about build quality, but general opinion is some were worse and some were better than those which left the Arese plant. I guess the good ones survived. Anyway, a 916 is a now a 30+ years old design. The phase 2 iteration was and is the preferred choice of many, because maintainability. With a Twinspark hauling a 1,350 kgs frame you’ll get decent pace but don’t expect a street racer.
However, when you coordinate the various components effectively, you’ll find yourself driving a well-balanced car. Low center of gravity and eager steering (updated Tipo 2 platform, 155 front) helps.
Bodywork & hood
The distinctive Enrico Fumia (of 164 fame) penned body is a clean and practical shell. A hand wash is a 15 minute job and only the edges of the rear light bar and some of the window rubber need a toothpick to get the hidden bits of dirt out. The polyester engine cover (bonnet) is quite weighty and a structural part of the crash zone. Better avoid cracks because it wil TL your pride and joy. During routine oil checks, it’s important to take care that the lid remains open and doesn’t accidentally fall on your hands or tools. Just saying… aging gas struts may have disintegrated inside and will destroy your fingers.
Door locks are mechanical bits, which may need a greasing when recluctancy plays up. Flip the boot logo away to unveil a simple lock. There’s no inside button, just an old-fashioned ‘turn the key’ procedure. Two medium sized bags and some small stuff are all the luggage allowed in there. There’s no spare! The cosy cockpit hides a compact closed compartement behind the seats. Think spectacles, two beanies and a can of 10w/60. A jumper or small bag will find room behind your seat. Maybe a small spare wheel will fit.
In the armrest sits a button to operate the power hood, preferably pressed with the engine running, gearbox in neutral and handbrake on. The aging cloth hood of my car has bits of green on top but I don’t mind. – (An October 2024 clean sorted that) – The fabric is waterproof, and surprisingly effectively blocks out both cold and noise too. As the tech is hydraulic it’s vital to keep the oil lines in good shape. Try to make friends with a local specialist and you’ll be just fine.
Top tips, leave the electric motor to cool down before stressing it again, and it’s a smart thing to keep the hood closed at 10C or colder, and also when it’s wet. If you dare to drop the top in between rains, maybe close it when you’re done. A wet and folded top might give you a headache the next days. Oh, you’ll notice the rear window plastic will show a dent if you fold on cold days. Don’t worry, it will vanish when temps go up again. When drops of rain may peep inside it’s a good idea to adjust the windscreen rubbers and use a screwdriver. Amazing low-tech genius.
Engine
Noise – sound! – is a distinctive Alfa Romeo feature. Many 916 are spoilt with thundering aftermarket exhausts which may sound great but won’t improve performance. Also they tend to drone, and since the long legged gears will keep the fourpot around the 2,000 revs mark all too often you won’t like it ringing in your ears.
To keep things standard is a bit of a challenge, but many parts are shared with period FWD Alfas. You will find NOS or new parts around the corner, the online markets and forums. Some Alfisti like to leave the last damper out or fit a V6 TB end, which is basically a straight pipe. I need to find out what works for me, but loudness is not my thing. I’m playing with the thought to ditch the manifold, have a 4-in-1 equeal length header tailor-made and set the 1st cat back a bit. Rear is now a standard bit, so the TS is quiet, apart from a bit of darkness when I push my left foot ever so slightly. My (tired?) engine stops pulling at 5,500, which is a 1,000 too early.
The original German owner choose a tatty rear damper, which resulted in an 80s Abarth-ish soundbyte. I was happy when it desintegrated (Oct 2024) and the piece was replaced by something a bit more decent and standard. As a result I found more top-end, albeit a bit thin. Sound is excellent: the TS opens up above 3000 and under load, which you will like and can be amplified at your command. Above 5k there’s not much power, so in the future we will look into that.
It’s important to check oil every 500 or 1,000 kms, and please top up when needed. At idle a healthy TS sounds a bit mechanical and almost diesel like. Under 2,000 revs it may search a bit (check manifold, plugs, airfilter, throttle body) but torque should be good up till 4,000 when power should take over. Don’t be shy and take the mill to 6,500, when it’s properly warmed up and every now and then. That really will be appreciated and will indicate smooth power delivery, at best like a turbine.
About 35mpg is a real world figure for my TS. The more powerful Busso siblings will struggle to get a decent 20. Oil consumption can be harsh and it’s up to you if or when pistonrings should be replaced. Maybe have the bearings looked at when the mill is openend up. Normal oil consumption is 1 litre every 2,000 to 5,000 kms. And keep in mind most cars are 20+ years old and have decent mileage under their belts. So far I’m happy to buy a bottle of 10w/60 every 4,000 kms and add 0.5 litre when the dipstick tells me so. In the meantime I think about hot bits. First stop to get there is a custom equal lenght header piece and set the cat back. Intake is fine and best left alone.
Speaking of belts, plus waterpump when you’re at it: every 60k kms or when your mechanic says so. The twolitre truly is the Spider’s Cuore Sportivo and it’s rewarding when everything you want is right there when you want it. Cutting corners on 916 tech is not a good idea and you will be punished sooner or later. Treat yourself.
Transmission
I said long legged gears. At 65mph (iPhone satnav reading) the rev counter says 2,800 in 5th, making it a tad longer than our twolitre 147 box. When not under load it’s pretty quiet which is nice if you like to chat while driving. Above 3k the soundbyte will improve. Those who’ve tried, say a sorted TS runs out of puff at 6,500 in 5th, which should be well over 140mph/225kmh. Gear changes beg for a slow hand. You will like to use third and fourth more than you think and still get your 35mpg. I like to think the box suits the TS pretty good. There’s no need for a limited slip diff because of the lack of power compared to the V6. Front wheels rarely loose grip when stepping on it. Choose quality tyres.
Interior & electrics
My Spider is a Lusso spec car. Interior Momo bits are (were) leather combined with hard plastic. Both seats are good but I swapped mine for a cloth version (Ph1) which are lovely: lower, warmer and better grip. The passenger will have a comfortable time because of the quality seats and ample legroom and headroom.
When the top drops the wind stays out, at least until 90 mph. The cockpit is surprisingly comfy and warms up within minutes, especially when the top is up. Airco keeps the damp out and the windows clean. Wipers are sturdy, lights need a proper set up to help you in the dark, odo is an lcd and probably will not work, both ABS and airbag lights will show when there’s no reason… Ah well, the character.
Chassis & driving
They say a GTV offers a more tight driving experience, and I can imagine. Don’t expect a Spider TS to be a street racer. It’s a happy GT with decent cornering capacities. Quality tyres make all the difference. I choose Vredestein to fit the 205/55/16 wheels: Wintrac and Ultrac. Maybe Michelin PS5 will work better. Too hard rubber may spoil the ride, which is already pretty hard and a bit bouncy. And you will need grip and feel that light frontside go when it’s time.
Scuttle shake there is little but you will notice rattles here and there. Sporty tyres and too stiff sprung underpinnings won’t work on this car. Today’s potholed roads will ruin the drive. Unless you are prepared to pay the price or need to visit trackdays now and then. I rewarded my Spider with an upgrade in autumn 2025.**
Aw, and it’s good to know a 916 has an 11 metre turning cycle: better be prepared!
Practical daily
The galvanized body will keep most rust out. The quality hood keeps the water out. The built quality doesn’t dissapoint. Still, you need to take good care of the car. Especially when parked outside. So far I’m happy and I will keep this webpage up-to-date to inform the fans.
Final word: I couldn’t have chosen a better car for a daily. It suits me pretty well. Also: two youngtimer Alfa’s in front of the house is such a cool sight.
* Mileage update since October 2023
January 2026 reads 258k kms, from the 225k when I bought it, and counting. Mpg is a decent 35, or 1 liter for every 13 kms. I check oil every 500 kms and top up half a litre every 2.000 kms so far.
** Upgrade
6 and 7 October 2025 I had a major upgrade done: steel braking lines and better pads, BC Racing coilover kit La Mosca Turismo, strut brace, MOT and service. I covered my experience in this blog: upgrade La Mosca Racing Turismo underpinnings
User timeline October 2023 to today
Overview from date of purchase to today: still bringing it up to spec before modding and tuning. Which will be tech bits, like this guys does to his 1967 Mustang Notchback.