8C Spider star of Geneva show

Well so says the press. It looks OK, but I prefer the coupe myself. But I always prefer the coupes!

• Autoblog:All the big rollers came out for the game this year in Geneva, but Alfa Romeo raised the stakes yet again with the unveiling of the production version of the breathtakingly curvaceous 8C Spider. Take the term "production" with a grain of salt, though, as only 500 examples of the roadster will be built, making this one of the few chances we'll have to see and bring you this exemplary piece of exotic Italian machinery first-hand.
• Carsguide rewrites the media release:Alfa Romeo 8C Spider What is it?: A soft-top version of the 8C Coupe, Alfa's first supercar in eons and homage to some of the brand's signature models from the 1950s. Similar in design to the 8C Coupe, it will also become a flag-waver for the brand while Alfa decides whether to return to the US. The power and the glory: Under the bonnet is a 336kW 4.7-litre V8 driving the rear wheels via a six-speed robot manual gearbox, while the body is carbon fibre over a steel frame. In the cabin, two sports seats and loads of lovely Italian leather. Can I buy one? You'll need to have at least $360,000 handy and even then you'd better be quick. Only 500 will be built, all in left-hand drive, and many will already have names against them. Deliveries of the Coupe, also limited to a production run of 500, have begun and five Australians are among the select group of owners. Most will garage their cars overseas.
• TCC on 'showstopper':The word “showstopper” is used too frequently by lazy journalists, but in some cases it is genuinely true. A case in point is the new Spider version of Alfa Romeo’s stunning 8C Competizione, which had its world debut at the Geneva motor show.
• TCC on specs:Under the hood is the same 4.7-liter 450-hp V-8 that’s in the coupe. Power is channelled through a six-speed paddleshift gearbox to the rear wheels. The Brembo brakes are carbon-ceramic, measuring 15 inches in diameter at the front wheels and 14.2 inches at the rear. The whole package rides on 20-inch alloy wheels. The Gran Turismo machine has been created by the Centro Stile Alfa Romeo. The convertible roof is made from two layers of fabric, and folds back at the touch of a dashboard-mounted button. The outer layer is designed to protect the occupants from the elements, the inner layer is key to sound-proofing. The top can be personalized in various colors to suit the finish of the vehicle.
• The Ateco Australia Media release: Alfa Romeo has used the 2008 Geneva Motor Show (4 March 2008) to take the wraps off the Alfa Romeo 8C Spider, the open top version of the 8C Coupe that has stunned drivers and enthusiasts around the world thanks to its superb styling, breath taking performance and its inheritance of all of Alfa Romeo performance traditions.
• Images via Google