The Alfa Romeo Spider is a classic roadster which began life in the 1960s and endured for almost 30 years in a form that was recognisably associated with the original.

It was back in 1961 that Alfa Romeo first showcased a prototype vehicle which would eventually morph into the Spider, but it took another five years before it entered production because at the time the manufacturer was already experiencing great success with its existing cars.

In 1966 the Spider went on sale for the first time in its Series 1 form, often referred to as the Duetto. Designed by Pininfarina, it was sold in the UK for a similar cost as its major rival, the Jaguar E-Type.

In 1970 the Series 2 Spider was prepped for launch, with the rounded tail of the original model altered to favour a more abrupt, modern style of design.

The Spider Veloce model released in 1971 received a much more powerful engine, with a 1962cc unit outputting 132bhp to give it a more performance-focused edge.

The Series 2 Spider remained in production for over a decade, until in 1982 the Series 3 model was first introduced.

In 1983 the traditional chrome bumpers at the front and rear were replaced with black plastic alternatives, echoing the decisions of many of Alfa Romeo's rivals at the time. Fans were not entirely happy with the various aesthetic changes, although many were necessary to keep up with the market.

In 1990 the fourth and final revision to the Alfa Romeo Spider hit the road, with the offending black bumpers replaced with more appealing body coloured options.

The Spider ceased production altogether in 1993 after many years of success, in which time it had managed to become a classic and earn a global following.

However, Alfa Romeo was not finished with this marque and in 1995 it introduced the all-new Spider, this time as a cabriolet iteration of the hardtop GTV.

This was another success for the company and the Spider was still available until 2006, showing that it had enduring appeal and the guts to stick it out into a new generation.