[Victroia21]

 

[alfaloco]

I suppose I'm partial to my S4, although I've seen many a nice looking S3 Spider. I like the final version styling much better, the subtlety and unity of the package appeals to me. I think the Duetto was what it should have been stylistically at that time, and Pininfarina's S4 redesign was also what the end of the line should have been. Bookends, so to speak.
The S2... very 1970s, as the S3 was very 80s.

 

[DPeterson3]

I appreciated my S3’s efforts to improve reliability and serviceability, but… the forced added weight took away the thrills.

My S2 (currently on long term loan to my nephew, and with bumper retro and suspension tweaks) is endless thrills with unapologetic disregard for creature comforts.

I’ve driven, but not owned an S4. When I turn 80, maybe one will appeal.

 

[Jim G]

S1 to s3. All weigh about the same. Within a hundred to two hundred pounds or so. S3 are very close in weight to the s2. Because the s3 dropped the heavy rubber steel beam bumpers for the s3 plastic and aluminum one.

Only the s4 is a couple hundred heavier then the others. Mainly because of the power steering. The steering box is a lot heavier then you think it is.

 

[southernstar]

If we consider the Duetto and Series 2 Spiders we are entering into an entirely different discussion. As between the Series 3 and Series 4 Spiders, I vastly prefer the styling of the Series 4. I have always considered the add-on spoilers of the Series 3 - and even worse, the added side skirts of the quadrifoglio to be somewhat of a tacky effort to mimic 80’s styling clues featured on many lesser, allegedly performance cars. The Series 4 is an incredibly clean update with properly integrated bumpers, rocker panels amd tail lights that virtually transformed the car.

I do, however prefer the dual pod dashboard of the early Series 3 over the monopod - especially in its final, especially knee-room robbing form.

 

[Jim G]

I can’t stand the power steering and the knee bolsters of the s4’s. I do like the style a little better then the s3. But the s3 are definitely from the 80’s style.
As far as driving. I do prefer the s2 and s3. Because I grew up in the back of moms 72 spider. Then went to work on alfas out of high school on the s3.

But my favorite is still my 69 spider I bought my senior year of high school.

 

[Victroia21]

I’m glad to hear all of your feedback! I love both of my spiders for still being dependable with modern fuel injection and yet have all the vintage charm as the first two models.

 

[Scuderiazane]

Have never driven a S4, but do find them a bit more elegant than the S3.

 

[Bern1]

I love the look of the S4. But I don’t really want to drive a sporting car with power anything or automatic this or that.

 

[alfaloco]

I know we're not specifically talking about the S2 Spiders here, but back in 2011 at our AROC national convention here, I was very impressed by the performance of an S2 during the autocross. It was a virtually stock SPICA Spider, vintage '72 or '73, so it did not suffer from added weight of impact bumpers and was in excellent condition mechanically. Alloy wheels, Toyo or Falken tires, but best of all an owner and driver who knew the car and knew how to push it to 11/10ths. That Spider was dancing in perfect response to steering inputs, well balanced with really good power and torque on display! It was a performance sight to behold, and would have muted many a critic of the "antiquated" Alfa chassis design of the day. There was no way in the world my tweaked S4 came close to his times that day.

IMO the S2 is the purest, most visceral example of the 105/115 Spider series.

 

[DPeterson3]

Most of us on the BB struggle to paint within the lines. Guilty.

“S3 vs S4”? I’d take the 4 because my S3 Quad was dull as dirt, and the S4 would be a new thrill.

But, to regress…

After retrofitting early S2 bumpers, Eibachs, Konis, and CN36 tires…. the weight difference of my 77 S2 to the S3 Quad was significant. Weight matters a lot.

 

[Jim G]

The Quad wheels are very heavy compared to all the other alloys alfa had.

 

[alfaloco]

The Quad wheels are very heavy compared to all the other alloys alfa had.

Oh yeah! Like 22 lb. is the published number. Then there's the tire. I love the look of the phone dials, but they are way too heavy.

 

[Mark_toro]

I'm a Bosch S3 junkie. Like them almost more than the chrome bumper S2. Sick, I know. They were new when I was a kid.

Autocross - back in the day before Tire Rack could provide 200 treadwear tires to anyone, my completely stock 84 could hold it's own in the D-stock field. Took third in class one year in NNJ region. It was a hoot to compete with 20 year old technology and keep up. No way I (or anyone) could do that today. To quote Toly: "wide tires ruined racing"

 

[Cosimo]

Over the years I have grown to like the look of the S4 body, especially the tail lights.

If I had inherited an S4, instead of the '85 SV my father bought new, I would probably be researching how to retrofit the dual pods.

 

[Vetdawg]

I have to vote for the S3 but I graduated high school in 1988 so prime 80’s. If I still had my members only jacket i would proudly wear it driving my 1987 S3. But mine does have the better S4 engine in it.

 

[Victroia21]

Seems like a lot of your responses are mixed or partial to what you already own. The Quadrifoglio is certainly unique to the S3 and it introduced the hardtop into the spider’s series. To me it’s the most unique looking spider of them all.

 

[southernstar]

@Victroia21, it could be cognitive dissonance, or rather that the posters purchased and kept the models they preferred. Certainly a number of contributors to your thread have owned multiple Alfas, so I think it is probably the latter.

I own a Series 2 ( by choice ) but did consider and test drive some Series 3 and 4’s. If I were using my Spider for longer highway trips, I would likely have chosen an early Series 3 or a Series 4 with air conditioining.

In any event, it’s often said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so I appreciate that some like the styling additions on the quadrifoglio. As to the hardtop, they were available as a dealer option prior to the quad and, in any event, are merely an inconvenience for those of us who don’t drive our Spiders in inclement weather,

In the final analysis, they are all great cars with the same DNA but with some differing attributes and styling.

 

[Jim G]

The Quad introduced a hardtop that looked good and was on the level of other european manufacturers hardtops.

There were factory hardtops before the Quad top. But they were a plain fiberglass shell with vinyl on it and a wrap around glass rear window.

 

[jayhunt]

I like all the flavors of the Spider. But I have to say I prefer my S3.