Geneva 2010: Alfa Romeo 2uettottanta Concept

In case you weren't aware, Alfa Romeo is celebrating it's 100th birthday this year. Not only that, but Italian design house Pininfarina is celebrating it's 80th.  The two firms - who basically specialize in selling sex with wheels - decided they were going to go halfsies on a birthday present.  I'm just gonna say - they should do this more often.

Meet the 2uettottanta, which is hard to pronounce but really nice to look at.  The bizarre name is a throwback to the original Pininfarina-design Duetto (which later came to be known simply as the Alfa Spider by most people), and the design is inspired by the early Spider 1750 Veloce.

Pininfarina sees the 2uettottanta as a future replacement for the current Alfa Spider, which hasn't exactly set the world on fire with it's dynamics.  It's a return to form for the brand - the basic mechanical layout is a longitudinally mounted inline four behind the front axle, driving the rear wheels through a 6-speed twin clutch gearbox, which is all the rage these days.  This is as opposed the front-transverse engined front wheel drive current Spider, which isn't an ideal layout for a fun-to-drive car.

The (theoretical) powerplant is a 1.7L gas direct-injection turbocharged unit, although since there are no pictures of it, it could very well be made of hopes and dreams.  Still, a small light turbo mill is more in character with the whole Alfa Spider thing than a big heavy twin-cam V6, anyway.  The concept has Alfa's multi-mode "DNA" system which alters various mechanical subsystems to change the car's feel.

Beyond that, uhh... pictures speak louder than words.  This car is 14 kinds of gorgeous, and you know it.  Cross your fingers that Alfa builds it.