Alfa stunner shown in Switzerland

Not even a procession of some of the most beautiful motor show stand girls could attract attention away from Alfa Romeo's Geneva unveiling.

The 8C Spider made its production debut at the Swiss show, drawing even more admiring looks than its coupé relative sharing its stand.

Like its hardtop twin, the open-topped Spider will be built in a very limited numbers, only 41 of the 500 cars being destined for UK customers.

They'll all pay in excess of £100,000 for the privilege of owning one of the world's most exclusive and knee-tremblingly beautiful supercars ever built.

It's not just the looks that are stunning, but the engine too, the Spider using the same 450bhp 4.7-litre engine as the coupé.

Dropping the roof is certain to mean that 8C Spider owners enjoy a magnificent noise from the Maserati-sourced powerplant.

Orchestrating that magnificent engine is a six-speed F1-style paddle-shift gearbox that offers lightning-quick gearshifts.

We'd be happy just to look at it all day here, as few cars are as beautiful, though if one of the lucky 41 owners out there is willing to offer us a drive we'd jump at the chance...

Kyle Fortune