Revealed: Alfa's next Spider

First images of Alfa Romeo's new Spider, a convertible version of the 4C Coupe, have emerged courtesy of spy shots taken in Spain and published by Italian website Autoblog.it.

At the same time, Alfa Romeo and Maserati global brand chief Harald Wester has confirmed the model that was to have been Alfa's new Spider, an Italian version of Mazda's new MX-5, will instead wear Fiat Abarth badges.

In an interview with the UK's Car Magazine, the senior Fiat executive has confirmed Alfa's new Spider will ride on the company's new rear-wheel drive Giorgio platform – which will also underpin Alfa's upcoming 159 replacement, hitherto known as the Giulia – rather than the next MX-5's Mazda-developed rear-drive SKYACTIV platform.

While Alfa's new 4C-based Spider will be developed in-house by Fiat, Fiat-Abarth's new Spider will be produced at Mazda's Hiroshima plant in Japan alongside the next MX-5, which will feature different bodywork and engines as part of a product sharing deal formally announced in January 2013.

Fiat's version of the MX-5 roadster will therefore come to market as either a born-again Fiat Barchetta or a new standalone Spider model from Abarth.

"As far as the Spider goes, the final version is of course no longer the two-seater FCA [Fiat Chrysler Automobiles] co-developed with Mazda, but a derivative of project Giorgio," he said, adding "The Far East import will probably find a new home with Fiat-Abarth."

News that Fiat Chrysler's version of the MX-5 may be called a Fiat or Abarth rather than an Alfa Romeo as originally indicated first broke at the Geneva motor show in March, where Alfa showed a 4C Spider concept.

Since then, the 4C Spider has been spied in testing but it's believed these spy photos — taken near the city of Ubeda in Spain during a TV commercial shoot — out the production version for the first time.

Changes from the concept model appear to include revised headlights and different exhaust outlets, while lower rear side inlets also appear to have been added since the spy shots were taken in June.

The new Alfa Spider will be powered by the same 177kW 1.75-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine as both the 4C Coupe and Alfa's facelifted Giulietta QV, both of which go on sale here in February.

Alfa's first Spider since the GTV-based roadster was discontinued in 2006 is expected on sale in Europe early next year, with the Mazda-based Fiat Abarth roadster to follow in late 2015.