The Duettottanta is a classic interpretation of the two-seat roadster format, with very understated and elegant lines. "We wanted to connect to the Duetto spirit without resorting to obvious retro cues," said design director Lowie Vermeersch. "It should appear to be light, to fly through the air... not be rooted to the ground."
Taking us around the car, Vermeersch goes on to explain how the rear end pushes up, not down, with the design formed around two key lines: the crisp shoulder line that encircles the car and a complimentary sharp fender crown line that runs from the headlamps and along the beltline before lightly dropping down into the rear corner of the car. The intersection of the two lines at the rear forms that subtle cuttlefish shape that echoes the original Duetto.
There's a strong shadow beneath the shoulder line and what appears to be a shallow concave section in the door but closer inspection reveals more subtlety to this area. "It includes a rising negative core line, which allows us to control the light more precisely than a big hollow," explains Vermeersch. Slim LED headlamps and tail lamps are hung beneath this core line and the composition is completed with a bold three-dimensional interpretation of the Alfa shield that appears to be thrusting outward from the engine bay.
The interior is trimmed in black and white leathers, with the white upper IP appearing as a continuation of the hood volume, dropping down through the door linings. The pair of large dials and associated three minor dials also hints at the 105-series, as does the deeply-dished steering wheel, but the rendition is thoroughly modern, with piano black finishes and with the binnacle floating above the IP.
