There were simply too many Alfa Romeos Americans couldn't get their hands on throughout the Italian automaker's absence from US market. Perhaps two of the best and most special of those models were the GTV coupe and Spider. Launched in 1995, the GTV and Spider were a pair of front-engined, front-wheel-drive fun machines which earned universal praise throughout Europe.

For all intents and purposes, the GTV was the spiritual replacement of the Alfetta GTV, and the Spider for the iconic Giulia Spider. In 2001, Jeremy Clarkson named the GTV as one of the Top 100 Cars of all time. So what made this thing so great, despite the fact it was FWD? For starters, power came from a variety of engines, ranging from a 1.8-liter inline four to a 3.2-liter V6, the latter making 237 horsepower and boasting a 0-62 mph time of just over six seconds. And yes, buyers could opt for a six-speed manual. Just as important, both coupe and convertible looked absolutely stunning, inside and out. Both went through a few refreshes throughout its life, only getting better with age. Production ceased entirely in 2006.