My father was briefly an Alfa dealer in the early 1970's as I was in my mid to late teens. Essentially learned to drive on early 1970's Alfa Spiders, GTV's and Berlinetta's. Much as I love convertibles, I can take or leave the Spiders. But the GTV and the Berlinettas......my heart still races thinking about driving them. 

Instilled in me for a lifetime a love for the beauty and the foibles of Italian and British automobiles and a bit of a disdain for those perfect German cars.