As is tradition, here is a brief introduction from our first new club member of 2025, Keith Burn. Many thanks for providing this Keith.

Why did  I come to have a Barchetta? 

My Alfa Romeo Spider eventually gave up the will to continue running. I looked for a replacement and tested the original Fiat Spider, but they were old, seemed unreliable and expensive.  I had the good fortune to be given a MG for a week, which was fun, but build quality was poor, MX5s were not appealing and neither was the new Alfa Spider. 

I came across this Barchetta, but never heard of them before.  The owner,  a travel writer and broadcaster, had bought the car in Germany and kept it as a second car. I have had the car for about 15 years now (#0537 – whether that actually means much). Although it was bought as a primary car, it has subsequently become a second car also. Unfortunately, ULEZ has recently restricted running the car in London, so I have to garage it outside the zone. 

Maintenance over the years has been limited to wear and tear items, reviewed annually at MOT time, so it has been relatively cheap to run.  Although I love the car, the design, and the fun outings I have had in it, this is really a make-or-break year for owning the car. The 30-year celebrations and a planned drive through northern Spain and France in the summer are reasons to hold onto it for the time being. Having just joined the club, may encourage me further, let’s see.

Keith