Collect the tokens and win an Alfa

The very words Alfa and Romeo sum up for enthusiasts all that is best in the exciting world of the sports car. Now the Independent offers you the unique opportunity to win one of the year's finest sports models, the Alfa Romeo Spider, worth at le ast ?25,000.

This elegant and powerful car made its first appearance at the Paris Mondial de l'Automobile last October. Like its predecessor, the new Spider was shaped by Alfa Romeo in conjunction with Pininfarina, the design studio that has also been responsible forall but a few of the best-looking Ferraris. True to the Spider tradition, the nose is an exceptionally attractive blend of swashbuckling curves and pleasing details: it has four small, ellipsoidal headlights and a radiator grille that draws attention tothe Alfa Romeo's very distinctive badge.

The switch to front-wheel drive - in tune with the rest of the current Alfa Romeo range - is the biggest difference between yesterday's and today's Spiders.

The sleek bonnet is designed to conceal a choice of engines. The prize offered by the Independent is the range-topping model powered by Alfa's wonderfully smooth, refined, responsive and inspirational 3.0-litre V6, which develops 192bhp. This is one of the finest engines available anywhere in the world, regardless of price. This variation on the Spider theme combines a 0-62mph time of 7.5 seconds with a 138mph maximum.

These ingredients, together with the Spider's sensational styling, create the cocktail of excitement that has been typical of Italy's finest high-performance cars since the 1920s.

The left-hand-drive version is due to be launched in the major European markets and in the UK early this year. The right-hand-drive version will be launched in 1996. Our winner will be able to choose either version and be among the first to own it.

To enter this special competition, you have been asked to collect 12 separate tokens, at least one of which must come from the Independent on Sunday, and complete a tie-breaker. The entry form will appear in the paper on Saturday.

Token Ten appears today, and there are more tokens to come in the Independent this week to collect for the chance to drive off in a truly outstanding car.