All posts by Graham

2000 Alfa Romeo Spider

We are nearing spring, and for many in climates with four real seasons, this means a return to some automotive activities that weren't possible over the winter. Track days and autocrosses will be starting up soon, unheated garages will become tolerable to finish projects in, and roadsters will once again be tempting those browsing the online classifieds.

For those who might prioritize that garage work on a roadster over the autocrossing and track driving, this copper Alfa Romeo Spider might fit the bill. We often see these in North America with either the 2.0L turbo V6 or 2.0L Twin Spark 4-cylinder. The 24V 3.0L Busso V6 - similar to that found in the 164 LS and 164 Q - is more uncommon, and we like that it's paired with a 6-speed manual on the Spider.

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1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Berlina T.I.

We have a friend who drives, among other things, a 1960s Chrysler land yacht. We recall him explaining that he was able to find a bargain on a very unique example in great condition by shopping for a model with less collector appeal. In his case, he went with a sedan without many options to dodge the collectors. For not too much money, he can enjoy a pretty original classic that he won't see anywhere else on the road.

The 164 and Milano are the first models to look for when hunting for Alfa Romeo bargains. After those two, we would say that the Giulietta Berlina is next. These can be found in Europe for under $20,000 pretty regularly. Today's feature is the more rare T.I. model, and it has received a bit of cosmetic attention, so you won't find as much of a bargain here, but generally speaking, we think the Giulietta Berlina offers a lot of classic Alfa Romeo appeal for not much cash.

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2013 Fiat 500 Abarth

We're following up the Fiat 500e from last week with something that announces its internal combustion engine power like no other car on the road: the Fiat 500 Abarth. We've been working from home lately and that has us missing our old winter routine of starting up the Abarth on a cold, dark morning. First it barks to life, and after 10 seconds or so of intense growling, it settles into a more neighborly rumble. As we consider the possibility of replacing ours with a 500e, our mind keeps coming back to that wonderful sound.

The appeal of the 500 Abarth is difficult to explain to those who ask how we like ours. The handling is nothing special compared to something like a Fiesta ST or a GTI. The turbocharged engine is boosted in the old style, where there isn't a well of torque to mine for power at low engine speeds. So it doesn't really stand out on any performance merits. But to us, the sum of all of its attributes makes it one of the most fun cars to drive around town. There is something about moving our 6'2" self down the road in an Italian shark cage that is endlessly entertaining. It just works for us, and doesn't leave us wanting for a different commuter.

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2017 Fiat 500e eSport

Believe it or not, we have been working in the EV industry since getting out of the gasoline powertrain world in 2018. We prefer a nuanced approach to EV adoption, where increasing the number of electric vehicles on the road sees more thought than simply converting the current fleet over to electric. The current trend seems to be to create electric vehicles that can meet the driving range of typical gasoline-powered automobiles, and it just leads to massive curb weights and underutilized batteries.

To us, a good application of electrified powertrains is in commuter cars for people with commutes under 30 miles or so. Stuff like eGolfs and the 500e. For many people, it's pretty feasible to do those 60 miles per day and then charge the vehicle using AC power in the garage once home for the day. Small packs like the 24kWh pack in the 500e don't take long to charge, eliminating the necessity of DC charging, which takes a toll on battery longevity. We would expect a 500e to charge in around 8-9 hours on a 120V outlet, meaning you could plug it in at work to get your full range back, or you could just plug in once home for the evening. Sure, it would charge at 6.6kW (30amp 240V service) if you installed a level 2 charger at your house, making for a 3-4 hour charge, but we wouldn't even bother for a pack this small.

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1994 Ferrari 512 TR

We're too young to have had a Ferrari Testarossa poster on our childhood bedroom wall. Instead, we had a New Beetle, 996 911, and a Plymouth Prowler, all purchased from the book fair at school. Still, the Testarossa made quite an impression on us at an early age as we paged through our pocket guide of new cars from the 1980s.

We recently watched a video from Jason Cammisa that explained the mid-engine V12 Ferrari GTs, from the 365 GT/4 BB to the F512 M. The premise of his video is that the Testarossa was taken out of context due to its styling. It projected an imagine of a world-beater, a reputation it did not live up to, but in reality it was a competent V12 GT. In developing the 512 TR, the flat 12 was lowered an inch from its position in the Testarossa, and the result was a much better car to drive. Due to the better driving characteristics and their rarity in comparison to the relatively common Testarossa, the 512 TR is worth 2-3 times as much as its predecessor.

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2006 Lamborghini Gallardo

The Gallardo really exemplifies the supercars of the 2000s - an era where livability began to see the same attention as performance. At the time, the method of make a comfortable Lamborghini was to adapt an Audi stereo, switches, and HVAC system and go heavy with leather interior surfaces. Since then, the scale has tilted in favor of performance, and the interiors reflect that. On today's supercar, such as the Gallardo's Huracán successor, you'll find a lot less leather and carpeting and a lot more exposed Alcantara and carbon fiber.

Recently, McLaren has introduced their GT model, which is aimed at the 911 or perhaps the Mercedes-AMG GT series buyer. The idea behind the GT was to increase interior comfort while changing the performance characteristics to better suit those who travel in their McLaren more than they drive it on the track. We can't help but to think that a Gallardo, with its 513bhp V10, AWD, gated manual shifter, and handsome interior by Audi, might have been a decade and a half ahead of McLaren with this format.

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1974 Lancia 2000 Berlina

We're going to overlook the most half-hearted ad that we've come across in a while to feature this Lancia 2000 Berlina because these are cool, rare, and deserve to stay on the road. Seriously though, we can't imagine listing a vehicle for sale and offering to ship to another country with a description so sparse and flip phone photos.

These cars were interesting in that they offered Bosch D-type electronic fuel-injection as an option that was coupled with the optional 5-speed transmission. Selecting the fuel-injection option got you 123bhp, which was competitive for a 2.0L engine in this era. Mechanically, the layout was a continuation of the Flavia layout, utilizing a boxer engine with front-wheel drive.

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SOLD: 1981 Fiat Spider Turbo

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Reminder: please send your cars in when you list them and we will feature them here on the site!

As the seller notes, this Fiat Spider Turbo is one of about 700 produced for the US market. With about 120bhp, the turbo matches the output of the European market model. We think the turbo adds some character and unique appeal to the Spider model. There is something about an early 80s turbocharged sports car that is tough to resist.

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1972 Fiat 850 Spider

As automakers converge on the best solutions to powertrain packaging, some of the romanticism of automotive design and engineering is lost. To meet emissions requirements, automakers ship out so much of the same: downsized and turbocharged mills with high pressure direct injection and 48V mild hybrid setups.

In the 1960s, when the 850 series was designed, there was no known optimal powertrain packaging solution. Take a look under the rear decklid of the 850 Spider; a longitudinal 4-cylinder sits vertically behind the rear axles. Next to it is the radiator, whose fan is driven by a belt that also powers the remote water pump. Long header runners make their way to a muffler that is suspended from the engine block itself - no need for body mounting.

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1979 Alfa Romeo Sport Sedan

When we moved from the BMW e30 world to the world of Alfa Romeo Milanos, we thought that finding a Milano Verde would be impossible. It turns out that Verdes come up for sale pretty often, so it's not necessary to snatch up the first one that comes up for sale. Alfetta sedans, or Sport Sedans, are much more rare in the US. The condition of those cars that do come up for sale varies widely. So today, we are happy to feature a very nice low-mileage Sport Sedan.

Technically the Sport Sedan was the predecessor to the Alfa 90; the Milano was preceded but the Nuova Giulietta, a sedan based on the Alfetta chassis, but featuring a shorter height and length than the Sport Sedan. In the US, we didn't get the full model range offered to the rest of the world, so our succession of sedans went Sport Sedan, then Milano, then 164.

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