Category Archives: Alfa Romeo

1999 Alfa Romeo 146 1.6 Twin Spark

With any brand of automobile, we find that there are always certain models that the enthusiasts just can't seem to embrace. Think along the lines of the BMW X4, for example. In the Alfa Romeo lineup, we would offer the 145 as an example of an unloveable model. And yet, while visiting some Alfa Romeo transaxle car enthusiasts in Germany, we were surprised to find that they were fans and owners of the 145, citing its performance as a daily driver.

These 3-door Alfa hatchbacks were the work of American Chris Bangle during his tenure at Centro Stile Fiat. We see what he was going for, but don't expect one of these to garner compliments at the gas pump. This example is painted in a color similar to BMW's Phoenixgelb, and really doubles down when it comes to acquired taste.

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1972 Alfa Romeo GTV 2000

We were fortunate enough to pass by a posse of Alfa Romeos on our daily school bus rides as children. 164s were the most common model in the Alfa Romeo repair shop parking lot, trailed by Spiders of all generations. Our favorite car on the lot was always a Giulia Berlina with a metal roof basket. And, we clearly remember reading the 2000 script on the GTV 2000s.

A 60s design that carried well into the 1970s until Alfa could no longer meet US low-speed impact bumper requirements, the GTV 2000 can be quickly distinguished from earlier models by a few major styling differences. Up front, the horizontal metal grille slats identify the car as a 2000 GTV. Large taillights distinguish it as a later model, as does the lack of step nose up front. Beyond that, you'd have to consult an Alfa expert, as we are sure that many smaller differences exist.

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1982 Alfa Romeo GTV-6

At one point, we owned a GTV-6. Black on black cloth, ridiculous 17" wheels, transaxle and DeDion sitting next to the car, rusty but no rot. Bought at a decent price, but never got around to getting it on the road. Part of that was a lack of commitment to making new hydraulic lines, and part of it was the fact that we needed garage space, having sacrificed work and storage space to that GTV-6 and an Alfetta project for too long. Our Milano Verde, with its acquired taste styling, checks many of the same boxes as a GTV-6, but as a friend with five GTV-6's will tell you, the sense of occasion is much stronger in the Giugiaro coupe version of the Alfa transaxle platform.

The GTV-6 was offered in the US from 1981 to 1985, with the 84-85 cars being most desirable to most due to their incorporation of many Milano upgrades. Those later cars got thicker Milano sway bars, longer sway bars to match the Milano (meaning heavy duty Milano bars can be swapped in), and the isostatic shift linkage from the Milano. They also featured the same 4.10 rear end as the 84-85 cars. In contrast, this 1982 model would utilize Alfetta torsion bars and sway bars and a 3.42 rear axle ratio. The seats are Alfetta-style, which is not necessarily a bad thing, as they are quite stylish, if a little bit less supportive.

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2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio

The Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio is said to drive better than any sports sedan on the market. In the US, the sports sedan market lacked an entry from Alfa Romeo for over 20 years. And yet, the Giulia Quad isn't exactly flying off of dealership lots.

Part of the blame is, well, Alfa Romeo's incomplete development of the Quadrifoglio model. The automotive press has had some pretty poor experiences with the examples they were lent to test. Some outlets, lacking completely in originality, chalk it up to the Giulia's country of origin. We blame the lack of cost-sharing. While the basis of the 2.9L 90deg V6 in the Quadrifoglio is the Ferrari F154 series V8, the number of Alfa-specific components is significant. And, new components require revalidation. The software, in specific, seems to be a problem area where the Quadrifoglio definitely would have benefitted from a larger engineering staff.

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2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia

We have owned a couple of cars that were clearly leased in their infancy. Our BMW 318is in red with tan vinyl seats and no options was almost certainly a lease car, and our black/black no option Maserati Coupe comes with a lease history as well. The new Alfa Romeo Giulia doesn't seem to offer a so-called lease spec since there are so few configurations available to begin with. Still, it is interesting to assess the value of the 952 chassis Giulia as the examples begin to come off of their leases.

The new Giulia, as we understand and interpret it, was designed around its chassis. This is clear in any review of the Giulia, where the handing and chassis performance received high marks. Unfortunately, the market for superb sports sedans is dwindling, and the content and features of the car carry much more weight. This is where the Giulia stumbles. As nice as the interior styling is, the technology integration and features just don't stack up will with the competition. Enthusiasts will overlook this, but it's not a great way to build a customer base with the greater public.

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1992 Alfa Romeo 33 Sport wagon

Forbidden Fruit Fridays

While today the boxer 4-cylinder is the specialty of Subaru Imprezas and Porsche Boxters (heh), and most famously, it powered the Volkswagen Beetle throughout its long lifecycle, Alfa Romeo is also known for its experience with the engine configuration. Alfa Romeo got its start mass-producing the boxer engine with its Alfasud models, which were produced in Naples. The Alfasuds were succeeded by the 33, which went on to sell over one million examples. Today's Alfa Romeo 33 Sport Wagon, from the second restyling of the 33 model line, is a mundane but well-kept offering from the 33 range.

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1991 Alfa Romeo 164 S

The Alfa Romeo 164 lacks racing history. It isn't a sports car. It has considerable Swedish provenance. And yet, if we were to recommend a single Alfa Romeo model to someone seeking to experience the Alfa Romeo brand, it would be the 164 - the 164S in particular.

Competence in curves, great gear ratios in the 5-speed manual gearbox, and a fat power band that is rewarding no matter where the tach needle is pointed all combine for a sports sedan with undeniable Alfa Romeo DNA. The styling is of an era, but above all, it is intentional and deliberate like a true Alfa Romeo.

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1978 Alfa Romeo Spider Niki Lauda Edition

We are highly entertained by the impetus for the Niki Lauda Edition Alfa Romeo Spider. It isn't the result of a Constructers' Championship win or a Drivers' Championship win from Alfa or Lauda, which would be pretty reasonable. No, it's just a nod to Lauda, who joined the Brabham Alfa Romeo F1 team in 1978. A nice gesture, and a pretty comically low bar for slapping a name on a car.

According to the internet, 350 Niki Lauda Spiders were sold. Sure, that's pretty rare, but when Ferrari wins a Constructors' Championship, they just tack a plaque on the dash of all of their cars that year. We fail to see the significance of the Niki Lauda Edition to Alfa Romeo's brand history, and it seems to us that collectors are running out of special edition cars to prop up.

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1979 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT 3.0L swap

Yesterday we featured a Maserati Coupe GT that the seller had transformed into a GranSport, and successfully so, if you were to ask us. Today's Alfetta GT (or is it a Sprint Veloce? discuss amongst yourselves in the comments please) is modified, but into what we could not tell you. All we can say is that we see what they were going for, and we think it's 80-90% there.

The stainless steel European bumpers look excellent on the dark-tan Giugiaro body. We like the Verde phone dials too, and the conversion to 5-lug hubs means that all of the GTV-6 wheel offerings are available as alternatives. A 3.0L Alfa V6 in stock form will make for effortless passing that is just not in the cards for the stock SPICA-fueled 2.0L.

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1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale

Based on the photographs of this car, we could make a number of assumptions. One possibility is that the photos - incomplete and basically the same view but with the camera tilting with each photo - indicate an older seller, who likely bought the car new or when they were cheap. Looking at the Matta in the background, and considering how packed the garage is with Alfa parts, it's also possible that the seller is an enthusiast reluctant to sell, and has put forth the minimum viable effort to say that they have listed one of their many Alfas for sale.

In any case, the Sprint Speciale is an interesting offering on the Giulia chassis. The bodywork, inspired by the Alfa Romeo B.A.T. concepts, was unique to the Sprint Speciale, distinguishing it from the Giuliettas in both appearance and aerodynamic efficiency. A drag coefficient of only 0.29 meant that the 116bhp Sprint Speciale could reach an impressive 125mph.

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