We make a trip to rural Illinois every summer, usually in the Milano Verde or the Maserati, to see our friend Andrew and check in on his German cars. Invariably the Milano and Andrew's 1991 BMW 535i are lined up to see who has the edge on acceleration. Even after building up a hot 3.0L Busso V6 with higher compression pistons, hotter cams, and ported heads, we have failed to keep up with the Bimmer.

Today's Alfa 90, or Novanta, would be a closer competitor to our friend's 5-series in terms of passenger space, but would stand an even worse chance of embarrassing the 5er in a straight line. Clean lines come courtesy of Marcello Gandini at Bertone, and the underpinnings - torsion beam front suspension, rear-mounted transaxle and DeDion rear suspension - are largely shared with the Giulietta, just like in the Milano / 75. The Quadrioglio Oro models like this one share their 2.5L Busso V6 with the Milano too.

Year: 1985
Model:  Alfa Romeo 90 2.5I Quadrifoglio Oro
Engine: 2.5L V6
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage:  125,000km
Price: 15,000€
Location: Martellago, Italy

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1985 Alfa Romeo 90 2.5I Quadrifoglio Oro

Vettura in condizioni pari al nuovo colore visone metallizzato , unico proprietario da sempre iscritta asi ,km125000 originali .Completa di strumentazione digitale led , valigetta 24 ore su cruscotto condizionatore interni e cielo sopra perfetti autoradio alfa romeo dell'epoca sedili e vetri elettrici servosterzo . Lavori appena fatti gomme ,freni anteriori e posteriori , marmitta centrale e finale , candele , distribuzione , relativi filtri e olii .Nessun difetto no perditempo o sognatori ! Grazie

This example is claimed to be in perfect condition, and we see little reason to doubt that claim. Rust would be our main concern with this car, so those shopping from North America will need to request some photos of the undercarriage. Mechanically, these are simple and robust vehicles, with components that are all shared with the Alfa Milano, meaning that a call to Centerline should be all it takes to source most parts. Minor trim bits will be the challenge, but with eBay and the forums, sourcing even the most obscure bits is possible.

We personally really do enjoy the styling of the 90, but will admit that it gets by on clean lines and great proportions more than anything resembling visual interest. On the inside, the removable briefcase and the LED dashboard make up for the boring exterior. For 15,000€, you could probably find 4 Alfa 90s, so you'll have to decide what a perfect condition 90 is worth to you.

-Graham