Monthly Archives: March 2021

Bertone, Gandini, Lamborghini

1971 Lamborghini Espada Project

We don't have a problem with cars that aren't rare, so please don't take this the wrong way, but we think some perspective on rarity is helpful when approaching something such as this run-down Espada. We'll compare it to the Fiat 128, a car we never see on the road today.

Lamborghini produced around 1,200 Espadas over roughly ten years, working out to one car every three days. Fiat produced around 2.7 million 128 sedans and wagons in Italy over the course of around 16 years. That works out to roughly 14,000 cars every 3 days - more than entire model run of Espadas in the time it took to build a single Espada. I can't tell you the last time that I saw either car, but the odds are clearly stacked against the Espada.

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Alfa Romeo, Giugiaro

1978 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT

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We really don't like dealing with rusty cars. Certain components - suspension, brackets, exhaust - can be dealt with with reasonable effort, but once the body begins to rust, the rehab process becomes very involved. Best to cut out the rust and replace with new metal to prevent problems down the road.

Buying from the American Southwest is one way to avoid virtually all rust. Dry enough to store airplanes, the desert air is kinder to the sheetmetal. That said, with the dry air usually comes intense sunlight, and those powerful rays have a way of destroying car interiors. So, unless the car is garage-kept, you pay for your clean sheetmetal with an exploded dash and disintegrated seat foam.

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Alfa Romeo, Centro Stile Alfa Romeo

1994 Alfa Romeo 33

We've heard a couple of harsh descriptions of the styling of our Alfa Romeo Milano from creative observers. The best - and sadly, most accurate - is probably "VW Jetta that has been rear-ended". Key on a Milano, though, and the design doesn't seem to have as much bearing on the experience as the sweet Busso V6 sound does.

We love the styling on the Milano, and are fans of Ermanno Cressoni's work on the Alfa Romeo 33 as well. That said, we can't imagine that most people align with us on the 33, so we are left wondering: how did the 33 win over so many people? Affordability is probably key here, but we've heard that the handling on the 33 is very entertaining. We have to wonder about that, because despite the low position of the engine, it does seem to lie entirely in front of the front axle - not ideal for directional changes.

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Alfa Romeo, Pininfarina

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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Alfa Romeo

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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Abarth, Fiat

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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