In honor of Black Friday, we present today the original mall lot crawler, the Quattroporte. The Quattroporte V was, in a way, to Maserati as the Cayenne was to Porsche - a usable machine that cashed in on the iconic brand for some volume. Something to keep black ink in the books.
And, today's Quattroporte sports a few signature traits of the model's largest market - the South. The white paint and tint are obvious lines of defense against solar radiation in an Atlanta parking lot, and the lack of AWD that would never pass muster in the Northeast is not a problem in the warm South.
Twin Turbo V8 523 HP, beautiful color combo, 2 Owner Clean Carfax, Just serviced
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The F 154 V8 is one of our favorite Ferrari mills of all time, and the more traditional cross plane layout of the Maserati A variant does little to dull the appeal. 523hp might not quite stack up to the nearly 600hp that the same family of engine makes in the Ferrari Portofino, but the wider powerband will leave few disappointed.
If it were our money, we'd find ourselves a Quattroporte V, owing to the simpler construction and bulletproof powertrain. But, there are upsides to the risk of biting into a Quattroporte VI. The power, interior, and added features tip the scales in favor of the newer model for you. Just make sure it's a GTS like this example.
When automotive paradigms shift, we see the production of some very interesting models during the transition years. For example, as Ferrari moved toward its longitudinal midship engine orientation, it saw fit to rotate the engine in the Mondial, resulting in the surprisingly improved Mondial T. Similarly, The Ritmo 130TC straddles the hot hatch era and the epoch surrounding its tried-and-true Lampredi twin cam 4-pot.
By equipping the Ritmo with a 1995cc twin cam four replete with twin sidedraft carbs, the 128bhp Ritmo 130TC Abarth could rip its way to a 121mph top speed. Oddly enough, the carbureted engine had its ignition controlled by a Marelli Digiplex system. We are particularly intrigued by the rear suspension in all Ritmos; a transverse leaf spring meets lower control arms with McPherson struts. It seems like clever packaging and distributes the spring reaction force across a nice area by using a separate rear subframe.
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Year: 1987 Model: Fiat Ritmo 130TC Abarth Engine: 2.0L 4-cylinder Transmission: 5-speed manual Mileage: 31,000 mi Price: Auction Location: West New York, NJ
This 1987 Fiat Ritmo 130TC Abarth is the final evolution of the model, following the 105TC and 125TC. The car was built to compete with the Mk1 VW GTI and is powered by a carbureted 2.0L twin-cam four paired with a 5-speed manual gearbox. In addition to the powertrain, the Ritmo Abarth features include sportier exterior accents, bolstered seats, and an uprated suspension system. This example is believed to have been sold new in France prior to being exported to Japan, and the seller recently imported the car into the US. It now shows 51k kilometers (~31k miles) and has been modified with an aftermarket muffler, OMP strut bars, Sparco pedal covers, a push-button start, Sony cassette player, and a wood-rimmed Abarth steering wheel.
This 130TC is finished in metallic gray with black cladding around the wheel wells and side skirts, the latter featuring red accents. A paint-depth meter has been taken around the body and the results are reportedly consistent, as shown in the attached dropbox gallery. Additional exterior pictures are also provided, including closeups.
Factory alloy wheels wear red Abarth center caps and a set of Michelin Energy tires. Inside, the 130TC was fitted with unique cloth upholstery and bolstered front seats. Interior modifications include a wood-rimmed Abarth steering wheel, Sony cassette player, push-button start, Sparco metal pedal covers, and a few other items. The odometer indicates 50,715 kilometers (~31,500 miles).
Under the hood is a 2.0L DOHC inline-four equipped with dual carburetors. Output was 128 horsepower when new, which is sent to the front wheels through a 5-speed manual transmission. Period testing claimed 0 to 60 mph could be achieved in under eight seconds. A mechanical inspection was completed just prior to this listing, during which time the rear driver’s-side shock was replaced and the engine oil was changed.
This car is being offered with all appropriate import documentation and a clean title. All offers are welcomed and encouraged.
Link to additional Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/jjmturnr1w8lrgd/AACGeKMpmMye0xxrDa83geOPa?dl=0
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In terms of styling, this car is oddly weaker than its German rival, the MK1 GTI. There is a reason for this; the VW Golf was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, and set the standard for hatchback design. The Ritmo design out of Centro Stile Fiat, while certainly handsome, can't quite compete with the work of Giugiaro.
With VW GTI's of the era taking off in price, we aren't surprised that this car, the auction of which ended before we could post it, did not meet the reserve of $11,900. Play your cards right, and you can import one of these from Europe to the US at a competitive price. But, the market in Europe is becoming evermore aware of the predilections of US buyers, and the prices have risen in step with the demand. As former MK1 GTI owners ourselves, we can totally see the appeal, and could very well end up with one of these in our garage in the near future.
The Fiat 124 Sport Coupe series is similar to the Alfa Romeo GTV in that it is mechanically similar to its convertible platform mate, yet wholly more appealing. Both the Fiat 124 Sport Coupe and 124 Sport Spider ride on similar unibody platforms with a double wishbone front and a 4-link rear suspension. And, power for both comes from some form of iron block, aluminum head twin cam Lampredi four cylinder engine.
This being a CC model, power comes from the destroked 1592cc engine, revised from the 1608cc engine in the BC to qualify for Italy's sub-1600cc class. And, since the car was imported from Italy, it lacks the emissions equipment of a US model, breathing freely through its single Weber carb.
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Year: 1974 Model: Fiat 124 Sport Coupe Engine: 1592cc 4-cylinder Transmission: 5-speed manual Mileage: 52,000 Price: Auction Location: Roswell, GA
Magnificent car in excellent condition, rare in the US.
Few show winner car, all original and correct.
1600 cc twin cam 5 speed manual. a pleasure to drive.
This 1972 Fiat 124 coupe was reportedly the subject of a refurbishment completed three years ago in Italy which included a repaint in red, interior reupholstery, and other work.
The car has since been imported to the US and was acquired two years ago. who has driven it approximately 2k kilometers.
Power is from a 1,592cc twin-cam four driving the rear wheels through a 5-speed manual gearbox.
This 124 coupe reportedly won an award for Best European Car at the 2018 United Way Car & Truck Show in Roswell, Georgia and is now offered with Georgia
Body : Excellent and totally ruste free
Paint: Excellent with no scratches nor chips
Mechanics: Excellent condition motor with recent service, excellent transmission no noise, new clutch.
Brakes: excellent.
Tires are new.
This is a turn key and go car no issues.
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The car is said to be turn key with no issues, and we hope that the claim holds to be true. These cars deserve the level of attention that this example seems to have received. From the clean engine bay with intact hood insulation to the tidy interior, this car shows very well.
We recommend these 124 Sport Coupes to those who can't stomach the recent prices on a comparable Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV. Parts support is similar, and the performance is comparable. We even prefer the design of the Fiat, though ours would be an early AC model with single round headlights. Depending on where this auction ends up, this could be a great opportunity to pick of an Italian sports coupe at a fraction of the price of an Alfa GTV.
