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.
Let's see this Alfa Romeo sports sedan theme through; spoiler alert: tomorrow's post is going to be a modern Giulia.
The 164 breaks with Alfa's tradition of basing its sports sedans on its sports cars. The internet at large will be quick to point out that the 164 shares DNA with the Saab 9000, Fiat Chroma, and Lancia Thema, and it does share much of the floorpan with those sedans. But, having owned two 164s, I can tell you that they share shockingly few components with that trio. At first glance, it's not a very appealing Alfa sports sedan - shared platform, and FWD at that. Drive one, though, and you'll quickly understand.
The 164 doesn't weigh as much as you might expect. Combine the relative light weight with excellent steering feel, a comfortable and controlled ride, and a torquey V6, and the car really excels at daily driver duty. In S guise, the V6 makes 200hp, thanks to the vaunted S cams, a bump in compression ration. Piston cooling jets, a water to oil engine oil cooler, and a bumped-up oil pump curve ensure durability at the increased power level.
The Alfa Romeo 164 is a four-door executive saloon that was manufactured by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo from 1987 to 1998 and designed by Pininfarina.
Alfa brought the 164 to American shores in 1991, and all of those cars were equipped with the beautiful 3.0-liter motor. This engine, with its exposed intake tubing, was as satisfying to drive as it was to look at and in SOHC 12-valve form was rated at 183 horsepower in the base and “L” versions and 200 horsepower in the “S” cars.
1991 Alfa Romeo 164S. The exterior is White with a Black interior. 5 Speed manual transmission. 134,363 km. V-6 Engine. FWD. Sunroof. Options include power windows, power mirrors, power seats, heated seats, air conditioning. In showroom condition.
The mileage and perceived condition of this example are desirable. Missing is any record of engine and suspension service. The electronic shock absorbers and their bearings are difficult to source, if broken. The engines are robust, but it never hurts to reiterate that timing belt service must be kept up on. In general, these cars are outside of their design lifetime in age, if not mileage, so elastomeric components will be worn out - belts, hoses, seals, suspension bushings. It's nice to see a record of what has been replaced.
Having only dredged the bottom of craigslist for 164s, the price of this one is a bit rich for my blood. That said, the 164S is sort of favored to the 164Q for those who want similar performance, but can't stomach the service requirements of the 24V Busso of the 164Q. At this price, I have a feeling that an outsider to the Alfa world will make a foray into Alfa ownership. With this particular car, they will more than likely emerge unscathed.
While an honest seller is invaluable when purchasing a 25 year old Italian car, where does one draw the line on honesty? Is it ever truly necessary to post a photo of your vehicle on a flatbed in a for sale ad? If no, give the seller of this 1991 164 S some credit for brutal honesty, at least.
According to the seller, a small engine fire wiped out some of the engine wiring harness, HVAC, and engine compartment components. In the process of repairing the damage, the seller stripped the entire engine bay down to bare metal, and reportedly rustproofed, primed, and painted the area back to factory specs. Yet to be completed is a full repaint of the front fenders and hood, as well as a replacement of melted plastic components on the engine.
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Year: 1991 Model: 164 S Engine: 3.0 liter V6 Transmission: 5-speed manual Mileage: 155,000 mi Price: $4,500 Buy It Now
Alfa Romeo 164S Restauration Project Car, many parts available./ missing original front bumper S version. was damage by small engine fire/ engine electrical harness, heating and ventilation, engine compartment completely restored with mostly new components.
Rustproof, primed and painted to factory specs front chasis section.
Need to paint front fenders and hood, detail and replace damage parts on engine (mostly plastic)
Same owner since 2001 engine was rebuilt with 99k miles actual 155k
List of parts include: two sets of wheels one OZ Superligera 17x7.5 second: OEM Euro Alfa 15x7
Euro HeadLamps
Front Brake Rotors Slotted and Drilled, Pads, Hoses (new)
Front Suspension Frame Arms with Bushings (new)
Brake Master Cylinder, Clutch Master Cylinder (new)
Engine Plastic Covers and Msc. parts
Rebuilt Rack and Pinion Steering
Properly stored in shop and warehouse away from sunlight
Car is assembled and rolls, $4.500.00
Serious Inquiries Only *** Picture #11 shows condition before incident ***
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Having spent more than our fair share of time under the hood of various 164s, we can appreciate the clean engine bay paintwork. It would be difficult to resist the temptation to bring the engine itself up to the level of finish already present in the engine bay. The rest of the exterior appear to be sorted cosmetically, though higher resolution photos would required to truly assess that. A few interior photos wouldn't hurt either - otherwise, the interior condition remains a mystery.
$4,500 is not quite average for a sorted 164 S with similar mileage, so the seller isn't completely unreasonable with their asking price. The remaining paint and assembly work will add up quickly, unless done yourself, so be sure to factor that into any offers. The OZ Superleggera wheels and Bosch Euro projector headlights sweeten the deal a bit, in our opinion. And, the recent brake, suspension, and steering rack maintenance, along with a reportedly rebuilt engine, should instill some level of confidence in any buyers' minds. We say check the car out in person, get a paint quote, and make a judicious offer - this could end up as quite a sharp 164 S in the hands of a knowledgable buyer!
Back in the 1990s it took a special kind of person to buy an Alfa Romeo 164. With Alfa Romeo on its last legs in the US market, they started offering this new front-wheel drive sedan in 1991, just as Lexus and Infiniti were heating up with their smaller offerings, BMW was about to unleash a new 3 series sedan and Acura came up with a new five-cylinder luxury sedan, the Vigor. All of the above offered better reliability and a wider dealer network, but for those wanting the verve of an Italian car, only the 164 would do. And for those wanting just a bit more than the standard 164, the 164S was on tap for the sport minded individual. We featured this car back at the end of 2012 and it is back up for sale for Alfisti looking to sate their appetite until the new, promised offerings from Alfa Romeo make their way stateside once again.
The below post originally appeared on our site November 12, 2012:
Oftentimes a car manufacturer will come up with different names for the same vehicle based on the demographics of the market in which the car is being sold. Some examples include the Alfa Romeo Milano, which was known as the 75 in its home market and the Fiat Strada, which was called the Fiat Ritmo elsewhere. Alfa Romeo had a conundrum on their hands when they introduced the 164 sedan in 1990. As some may be aware, there are homophones in the Chinese language that denote certain sayings. In Chinese, the 164 meant "all the way to death." Fearing a PR disaster, Alfa Romeo changed the badge on the trunklid to 168, which roughly translated to "all the way to prosperity." A small, relatively painless change in order to avoid scaring off potential customers. There's no way of telling how this 168S got this badge here in the US market, but it appears from the Carfax report that this was a simply badge swap by the owner.
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Year: 1991 Model: 164S Engine: 3.0 liter V6 Transmission: 5-speed manual Mileage: 137,753 mi Price: $9,888 Buy It Now
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TThe 164 Quadrifoglio Verde (badged as the 164 QV) was available from 1990-1992 as the top of the range model. It featured an extended front spoiler, deeper side-skirts and a deeper rear apron. Inside, the 164 QV featured sculpted sports seats and mechanically the car featured an up-rated 3.0 12V V6 and adjustable damper settings.
The story of the 168 in Hong Kong is unique in Alfa Romeo history, and has a lot to do with the Chinese belief in the significance of numerology and outright superstition. Even in modern Hong Kong society, these beliefs continue to thrive, and while not every Hong Kong resident may personally believe in unlucky numbers, they are almost universally known by nearly everyone.
As is illustrated by the 164, in some Asian societies, the relationship between certain groups of numbers can be highly complex and go unnoticed by most Westerners. In the simplest terms, for example, the number 4 in Chinese is nearly synonymous with the word for "death." Thus, different combinations of numbers can represent different things: some lucky, some prosperous, and, as Alfa Romeo soon discovered, some which could profoundly affect sales of their cars.
In the Cantonese dialect, which is prevalent in Hong Kong, 164, when pronounced as a phase, literally means "the more you go the more you die." This had immediate and obvious meaning when taken in the context of an automobile. Alfa's Hong Kong-savvy sales representatives made an unprecedented move and quickly cabled Fiat management for permission to substitute the much-maligned 164 emblem with one now marked 168. The number 8 is perhaps the luckiest in all of Hong Kong as it is similar to the word for prosperity and wealth.
Therefore, what was originally one of the worst rear insignias imaginable instantly became one of the best: 168 means "the more you go the wealthier you'll be." The Alfa 164 was always a great sports sedan to drive but the "S" version offers even more enjoyment. In all ranges the car offers excellent performance and pulls very strong and without hesitation.
Driving the Alfa is really a pleasure. There are no signs of mechanical issues and there is no noise in the drive-line. The clutch is excellent, the transmission shifts very well, the synchromesh gears are excellent (even at higher speeds) and the car is fitted with new set of Falken Ziex 195 65R 15 91H tires and original wheels. The car steers straight, stops straight and has excellent brakes. An inspection of the underside of the car is clean and free from rust and any signs of previous repair or accidents. We encourage a review of the photos as the old adage "A photo is worth a thousand words" clearly applies in this instance! All of the electrical components are fully functional.
The trunk and engine bay are very clean and consistent with the condition of the car's exterior and interior quality and the original Alfa insignia mat is in place and in very good condition. Under the mat are the properly secured spare tire, wheel and the cars original jack.
We often times receive questions that go something like: "Does the car really look as good as it does in the photographs"? The answer in this case is yes. This car is a very attractive example of the difficult to locate 164 S Alfa Romeo with most desirable 168 badge. Perhaps most important, this is an opportunity to own a truly unique and original Alfa 168 S that offers great handling, looks and performance at a very attractive price.
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It's nice that such a detailed history was given on the 164 by the seller, but little in the way of this particular vehicle's service and ownership history has been provided. Even though it has somewhat high mileage, it certainly looks to be a fairly honest 164. I was always a fan of these S models in red with the contrasting gray cladding and the tan leather has a rich look about it that few new cars these days can match.
The 1991 Alfa Romeo 164S we featured last May is still for sale. With a little over 52,000 miles and considering the length of time it has been for sale, it seems like a great time to pick up a tidy, sharp edged Italian sports saloon like this one.
The below post originally appeared on our site May 12, 2012:
We've featured a few Alfa Romeo sedans this week, and here is one more to round out the week: an impossibly mint 1991 164S. The S is my favorite of all the 164 sedans, as it is the more sporting of the trim levels. A bit more horsepower was squeezed out of the 12 valve single cam V6 via modified camshafts and intake system. On the outside was modified lower body cladding and 15" alloy wheels. The interior was treated to more aggressively bolstered seats, with Recaro seating as an option. This 164S is for sale in Philadelphia at an attractive price.
The top-line engine 3.0 L "Arese" V6. Leather Interior! LOW MILEAGE Vehicle! Power Windows! Moonroof! Manual Transmission! Original Radio!
You are looking at a very rare super low mileage Alfa Romeo hat has been well kept and maintained; it's an all around great looking vehicle. This is a-never-smoked-in beauty that looks and smells great. The exterior is black in good condition. The interior is black leather that looks new. The console and dash look great as well!
The engine sounds, runs and feels smooth and provides abundant power. The 3-liter, fuel-injected V-6 develops 200 horsepower. This is one sedan that steps rather lively from the light and doesn`t need a turbo or supercharged boost to swing quickly into and out of the passing lane. The 5 Speed Manual transmission shifts well - smoothly and easily.
All the electrical options appear to be in working order. The engine compartment looks clean, and void of any leaks. Great running condition vehicle. The A/C works well and blows cold air! We had our mechanic check the car. All in all, the car really runs great! As you can judge for yourself from the pictures - the interior is clean and looks great!
The trunk has many functions, one of which is obviously the superior cargo capacity. The back seats come down in case you need to increase the payload capacity.The trunk is very clean and roomy as you can see from the pictures. The previous owner used it sparely and it looks as if it were new. This is a unique one of a kind vehicle, that is painted with a color that really makes it stand out in the crowd of other cars. It's been garage kept, and is in good condition.
According to the vehicle report, this 164 lived in New York City for most of its life. You wouldn't know this from the appearance, though, as this car looks extremely well kept. Save for some rusty lug nuts and a marred badge on the grille, there's not much that needs tidying up. I've seen some 164 sedans priced well above $10,000 in the last few years, but these are usually museum quality pieces with under 50,000 miles. I'd say this car is priced in the ballpark. Its condition and mileage along with the S trim level and 5-speed gearbox make it one of the most desirable 164 trim combos out there.
