Tag Archives: Alfa Romeo

Alfa Romeo, Centro Stile Alfa Romeo

1988 Alfa Romeo Milano Gold

When considering Milanos for purchase, it would be a mistake to consider only the 3.0L Verde, when in reality its performance benefits over the rest of the range are modest. The Silver model is best for those seeking a car with the fewest standard features for a cool spartan feel. The Platinum is the only model aside from the Verde to feature an LSD, but includes the sometimes-problematic ABS system, as well as the leather / suede seats that do not usually age well. If you can live without the LSD, or would be open to swapping in an LSD transaxle yourself, the Gold has the excellent cloth seats and most of the electronic features of a Platinum, but uses a non-ABS braking system, which seems to be more robust.

This Milano Gold features Verde phone dial wheels and an Ansa exhaust, but seems stock otherwise. At just under 50k miles, it is one of the lower mile Milanos we've seen recently, and the asking price reflects that. With proper care, it is possible to preserve the current excellent condition, so we wouldn't worry too much about packing miles onto this one.

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Alfa Romeo, Pininfarina, Uncategorized

1994 Alfa Romeo 164 LS

In a perfect world, the 164 LS would exist only in the domain of white-haired men over 70 who wear scarves like a priest's stole over their overcoat and enjoy classical music with their drives. In reality, the 164 LS is adored by dorks like us who wish they gave off that aura.

We will ignore our stubborn insistence on manual transmissions for the sake of this example, because other than the auto trans, it is a perfect 164 LS spec to us. A 1994 model would be non-EGR, which makes service slightly easier. The green exterior over tan interior is one of our favorite color combinations, and anyone who hasn't experienced the leather on a 164 owes it themselves to check it out - it's seriously nice leather for a mass-produced sedan. Euro headlights and the wood steering wheel are nice (expensive) additions that we really like to see.

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Alfa Romeo, Centro Stile Alfa Romeo

2003 Alfa Romeo 156 GTA Selespeed

In theory, a vehicle like a BMW M3 should be very capable of managing the commute during the week while proving very capable on the track on weekends. The Nürburgring is littered with M3s driven down from England for that reason. We think that the Alfa Romeo 156 GTA, which saw itself lumped with cars like the BMW M3, aimed for something different. Its purpose was to emphasize the look and feel of something like a BMW M3 in a way that made for a more remarkable experience on the road, leaving plenty of on-track performance on the table.

Starting with the handsome 156, Alfa Romeo added 17" wheels, a lower suspension, and aggressive bodywork to get to GTA form. The engine is the 3.2L variant of the Busso V6 - the last to be produced in the Arese plant, not far from where this example is offered for sale. Suspension tuning is altered, with revised sway bars, springs and shocks. Like most in the 156 range, the front wheels are driven, and that limits the track appeal for many.

Our favorite detail on this example is the Selespeed automated manual transmission. While we have trouble warming up to any automatic, the automated manual has some allure. The Ferrari F1 systems, introduced on the F355, offered a way to experience F1 technology in a road car, clunky though they were; the Selespeed system offered up that Ferrari and F1 experience in a humble Alfa Romeo.

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Alfa Romeo, Bertone

1972 Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV

Price aside, this could be an eBay listing from 2005, before the internet allowed for so much connection between the owners of cars from the fringes of the automotive landscape. Today, the parts for a GTV are widely available, the problems are documented very well, and the "right" modifications are accepted among those in the know. More people on the road might even recognize the make and model, largely due to the reintroduction of Alfa Romeo to North American shores.

We like the mystery of this one. How many miles since the engine rebuild? Which parts were used? Where were the synchros for the trans rebuild sourced? Were the floors the only rust items to address, or maybe the only items that the seller had the heart to dig into? With the automotive internet humming along, the answers to these questions would normally be offered by the seller. This listing harkens back to a time when I think people went out on a limb more when purchasing something like this.

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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, 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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Alfa Romeo

1979 Alfa Romeo Sport Sedan

When we moved from the BMW e30 world to the world of Alfa Romeo Milanos, we thought that finding a Milano Verde would be impossible. It turns out that Verdes come up for sale pretty often, so it's not necessary to snatch up the first one that comes up for sale. Alfetta sedans, or Sport Sedans, are much more rare in the US. The condition of those cars that do come up for sale varies widely. So today, we are happy to feature a very nice low-mileage Sport Sedan.

Technically the Sport Sedan was the predecessor to the Alfa 90; the Milano was preceded but the Nuova Giulietta, a sedan based on the Alfetta chassis, but featuring a shorter height and length than the Sport Sedan. In the US, we didn't get the full model range offered to the rest of the world, so our succession of sedans went Sport Sedan, then Milano, then 164.

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Alfa Romeo, Pininfarina

1995 Alfa Romeo 164Q

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Of all of the 164 models, the 164Q seems to fall victim to the most customization. Here we have a dark window tint, Alfa Romeo script on the rear light bar and at the top of the windshield, a custom exhaust, tinted taillights, and yellow foglights. Oh, and the car, originally black, is wrapped in red vinyl. Fortunately, it's all reversible, and it's hopefully the sign of an owner who enjoyed and cared for his car enough to make a few tweaks here and there.

More notable than the mods is the fact that this example doesn't run. The seller doesn't know the exact reason, but suspects that it has something to do with timing. We'd be cautious with starting a 24V car without confirmation of proper cam timing - as long as the valves aren't bent, it could be a pretty simple fix.

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Alfa Romeo, Centro Stile Fiat

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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