Marque: Alfa Romeo - Company History & Models - Cars By Brand

PAST: A truly legendary Alfa, and one of the most famous of all.Work started in 1952, the hugely popular Bertone coupe arrived in 1954, preceding the saloon version by ayear. A Ti version in ‘57 sported twin carbs. Sprint Veloce was created with competition in mind, Zagato’s Giulietta SZ (‘Sprint by Zagato’) was specifically designed for GT racing and had a lightweight alloy body. Pininfarina’s short wheelbase, two-seater Spider (1955-1961) was a something else again.

PRESENT: Another lovely 50s Alfa offering fairly spirited performance and real character although that column shift takes getting used to. Coupes/cabrios are sexiest, saloons are the most practical.

FUTURE: Still good value – especially ordinary saloons – but all rot like mad and restorations will be very expensive. Try importing one from sunnier climes instead.

Little known in the UK in comparison with its coupe stablemates, the Alfetta was Alfa Romeo’s medium-sized prestige offering from 1972, with the interesting combination of a unitary four-door body with a (Ferrari-style) that was combined with the rear axle. This gave the Alfetta an excellent weight balance and handling at the top of its class. Initially, all UK market Alfettas were only available with a perky 1.8 twin-cam but this unit was reduced in size to 1600 in 1975. The popular option of the 2000engine was available from 1977. A rust-free model is a practical alternative to a GTV and a very nice family GT but the trouble is finding one that’s not a rust bucket.

PAST: Looking rather like a ‘grown up’ Alfetta, Alfa 6 is a conventional saloon and was the new range topper when introduced in 1979. Under the lid lurked a new 2.5 V6, driving the rear wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox. As with the Alfetta, the de Dion rear axle was employed. Options included ZF power steering and a three speed auto, also by ZF. Electronic fuel injection was a feature of the 2.5 ‘Quadrifoglio D’Oro’ version launched in 1983. Square headlamps replaced the earlier circulars for the second series, from 1983.

PRESENT: Not the best Alfa Romeo to be honest with woolly handling although that V6 is a gem. Other power units included a four-cylinder, two-litre petrol engine and a turbo diesel but most were never offered in this country.

FUTURE: Always exclusive and are rarely encountered today, yet are still bargain priced. Novelty value only though!

PAST: Questionable styling shocked the public in the ‘90s, while high-tech, light-weight composite materials (resin and glassfibre) clothing a competition version of the Alfa 75’s steel floorpan – plus its suspension layout including the De Dion/rigid axle at rear – thrilled the enthusiast!

PRESENT: A pleasure to drive with that famous engine roaring happily across country; the steering is precise and pin sharp. Brakes always weak and rather a let-down (usually uprated by owners and it’s left-hand drive only.

FUTURE: Most SZs are to be found in Western Europe, with a handful in Japan. Built to impress until ten years ago, the ‘Monster’ was fetching almost as much as it did when new. With its iconic engine and extreme looks, it is still a unique and intriguing car to consider. It cost around £30k at launch in 1989 and with only 998 cars left it is not a common Alfa meaning values will remain high.

PAST: After years of making mediocre cars, Alfa had its long-awaited renaissance with the launch of the 156, a compact 3 Series rival thanks to which the Italian became a serious competitor to the German luxury brands. The underpinnings were virtually all-new (starting from a heavily modified Fiat ‘Tipo’ platform), as was the fresh styling by Alfa’s Centro Stile. Later cars saw diesel power and the Selespeed semi auto transmission.

PRESENT: The 156 is still one of the most stylish cars on a modern market full of stereotypes. It’s decent performer with good handling and a supple ride. The interiors are lovely; Lusso packs are most preferred. Sportwagon estates are useful but sporty, sulky Selespeed semi auto isn’t!

FUTURE: Could this be the last true classic Alfa saloon? Classic status is still years away but the 156 make great neo classic daily drivers and a perfect, cheap run-around.

PAST: The much-revered 1900 featured a number of firsts for Alfa, starting with an unitary construction body. Under the bonnet was a delightful power unit (employing a cast iron cylinder block and an alloy head). Later variants on the same theme included the 1900 ‘Ti’ (Turismo Internazionale), and the short wheelbase Sprint (coupe), with bodywork produced by a variety of coachbuilders, including a Pininfarina four-seater cabriolet.

PRESENT: The 1900 was a lovely car for its era. The ‘Super’ featured a five-speed gearbox, with closer ratios (although most are saddled with an ungainly column shift). That said, the performance potential of these Alfas was regarded as brilliant for its time.

FUTURE: Today any 1900 is a sought-after Alfa and usually carry E-type price tags. Your first problem is finding one, the other is finding body parts but specialists abound.

PAST: Arriving in 1962 to replace the 2000 (from which it was derived), the six-cylinder 2600 used a lightweight, ‘over-square’ alloy engine, based on that of the Giulietta. Five-speed transmission meant column change for many but thankfully on the floor for UK cars. In 1965 Zagato presented its own version of the Alfa 2600, the 2600 Sprint Zagato (SZ), with strong aerodynamic presence. Only 105 were made, so rarity is always assured.

PRESENT: Ungainly looks still consign to make this a ‘sleeper’ Alfa although they do go better than they look while discs (all round on last cars) and trim handling make it feel pretty modern considering its advancing age as well.

FUTURE: Lack of popularity keeps prices – and interest – constantly down but the car is certainly worth a gamble and is something different to the normal Alfas. Restos could be uneconomic however, so buy with care.

PAST: Exotic fuel-injected, 32 valve, twin cam 2-litre V8 two litre (mounted amidships), driving the rear wheels through a six-speed gearbox and limited slip diff, this road-going take on the 33 racer was designed by Scaglione. It had a sleek, low, bodywork (the roof height was less than a metre from the ground). The Stradale’s wheelbase was 10cm longer than the race version for an easier time on the road although it’s really transport for those special days…

PRESENT: Hardly a car that you’ll use for the school run, this Alfa was way ahead of its time but naturally due to spec, it’s only for the hardcore, wealthy Alfa enthusiast.

FUTURE: Just 18 examples were built by Autodelta between 1967 and 1969. A variety of coachbuilders used the same chassis for their own interpretation of the Stradale, including Pininfarina, Giugiaro, and Bertone. The car is priceless – and will remain so.

PAST: Designed in-house, the Alfetta of 1972 was another highly significant Alfa that failed to sell in the UK. Frontengined but with the transmission mounted at the De Dion attached rear, the car boasted ideal weight distribution. Initially a 1.8 but familiar 1.6/2.0 units followed. Giugiaro designed GT coupé arrived in 1974 while a Montreal powered flagship also surfaced. GTV 2.0 Turbodelta is fitted with a KKK turbocharger. GTV6 2.5 inherited engine from the Alfa 6 but still failed to raise the car’s lowly image.

PRESENT: A much underrated Alfa that was a creditable BMW rival back in the 1970s. Secure but sadly under-steer prone handling plus hit and miss gear change sullied car.

FUTURE: A decent budget classic Alfa that’s well worth considering. Alfetta is unlikely to escalate in value unless it’s a Sprint and as with the Sud, horrendous corrosion is a given and restorations aren’t economically viable.

PAST: Alfa’s new ‘Escort’, the 145/146 range was powered by the venerable boxer engines first and the Twin Spark units in 1996. Unusually, the three-door and the five-door versions sported a different look. More austere for the proper family car (146) and sportier for the 145, all were aimed at younger enthusiasts perhaps new to Alfa Romeos.

PRESENT: Never a huge success, due to the unwise decision to initially use ageing ex-Alfasud engines. By the time the superior Twin Spark engines arrived, the public and the press had made their minds up and discarded the ugly 145 and 146 as yet another Alfa Romeo flop.

FUTURE: It’s unlikely owning any will attract the envy of one’s friends… Unloved and forgotten, these perfectly competent cars can occasionally be found, albeit in a sorry old state, going for pennies but no classic status.

PAST: Alfa’s first ‘common’ car, the Alfasud is still pure Alfa in character. yet was a complete departure from previous, featuring front-wheel-drive, a horizontally-opposed‘boxer’ engine, all round disc brakes (mounted inboard at the front) and more. A two-door Ti arrived in ’74 and two years later a five-speed ‘box was standardised. In the same year, Sprint (coupé) and Veloce models were added to the line-up. Bigger 1.3 and 1.5 engines from ’77.

PRESENT: Arguably the template for all modern FWD family cars that followed, the Sud is a landmark with brilliant handling and a fine ride. Always cries out for more go – even top Tis – but Sud has real practicality and civility about it. Estates sadly never marketed in the UK.

FUTURE: One for the future, especially the wonderful Ti and Sprints? It’s finding the good rot free ones left that’s the real challenge… Justifying high resto costs the next!