Wednesday 2nd May 2012

Spotted: A brace of Alfa Romeo 75 Turbos

A bit of an ugly duckling, sure, but they've certainly got charm...

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The Alfa Romeo 75 is probably a car that is never going to win any beauty contests and, being a car developed by Alfa in the 1980s, it's probably not what you'd call a low-maintenance proposition.

But as is so often the case with Alfas, there is something ineffably cool about the 75 and, for our money, this last-of-the-line 1.8i Turbo Quadrifoglio Verde is surely one of the coolest.

Like all 75s, it gets near-perfect weight distribution, courtesy of rear-wheel drive, a five-speed transaxle and rear brakes mounted centrally on the axle (though that doesn't sound ideal from a maintenance point of view).

Unlike all 75s, however, this is one of the final 1,000 produced (number 713, to be precise). As with all of the final-run 165hp Turbos, this meant it got Recaro seats, special alloys (not the OZs in the picture), leather-covered gear knob and steering wheel, and a numbered plaque on the dash. But while it's obviously a tasty and well-preserved car - and a seriously rare one - we're not sure it's £12.5K rare...

...And we did say 'one of the coolest' 75s, because the same dealer also has this 1987 Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo Evoluzione for sale. Around 500 of these oh-so-80s beasties were produced to satisfy Group A touring car homologation requirments.

Sadly, their racing cousins' careers were hardly covered in glory. Although the works Alfa Corse hired such hands as Nicola Larini, Gabriele Tarquini, Alessandro Nannini, Jacques Laffite and even Mario Andretti to compete in the 1987 World touring Car Championship, the team failed to achieve any success, and Alfa withdrew after the European rounds of the series.

But the legacy of that ill-fated programme is one of the more obscure and intriguing homologation specials of the 1980s. You'll have to pay through the nose for it though: the seller wants £24,500 for this one.

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Alfa Romeo 75 1.8 Turbo QV limited edition
Engine:1,779cc four-cylinder turbo
Transmission:5-speed manual
Power (hp):165@5,800rpm
Torque (lb ft):167lb ft@2,600rpm
MPG: na
CO2: na
First registered:1992
Recorded mileage:76,000km
Yours for: £12,500

[Johnboy Mac]

80's Alfa & a turbo. Give me a 2.0lt instead.

[Oddball RS]

How much? no thanks not even with someone elses money.

[Hairy Bob]

I'd rather have the £2.5k Alfasud rally car from eBay. Those 75s are silly money.

[Stew2000]

Because having turbo in big letters makes it cool

[JulesV]

I had a two litre Twin Spark for a number of years in the 1990s. Did over 100,000 miles in it. It remains my favourite car that I have ever owned.

There is no way that I would pay that sort of money for a 75, but from time to time I dream of finding an immaculate 3 litre or Twin Spark. There used to be a garage called Lombarda Sport that did fantastic looking rebuilds on 75s with lovely Momo leather interiors, not sure if they are still around.

[mat205125]

Mad money, but very very cool.

I'd save a massive wad of cash and just have a 3.0 like Jezzer chose on Top Gear (but not ruin it!)

[itiejim]

I've hankered after a 75 for a few years now but never owned one. I do remember being tempted by an Evoluzione for sale at a used car dealership near Rome when I lived there in the late 90's - 00's. It was on their forecourt for 7.5k IIRC....

[MogulBoy]

A rather un-sexy looking car when all is said and done; unless when you open the bonnet you are greeted with something like this

[Luca Brasi]

This sort of stuff makes me sad about what Alfa has become nowadays.

[J B L]

Not sure about these Alfas but the Boxer, A110 and Venturi...

[bakerstreet]

MogulBoy said:

A rather un-sexy looking car when all is said and done; unless when you open the bonnet you are greeted with something like this

Oh My!

I like the look of the 75s. I also like the 155 and I was quite tempted reently, but I know it will be a whole world of hurt...

[Fluffsri]

MogulBoy said:

A rather un-sexy looking car when all is said and done; unless when you open the bonnet you are greeted with something like this

OOOHhh thats nice!Im presume there is a coilpac behind the bulkhead?

[JMF894]

Was looking at these just yesterday. Love the 75's. When i was a teenager dad had a twin spark in white with revolution alloys and a red 3.0 V6. Got to drive them on occasion and i have always had a soft spot for them.

Regarding these two am i the only one who thinks the pricey one with red wheels looks rubbish compared to the other? The rear wheels look like space savers ffs!

Jimbo

[SimonSaid]

Love 75s, but this is bonkers money. And even my love of 80s brashness doesn't extend to that shoddy cabin, that's horrible.

Especially when, for similar money, you could have this...

www.pistonheads.com/sales/3856609.htm

Amazing how values for old Alfas are creeping up now - noticed pre-90s Spiders are starting to go through the roof (har har) too. Perhaps the public is slowly waking up to the brilliance of old Alfas (judging by the number of Mitos and Giuliettas I'm seeing around London, they're certainly awake to the new ones!) and pushing the prices up accordingly. Or else, Alfa nuts are just, er, nuts.

[S10 GTA]

12.5k is strong money, but it is lovely

[tomoleeds]

if they get 12k for that car i will run the london marathon naked, not a pretty sight. (like the car).
in fact if someone is prepared to give over £1,500 i will buy them a white jacket and straight jacket to go with it,

[MissChief]

The one with the Silver wheels looks good, the one with the red wheels looks gash.

Kind of 80's cool, but not that expensively 80's cool.

[marshall100]

Seller clearly not serious about selling.

[SmartVenom]

I'm sticking with the consensus view, the cars look great, but that is a crazy price!

Funny how a lot of cars that weren't "lookers" at the time now look so great, I guess it's a reflection of far too many bland similar looking boxes on the road nowadays (wow I'm sounding old).

[moskvich427]

Grim

I can think of many, many cars I'd rather have for the same or less money.