Alfa Romeo 145 Cloverleaf | Spotted

If you like your Alfas weird and wonderful, look no further

By Matt Bird / Thursday, 22 January 2026 / Loading comments

While a small electric sort-of SUV might not seem like it, the Alfa Junior Veloce feels like a return to the small Alfa of old. It’s fast, it’s fun to drive, it looks like nothing else and it’s probably too expensive to make sense to most people. Just like the good old days. While £90k Quadrifoglios are lovely, it’s those at less than half money which often appear a bit more relevant for the average enthusiast. And despite shared architecture, the 280hp Junior does feel very… Alfa-y.

It also continues a long and illustrious tradition of slightly strange-looking small Alfas that are more interesting than the average hatch. People are quick to rush to the RZ/SZ as the peak of weird and wonderful Alfas, though they certainly aren’t the only ones. The 33 was certainly a bit strange. And who can forget the 145 and 146 siblings?

The idea was entirely conventional: replace that ageing 33 with a new pair of C-segment hatches, just the kind of thing that the premium makers were showing an interest in for the mid-'90s (think Audi A3 and 3 Series Compact). They would be based on existing architecture, too, in this case the Fiat Tipo. The execution was anything but normal, though, with separate designers for both the three- and five-door (Chris Bangle did the 145, the 146 was done in-house under Walter de Silva) and resulting hatchbacks unlike anything that had been seen before. They sort of looked related, while also very different as well. You might remember the Fiat Bravo and Brava doing similar. When most five-door hatches just added doors to the three-door version, the Italians embraced the opportunity for distinct models wholeheartedly.

Nearly half a million 145s and 146s were sold until 2001, until the 147 replaced them both with a more conventionally pretty take on the small Alfa hatch. (And with the only five-door flourish being the hidden door handles.) Neither sold amazingly in the UK, and what was once a rare sight is now basically extinct. You can blame the usual suspects for that: corrosion, scrappage schemes, maintenance costs and so on. Imagine having a 145 or 146 back when a cambelt change might have cost nearly the value of the car; it would be a very hard thing to justify.

Fortunately, though, a few people really loved Alfa’s quirky take on the hatch, and some survive to this day. As a usable modern classic that’s still relatively cheap to buy, super rare and boasts a great Alfa engine under the bonnet, there's plenty in the 145’s favour. This Twin Spark Cloverleaf comes from an Alfa Owners Club member, who kept it garaged, and there’s said to be a healthy stack of paperwork for its modest 76,000 miles. A pre-facelift in red with the pepperpot wheels, this 145 looks an absolute gem.

There’s a new MOT promised, which is handy, though it’s worth pointing out that the last test mentioned corroded suspension as an advisory. And that’s unlikely to have gone away. The ideal opportunity for an upgrade, at least - fresh springs and dampers should work wonders for bringing an old car back to life. And anything that’s almost 30 years old, even with low mileage, is going to need some TLC for regular use in 2026. Certainly scooting around in a 145 Cloverleaf sounds a fun enough prospect to spend some money on one - especially as it’s just £6,499 to start with…

SPECIFICATION | ALFA ROMEO 145 CLOVERLEAF

Engine: 1,970cc, four-cyl
Transmission: 5-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 155@6,200rpm
Torque (lb ft): 138@4,000rpm
MPG: 30
CO2: 210g/km
First registered: 1997
Recorded mileage: 76,000
Price new: £14,884 (1996)
Yours for: £6,499