Alfas in Italy

[LukeC]

I've just returned from 4 weeks holiday in Italy.

I will not bore you with how much damage was done to the finances with my wife's spending on Italian leather goods...  But, I thought people may want to hear about my experiences with driving and Alfas while I was there.

I hired an Alfa Giulietta TDi from Europcar for around $1200 ($1300 if you count some bogus charges that we were not informed about before picking up the car) for 28 days. Quite reasonable I thought though. I am not sure if the car was a 1.6 or 2.0, but the engine was more than grunty enough without being a rocketship (like the wife's BMW). Over 5500 km in 4 weeks in probably averaged about 5.5 l/100 km with all sorts of driving conditions. The engine was a bit gruff, but I normally drive: a Subaru outback (very smooth 4 cylinder petrol engine). Unfortunately when I asked if I had a choice of colour (hoping for red) the rep said I had a choice of grey or grey... Dang! I have never driven a manual left hand drive car in 30 odd years of driving, so that was challenge 1: and after the flight from Australia having to drive from Milan to near Verona, I was a bit nervous. All went OK, apart from my GPS (to which I had downloaded Italian maps to before we left) dying about 15 km from our destination... My mistake in assuming that a Garmin GPS charges from a 5V USB adaptor... Luckily my limited Italian got us to my destination and the local supermarket had cheap Tom Toms.

The car itself was comfortable, competent, had enough rattles and squeaks to let you know it was not German (sorry: I can't help but compare it to my wife's BMW M-Sport 123d) and had a surprisingly big boot. Once I got used to the changing gears with my right hand and the characteristics of the TDi engine, the 6 speed box was nice to use. The steering was completely without feel, but nicely weighted. I did not play with the DNA control as the owner's manual (which probably would have been in Italian) was not in the car. I had to do an internet search to work out how to turn the passengers airbag on (other markets can turn off this function so that small children can be carried in the front seats). I would love to try out the performance QV version as a comparison!

Driving in Italy was nowhere near as stressful as I thought it would be. The drivers in general were competent, and not precious as far as their road space and following road rules (less so in the south). You just must be assertive and flow with the traffic. I only got honked at a few times: when I did some really stupid stuff, or drove up one way streets... I was generally surprised that people do not use the horn much, even in Rome (however, I only drove in, left the car in a car park close to the ZTL for four days and then drove out). On the Autostrada, one MUST stay in the appropriate lane or risk getting flashed for slowing faster traffic. Parking was always a challenge, particularly in major cities and the Amalfi Coast! Talking of the Amalfi Coast, driving was a challenge in nerves, patience and spatial judgement. Only a moron (or a mindless poseur) would drive a Ferrari or large car on the Amalfi Coast by choice... One can rarely exceed 40 km/h on the stretch of road between Sorrento and Salerno. Most bends have mirrors on posst so that you can see what is coming around the blind corners. Many buses ply this road along with locals, trucks, rubber-necking tourists, insane locals on motorcycles and motor-scooters riding as though they have death wishes, super-fit cyclists (none of which ride with helmets). People stop everywhere to talk, take pictures... you name it. One can't relax for a second! Some places the road is so narrow, a bus and car can only just pass with mere millimetres to spare... But, for us the somewhat dubious "experience" of the drives around this area were worth scenery the here. Last day: I drove the wrong way down a one way street that I had seen the Polizia drive the wrong way (and abused me for going the right way) the day before!? I got pulled up by the locale community Polizia: "License please, I have to give you a ticket..." Here sir: (international license)... He inspects and after a couple of minutes (as per my prediction) "I decide you can go this time" (too much trouble...).

I tried to see the Alfa Museum. I rang and first asked generally if I could get entry, to be told flatly that it was not possible as it was closed. I also tried my trump card from my local industry contact, to no avail. It would have been nice...

As for as Alfas were concerned on the roads: I saw about a dozen 75s: most were 1.6 carb models, a couple of 1.8s and a couple of Twin Sparks (including a very sad specimen at the Tronchetto car park in Venice). I only saw a few 155s: this surprises me as they are newer than the 75 (the only one I got a close look at was a 16V). Only a few 164s and several 166s. I think I only saw 1 or 2 916 GTVs and half a dozen GTs. A couple of Breras, lots of 147s, 156s, Mitos, Giuliettas, 159s (particularly wagons), several 33s (including a series 1, mostly series 3 including a S3 wagon), several spiders including a boat tail (all on the Amalfi Coast), and quite a few 145s and 146s (all down south).

Oh, and as I was driving into Rome: It was pretty busy and I was making sure I was not getting in anyone's way staying in the middle lane, a grey 4C when past me like I was standing still. I only recognised it from the ¾ rear as it passed by. I pulled out in the hope that I could get a better look but it was at least 100 metres gone by the time I could get out into the fast lane safely.

I saw a wide body step-nose race car with GTAm style 13" wheels on a trailer while on the way to Assisi on route to Rome.

While on the Autostrada on the way to Venice, I saw a car carrier with four pre-war Alfa Romeos. One could surmise that these cars where from the Alfa Museum on route to a display or car show.

Other notable cars and car stuff I saw were: An immaculate Lancia Fulvia sedan driving down a country lane by an elderly couple. About four Ferraris of differing ages covered in months of dust in the Villa Borghese public car park in Rome. The lack of cars with colour was a surprise: mainly shades of grey. The astounding numbers of original Fiat 500s (not the new ones) still on the road on the Amalfi coast (like literally 100s... possibly 1000s of them!) but nowhere else. A Lancia Fulvia Zagato race car. A SERIOUSLY overheated Ferrari 328 GTB halfway up the Stelvio Pass. I was also very surprised to see how popular the Lancia brand is in Italy (more so than Alfa by the numbers of cars on the road). I also saw the some of the Chrysler range badged as Fiats and Lancias (e.g. the Chrysler 300 is sold as the Lancia Thema in Italy).

The cars were certainly not the highlight. But as a person interested in cars, it was fun spotting Alfas and other European cars of interest.

Will post a couple of pictures soon.

[extraball]

thanks, excellent write-up

[Garibaldi]

Excellent review Luke. I was thinking of going to Italy next year and was not sure whether to drive when I was there. After reading this I think I will give it a go.

[kartone]

An alfista pondering whether to drive while in Italy ! That's like wondering what to do when Zeta Jones sits on your lap. Go for the experience!

[Evan Bottcher]

Top write-up! Sad to hear the Museo is still a no-go :-/

[colcol]

Kartone, Catherine Zeta Jones was used for advertising the 156 when it was launched, i wonder if the Money Camera disease has taken over Italy yet, as the Goverment is also broke, Colin.

[Evan Bottcher]

Is that Catherine's sister?

[LukeC]

Widebody 105: Can't make out if it had GTA door handles. Didn't look like a big budget outfit...

[LukeC]

Cop car:

[LukeC]

Stelvio pass: Something like 47 hair pins bends in 15 km to get to the highest paved pass in Europe (2700 m). Would have been great apart from the swathes of other people "enjoying" the road. Didn't quite live up to what I had in mind. There were better roads to be driven.

At least I could set my GPS car to be red!

[LukeC]

Some guy trying to get some of to prestige of "my" Alfa rubbing off on his bucket at the car park overlooking Florence.

[LukeC]

Another day of traffic in the town we were staying in on the Amalfi Coast (Praiano). And then how else do you relax after a nerve testing day driving, but kick back with a birra or two and watch the sun go down over Capri.

[LukeC]

Never mind spotting for Alfas, Ferraris and other exotica: keep your eyes peeled and you may spot something like this local babe on the road around Lake Garda...

[oz3litre]

Nice write up Luke. We also thought it was strange how there were very few coloured cars in Italy when we lived there for six months in 2002 and eleven months in 2005. It was nice to drive into Austria and see reds, yellows, greens etc. I did take a photo of a stunning yellow Testarossa in Padova though. I loved driving in Italy and, like you, found the drivers to be very skilled and courteous. I covered 31,500 km in a Volvo 480 turbo we bought. You saw a lot more 75s than we did. We did see a lot of 33s and Fiat 500s and the Carabinieri were still driving some 155s and of course, 156s. We almost bought a 164 twin spark from one of our landlords on our second stay, but his wife wouldn't let him sell it. We were looking at a 155 1.7 as well, but couldn't strike a deal with the dealer. We ended up getting our Volvo back for free from the lady we sold it to the first time. We saw our first 159 in Orvietto towards the end of our second stint in '05. There are some stunning drives there and I loved the way they drove fast.