Proper Alfa Romeo

[colcol]

In todays Age the liftout motoring section, Drive has in its Streetwise section, What's on around Victoria, they have a Article on the January 11th Alfa Romeo's owners club annual summer barbecue on the banks of the Yarra River from 6-30pm, located on Alexandra Parade, South Yarra, near Anderson Street Bridge, there is a picture of a proper Alfa Romeo, not a General Motors engined 159, not a Fiat engined 147-156, but a real Alfa Romeo, built in Italy, engines built in the same factory, all coming together in a package styled by Italian styling Guru, Guigario built for motoring enjoyment to the max, fun factor 100%, designed by the Genius the late,[and sadly missed] Dr Rudolph Hruska, who worked at the sports car division of Volkswagon, everyone salute and clap your hands, as there is a picture of the mighty ALFASUD, from the early 70's with the good looking blonde and the handsome man with sideburns, who else but Colin.

[Frank Musco]

Go the MIGHTY ALFASUD! Sounds like it's time for some sideburns...

[bix]

Hang on a tick, a "real" Alfa Romeo you say. The section on Alfasud in my book says "4 cilindri orizzontali contrapposti, anteriore longitudinale". Now I consider myself a true blue ozzie (despite immigrant parents, but that's another story) and my Italian ain't what it should be, but that statement to me indicates a possible front-wheel drive layout with an engine configuration not disimilar to a very well known German brand started by a chap know as Ferdy to his mates. Dang, it don't even have double overhead camshafts! ...and this fellow you talk about, Dr. Rudolf Hruska, ain't an Italian family name that I recognise.
Let me know what you are smoking Colin, cos I could do with some of that!

[colcol]

You just have to own one, drive one and race one to understand what it is all about, Dr Rudolph Hruska was an Austrian, but he brought along a lot of good engineering, the Alfasud could have been a bland inline 4 with pushrods and rear wheel drive, but they chose the right path that made it the best handling small car in its class, and after Rudy retired from Alfa Romeo he worked at an Italian university in engineering, Colin.

[Ray Pignataro]

Colin I believe it was referred to as the car of the dcade in the day.

[colcol]

And the only Alfa Romeo of the 70's that achieved that lofty award, hence the term 'Proper Alfa Romeo', Colin.

[aggie57]

chomp chomp!!

Or was that the rust.....

[colcol]

And Alfasuds used to rust and 105's, Alfetta's, Guillietta's, Fiat's, Lancia's, Ferrari's, Lamborghini's, Maserati's didn't?, All italian cars of that era were built of the same recycled rubbish steel that deputy Prime Minister Andreotti, set up a deal with the Russian's in exchange for Fiat technical know how to build Fiat's in Russia under licence and sold as hard to pronounce Russian cars and don't get me started on British cars, some Morris's and Vauxhauls were scrapped after 2 years, cause they couldn't pass their MOT's, isn't it great that competition between car company's has made rust a thing of the past, as built an unreliable rust bucket and you go broke, Colin.

[bix]

I'm not saying that the Alfasud isn't an awesome car, I was merely querying what made a 'proper' Alfa. At the time the Alfasud was launched in 1972, many people questioned it being a 'proper' Alfa ie. breaking away from most previously known & trusted Alfa design principals. Despite the catastrophic rust issues (which IMO still mars Alfa's reputation) it proved itself reliable with great prowess on the track selling over 800,000 units.
In the mid-eighties however, the State was unable to continue funding Alfa Romeo which always operated in the red.
We continue to poo poo Fiat, however without them, Alfa Romeo would be just another dead-brand such as Triumph or Rover. Despite a FIAT engine, the 156 won European car of the year and European Touring Car Championship in years 2000, 2001, 2002 & 2003. It sold over 650,000 units and guaranteed a few years more in the old brand. Not bad for an improper Alfa.

[alfagtv100 (Biggus)]

I'm not saying that the Alfasud isn't an awesome car, I was merely querying what made a 'proper' Alfa. At the time the Alfasud was launched in 1972, many people questioned it being a 'proper' Alfa ie. breaking away from most previously known & trusted Alfa design principals. Despite the catastrophic rust issues (which IMO still mars Alfa's reputation) it proved itself reliable with great prowess on the track selling over 800,000 units.
In the mid-eighties however, the State was unable to continue funding Alfa Romeo which always operated in the red.
We continue to poo poo Fiat, however without them, Alfa Romeo would be just another dead-brand such as Triumph or Rover. Despite a FIAT engine, the 156 won European car of the year and European Touring Car Championship in years 2000, 2001, 2002 & 2003. It sold over 650,000 units and guaranteed a few years more in the old brand. Not bad for an improper Alfa.

Good point. That could be why Colin owns a 156.

[aggie57]

And Alfasuds used to rust and 105's, Alfetta's, Guillietta's, Fiat's, Lancia's, Ferrari's, Lamborghini's, Maserati's didn't?, All italian cars of that era were built of the same recycled rubbish steel that deputy Prime Minister Andreotti, set up a deal with the Russian's in exchange for Fiat technical know how to build Fiat's in Russia under licence and sold as hard to pronounce Russian cars and don't get me started on British cars, some Morris's and Vauxhauls were scrapped after 2 years, cause they couldn't pass their MOT's, isn't it great that competition between car company's has made rust a thing of the past, as built an unreliable rust bucket and you go broke, Colin.

I actually owned a Sud once Colin.  1976 1.2 Ti in red.  Great car.  Wonderful.  Yes it had rust issues, but so did nearly every 105 and Alfetta then and now.  An Alfetta sedan I owned in the UK needed a new sill only 4 years after it left the factory.  I was having a friendly dig...no harm intended.  

Oh - that Sud I owned.  Sold it after 3 months and bought a proper Alfa - a 2000 GTV (he he!!)

[Ray Pignataro]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Cu4FGsJAJ-c#!
found this on you tube Colin enjoy

[colcol]

The 156 is a great car, 1998 european car of the year, Fiat motor, don't care JTS and TS great motors, 147, 2001 european car of the year, did all you Prius and Mondeo drivers hear that, our 147 is more worthy than yours,Colin.

[Sportscar Nut]

Believe Colin needs some more Sud support here!

Agree that when launched, the Sud was not regarded as a true Alfa and had rust issues (didn't all 70's cars such as Datsuns, Holdens & Fords) but over time, is clearly one of the great Alfas. The boxer motors spin more freely than the twin cam engines and the cars are far better handling than any 105. Seriously flawed but brilliant car and the most 'fun' Alfa ever built (like an Italian Mini).

I am probably in the minority here but hope Fiat sells the brand to Audi as believe is being slowly killed by Fiat and look at what Audi have done to Lambos. 8C & concept 4C appears to be an attempt by Fiat to keep some value in the old Alfa name (and copy Lotus with the alloy tub bonded chassis etc). 156 is okay for a modern car but so boring except for the chassis which is the last remaining link to true Alfas.

My 3 cents worth!

Paul

[aggie57]

Sud's are brilliant motor cars.   One of the best ever designed.  Period.   Just look at how practical they were as well as fun to drive and economical to run. 

In a way it was the workers in Turin who let the car and Alfa down.  If they'd understood how much potential it had and simply built enough of them to a decent standard things may well have worked out differently for the company.