Why The 75 Was A Sales Success But Still Part of ALFA's Decline
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- čas přidán 1. 06. 2024
- Today I Drive The Alfa Romeo 75 Cloverleaf and consider if despite the flaws that marked it, the last real Alfa Romeo is worthy of the name. When it was released Alfa only had one more year before being sold off to Fiat. IS the Busso V6 enough to make up for other shortcomings?
- Auta a dopravní prostředky
I’ve had a lot of cars in my time , including an M3 CSL and 911 Porsche’s of various vintages, however the most memorable car I’ve ever owned was an Alfa 75 3.0V6.
I came across it in a specialist official Alfa garage , sitting inside in the corner , just after being insurance accessed after being stolen to be used in a professional bank robbery , not the usual unrepairable destroyed joyriders car , which was the more normal thing here in Dublin in the mid 1990’s.
Estimate per insurance assessment was Damage to The front bumper torn off , exhaust torn off , ignition burst off , special heat resistant battery was goosed too, and some bodywork scratches from where during the getaway it was driven through a wire fence .
Anyway the repair estimate was for about £8 k at the time, and the car would have being worth in perfect condition about £7500 in original condition.
I couldn’t believe my luck to land it for lot less than £1 k , The garage was stuck for space.
I had a wedding to go to in the west of Ireland a week later and I was determined to bring this V6. So the pressure was on big time to get it on the road.
Got it delivered, Straight up to my exhaust man , for a custom made exhaust, (genuine one was unobtainable and stupid dear in 1995)
My genius exhaust man made up a much more free flowing unit than the £1500 plus vat for an Alfa one , and a great bonus was we let it under the rear axle rather than squashed over, and used a Jaguar back box , which made for an unbelievable sound and I reckon a lot more power.
this and fitting a standard non insulated battery saved me about £1800.
I cable tied on the front bumper temporarily , which was cosmetically quiet successful, and I made up a push button starter and detachable ignition switch to replace the burst key ignition, and off with me to the wedding for the weekend.
My wife still slags me almost 30 years later , for reaching up to the switches beside the rear view mirror to let down the windows to hear that magical busso sound , every Single time we exited a small town heading for the west of Ireland on our pre motorway pre Celtic tiger back B roads.
To this day she can recognise a busso V6 on CZcams!!! Sight unseen.
We had a fantastic weekend in the car for the wedding weekend and a week afterwards.
Sideways around Sligo.
When I returned home a young mechanic got wind of this super machine bought it from me “as is “ for an offer I couldn’t refuse.
The profit payed my mortgage for at least a year on our newly acquired house with a new baby.
So happy days in every way , and totally logical to part with it.
But I will have another.
our west of Ireland roads with mid 90s trafic (almost zero) in that car NOW THAT WAS FUN
Balls of steel: When you decide to rob a bank AND pick an Alfa 75 as your getaway car. Put Stevie Wonder behind the wheel for the ultimate trifecta!
There’s nothing like them, so full of character and a superb drive, miss mine like it was a close relative that I lost!
I have just put one back on the road its a v6 will a bush button start on it could be your old one lots of paper work and one staying about it being stolen
Alfa Romeo's always come with a story, and one of the reason's why I'll always love 'em. Always Looking For Another.
Boy that 75 sounds magnificent! A V6 with optional leather trim, the peak of the 75 range but also a version that was rarely seen on Italian roads in period, due to our notoriously punitive taxation on anything above two liters. Great review Jack, by the way!
Taking a glass half full view that also meant Alfa was inspired to create some interesting alternatives later on like the turbo charged 2.0L Busso V6 in the 164, 916-GTV/Spider and the 166. Sadly we never received any of those engines in Australia.
💯💯
Oh but the four cylinders sound even better, to my ears.
The original launch in the UK was a 1.8 version and a 2.5 V6 Green-cloverleaf. The 2.0 twin spark and 3.0 V6 came in 1987.
That v6 IS A GARBAGE, Slow and Thisty. The ONLY engine option which makes 75 a pretty fast saloon is 1.8 dohc turbo (150/155bhp stock)..
"busso" were garbage engines in all versions, latest 3.2 are included. Poor efficiency per cc, low reliability, very low performance.
I was living in Dubai and my daily was a 2.0TFSI. Awesome car, fast, DSG, everything automated, no complaints whatsoever. Went back home for vacation after a year. My dad has one since new and I asked for the keys to go for a quick run. I started yelling out of excitement in the first minute, from the house to the garden gate. Just starting it up, hearing the roar, putting 1st gear, and enjoying the burble from the exhaust. People that drive new cars cannot realise the difference between how much these older cars (pure machines with no computers, no matter their shape or number of doors) speak to you and make you feel, how alive and playful they are, despite the "flaws", which anyway anything that gets old will have versus the advanced new, so it's an odd argument for me.
As the owner of a 2.5 V6 156, and having previously owned a 164, 166 and 90s GTV all with the 24V V6, I must say I think that these early busso 12v v6s in the 75 and GTV6 etc sound even better than the ones that came after. There is something very "trumpety" in the sound of them.
If you can get past the boxy wedge look (which I happen to like ) the 75 is a mechanical masterpiece. Rear transaxle, de Dion suspension, inboard brakes for lower un sprung weight. It’s definitely on my want list
It's 75% an Alfa SZ hehe
It is still an old car, even though it is an interesting combination of technology.
I really like the design too
@@worldhello1234 and in many ways more sofisticated then most modern cars. Also, no cars today are made with so few compromises… Expensive to make, yes, but they could just do it in those days. Even if it bankrupt Alfa Romeo
Boxy is foxy.
I had both the Twinspark and the 3.0V6 Veloce back in the day. Jano at Autodelta did work on both, but at the time we both had v6’s, his had Koni and mine had Bilstein. I had the torsion bars, springs and anti roll bars uprated drilled and groves discs front and rear, plus Autodelta’s exhaust and lots of subtle engine mods. I wish I had never sold that car, it had so much dry road traction that while BMWs and 944s were struggling to get off the line, I was gone. Changing direction was so precise and it could be abused with predictable results. There’s a reason they kept them as training cars at the Nurburgring until very recently and still have a few apparently. Magnificent car and makes me hanker for another one! Thanks for making me smile, with a tear in my eye for the most fun car and I’ve ever owned! I’ve driven lots of great cars since and currently drive an RS6, but nothing put a smile on my face like the last real Alfa, my never forgotten and much missed 75! It’s been long overdue that you did a video on one and I can tell by the look on your face just how much you enjoyed it! Thanks Jack!
Fantastic guessed comment. Now fortunately we have at least the Giulia left, which is the reinterpretation of a similar character
Loved the 164 from back in the 80s. Always thought the 75 was too boxy. That Busso engine though is a true masterpiece. I remember getting overtaken by a GTV 2.5 V6 when I was in my XR3i in 1988. It sounded amazing as it flashed past. I've always loved Alfa's.👍👍
I had 2x 164 Cloverleafs. A 12 valve and a 24 valve. Both fabulous cars.
Conversely to most people , I absolutely adore the styling , especially in the UK Cloverleaf spec as your driving. When Alfa replaced the 75 with the 155 , in the early 1990’s, the head of Alfa was asked why they went to FWD , he replied the handling characteristics would suit more people. Whilst that was understandable for mainstream drivers , it’s quite surprising how many owners were not so happy with the 75 replacement. The truth , of course, was the 155 was so much more economical to produce -it takes , on average one third of the time to produce a FWD car than a rear drive due to the engine /gearbox/ axle / front suspension assembly can be installed in one manoeuvre, on a subframe thanks also to macpherson strut suspension. I have owner 2 Alfa 75 models , one Twin Spark and one 3 litre V6. The TS is more fun to drive with even better balance due to the lighter engine and the fact it revs higher, just like you imagine an Italian car to be, whereas the V6 in 12 valve form leaves you wanting for more top end ( the Rev range increased with the 4 valve per cylinder cars) , and the gear ratios are stepped up to mate with the extra torque. Road holding was still up to modern standards , being very advanced when the transaxle layout was introduced with the Alfetta saloon in 1972. The gearbox took some getting used to, 2nd being obtrusive til warm, a built in Italian car trait to warn you not to trash them from cold, same on Ferraris , Alfa’s and even various RWD Fiats of old , remembered same on my 132! Great car the 75, remember chasing and passing a Toyota Supra turbo , at a far unmentionable speed on the Stourbridge -Kidderminster road in my twin spark , and showing up some “wise -guys “ in a BMW 3 series. Different times, less policing , less cameras , great times. I could go on but really great cars , pity so few around now.
I'm with you - the Alfa 75 is my favourite Alfa and mainly because of the way it looks (plus the transaxle and Busso obviously!). I was a teenager when it came out, so it's right in my wheelhouse. I bought my '81 GTV after just missing out on a 3.0L 75, so I do have a transaxle Alfa but it definitely feels that it is an earlier generation design. I always have an eye open to see if a decent 75 comes along.
my 2.2 159 and 3.2 v6 166 both have the gearbox thing that it is hard to shift in 2nd especially while cold aswell
I am proud that my 3 75s, which I chose to sell to enthusiasts without looking at the maximum profit, are still on the road after years, and are now safe because they have become cult in Italy.
Car with a soul
What's not to.love about the last of the real Alfa Romeos RWD. I've owned 3 of them in Australia, all 2.5ltr ( 1 auto and 2 5 speed) and now chasing the 3 ltr. In Oz its called Potenziata and are very hard to come by now commanding upwards of $25k AUD but worth every penny. I miss my 75's and would love to get my hands on one again soon. Best driving car let alone the awesome sound of that V6 Busso 💪🇬🇸 🇮🇹
The De Dion transaxle was introduced back in 1972 on the Alfa Romeo Alfetta, a brilliant car. I drove a 1979 Alfetta 1800 for ±6 years and it never gave me any problems, always fun to drive and quite advanced for its time. This was a South African built car, assembled at the Brits factory not far from Pretoria. This plant was unfortunately closed down in 1985 due to poor economies of scale.
I lived in Germany from 1987 to 1994, and had two 75s as company cars, the first at 1 year old, was destroyed in an accident, and the second lasted for the next few years. Both 3 litres, and both red with black trim. 180 horsepower. Most memorable drive was from Koeln to the dolomites for a ski trip, and in Austria, the roads were covered with snow. The car's tyres were Pirelli P6s or P6000s, and the car was the most stable vehicle I have driven on such conditions. I hated the styling at the time, but really like it now. Can't argue with the sound of the Buso engine.
What kind of company does use 3.0 V6 75s lol, I'd wanna work there? :))
I had an Alfetta 2000 for just a year, but like you, I was amazed at it's stability - about the best I had driven on gravel!!
@@tonycust9247 Reminds me, my cars had Pirelli P6s, and I drove to the Dolomites from Koeln. Going through one area, the road was full of snow. No problem what so ever in the snow. Amazing car. Its traction was far better than the Mercedes' C classes I've owned since.
I'm an old italian Alfa's lover. The 75 was basically a facelifted Alfetta. Great car, great mechanic. Old good times. That v6 is one of the best engine ever regardless the power and specs. It has a soul, just a few engine in the world ever had a soul. This is one of the very few, it's incredible and it speaks to you.
It was a face lifted Guilietta , the doors are identical if you take the plastic caps off. The guilietta was itself based on the Alfetta floor plan.
♥
I had a 2.5 Milano in Canada. definitely the most fun to drive car I've ever owned. I looked for any excuse to go for a drive. And it wasn't the fastest car in the numbers. but, because of its engine and confidence-inspiring handling, I often made it the fastest car on the road.
A balanced car makes up for a lot on a fun road. I took my 944 out today and it always impresses me.
I did about 90,000 miles in a 75 Two Litre Twin Spark from 1989-91. Lets not forget this was the third saloon shell that used the running gear. It was a road car par excellence with impeccable manners and very nice power steering. The one area lacking was the brakes which I could get to fade without all that much provocation. The body shell was far better made than previous Alfas and the paintwork excellent. As to the electrics....they all seemed to have Bosch written on them....what can I say, but it was relays and the dreaded ARC system that played up, mainly telling you the brake pads were low when they were not. I had a wiper motor fail too ( bosch) The ignition and injection were faultless however and the Twin Spark engine was a joy and pretty bullet proof provided you changed the oil and didn't habitually over rev it.
Your face says it all. The smile. I remember that Alfa smile. I had 3 Alfas in the 70's and early eighties, and I remember beaming like that every time I got behind the wheel. I'm quite old now, but the memories. Ahhh!
Early 90's I was a student in Bournemouth and owned a series of 116 Alfa Romeos including a 75. I think it is a great car in all important aspects of a car. Great handling, great communication with the driver and although my cars were cheap student cars, they were solid and dependable.
However my last car was a tomato, gti 4x4 which I still have.
Thaks for showing the Alfa 75! I had the Milano version when I was in my 20's & loved it. I probably would still have, but it had a nasty collision with an 80kg deer in the woods of northern Wisconsin. Even great weight distribution won't save that!
Aren't alfas pretty rare in the U.S.?
@@alphatrion100 Well there is one dealer, Reina International, in Milwaukee but I think they stopped importing Alfas for a while.
That sound is superb.
The smile on your face driving it says it all.
I can't see any modern equivalent delivering that kind of smiles per mile.
Great video as usual jack.
Superb cars! I had a V6 75 followed by a TS Veloce with full body kit. Clive York (RIP) tuned the engine and suspension and it was the best handling car I've ever driven. So neutral, easy to drive fast and an ally, rather than wrestling with a monster. It also saved my life as I was the victim of a head-on in 1996. Solid build quality.
I totally agree with your guessed comment (I had 3 + 1 SZ).
The only flaw: to be an Alfa women did not like him (at least the Italian ones)😀
Every time I see one, the desire to have it returns.
All similar cars today
Thanks for revisiting these seldom talked about cars. I worked for a leasing company in the mid/late eighties and did a track day with Alfa Romeo UK at Donnington. Driving that era of Alfa was great (little did I know it was the end of an era). Get past it's looks and the 75 is immense fun to drive and the 164 wasn't bad and IMHO, truly a beauty.
I believe there is a guy in Germany who still runs a small fleet of 3.0L 75s as track specials for hire at the Nürburgring, and coaches people on how to drive the circuit. If you search YT there are some epic videos shot by folks in more modern and much more powerful cars totally unable to keep up with him.
@@johnphaceas7434 amazing that they’re still in active service, I’ll look out for that
Test mules in the late 60’s, released in 1972, add a V6 and a decade after launch win the euro championship 3 years on the trot. Car looks far better then most 3 box saloons from the period and culminated with the SZ (all be it breathed on) being able to pull 1.42 lateral G. I love everyone semi bagging alfas as it keeps them affordable.
Wowsers Jack that has to be one of the best sounding Busso's I've heard in a long time!! God that sounded mega at full chat, and made me laugh out loud like a big kid!! I think they do look better in Alfa Red, but then again don't all Alfa's!! 🙂 ...regardless though they still look stunning with that wide body kit on, and so quirky. It makes you realise how boring every car is these days as they all look so similar, whereas in those days we were spoilt for choice. Did I spot a lesser spotted Tomato parked up as you did a fly by?
I can honestly say I've never been a fan of the styling but from an engineering point of view I love the fact it has a trans axle and any Busso is a pure sensation overload.
I suppose we all have our favourite era of Alfa. I actually really like the 145/146 and 916 GTV6. I also really like the 156. Of course those are all front wheel drive so much less focused a drives car in some respects.
The Rosary on the mirror is a beautiful thing. No apologies need t be asked for it’s appearance. Beautiful car. Great presentation by you.
I very well remember these fantastic cars having seen a lot of them in the 80s in Milan when I was a student. Those were also the years of the most successful TV - series; "La Piovra"... great actors, lovely cars and a soundtrack by Morricone. Thanks for bringing back old memories!
And the 2.0 Twin Spark was even better balanced due to a slightly lighter engine. Loved my 75 and it was a great place to drive 30,000 miles in a year back in the 1990s!
A fantastic car! I used to have a 2.0 Alfetta which had the same transaxle set up as the 75. Not quite a Busso engine, but that Alfa Twin cam was a great engine with a great noise.
I've got a '81 Alfetta GTV 2.0L now - the 4 cylinder DOHC "Bialbero" is actually also a Busso design, but obviously not "the" Busso. I'm lucky enough to also have a 2.5L 24v V6 Busso-powered 156, and a 156 GTA with the "Bussone" (big Busso) 3.2L V6.
Actually's not a noise. It goes better with the word "sound". Which it truly is.
I had the same 3.0 V6 75. I believe in NZ the standard model was the 2.5. I loved it, free revving and on one occasion upset a BMW driver who couldn’t shake me off! I bought it from a dealer and when I sold it it went for more. Great video!
Sound out of last corner is fantastic. Not yet F1 but but the spirit is there!
I had a 75 twin spark in 1992 I bought it in an auction for peanuts ,ran it for a year , never missed a beat ,put it back in the auction and got my money back .
I loved it.
I love this era of Alfa designs, and what an engine! Great review.
Love it 😍 One of my favourite cars of all time. Takes me straight back to my time at Lisle's of Newcastle in the late 80's - the height of the 33/75/164 era 👍🏻
Had an 83 Giulietta 2.0 and this mechanically is almost the same, great cars to drive and had a fair turn of speed.
I'd have another tomorrow!
I had the pleasure of owning this in US trim with the 2.5 V6. There's no accounting for taste but I loved the styling. The V6 was a work of art. The handling was superb. The ergonomics, well there are French cars in my past so ... Sure there were quirks, and Alfa's didn't like you to skimp on maintenance. My mechanic was top notch and kept me in water pumps, cam belt tensioners, drive shaft donuts, and cam belts. Just a totally fun car to drive, one that invited you to become one with it. And I swear there was a little voice behind the dash that kept saying faster, faster, faster. Wonderful memories.
I drove rally’s in a 75 3.0 V6 in the Netherlands for 2,5 years before i bought my siërra cosworth 4x4!! The ford ia by far the better rallycar but i had the most fun in the Alfa!!! Only the syncromesch from the second gear was bad, every 1,5 rally it was gone but the engine , that busso V6………oef what a engine and then that sound!!!! Very Nice car, greats from the Netherlands , ramon
I had a 88 Verde in the USA which was the equivalent to your clover 🍀 except we had cloth Recaro seats. Absolutely loved the car including its quirky design. I looked at this over a e30 and it was my passion to the brand which allowed me to be a Alfa technician at the dealer level.
Congrats David and thanks for watching! Big wave to the USA 🇺🇸
That was a treat. I really love the sound of that engine. Makes me miss Fredo. I much prefer these looks into older niche cars than a lot of the newer hyper cars which I would never likely own.
That engine note just sends tingles down my spine. You're right; it is orgasmic. In its day I thought it was downright ugly but for years now the 75 has grown on me as a quirky, interesting character. Loving how it seemed to have wormed its way under your skin. Flaws and all. 😉
The 75/Milano is one of my favorite Alfas. Also love the gtv6, the busso is a jewel. I plan on getting one for sure. Also I prefer them way over the BMW. These have also more than doubled in value in the last few years. Also for the gearbox they make uprated synchros for these.
Plus if the linkage is sorted and all the bushes are done, then gearbox is fine.
@@simonelliott5956 Also you can quite easily shorten the throws
@@pereldh5741 yes I have a feeling that was done with mine, but it’s 30 years ago now, where has the time gone!
Reminds me of the Fiat Ritmo Abarth 130TC I drove back in 1985. It had those fabulous racing seats, and with those, you couldn't get to the back seats, but what a car back in those days.
Fiat & Alfa made fantastic cars in the 80’s/90’s. That Ritmo, the 105TC aswell as the Uno Turbo and the mental Croma Turbo geez that blew everything off the streets then
I had both the Strada 130tc and a Alfa 75 2.5 Cloverleaf in the 80s. Miss them both so much, they both made every outing a treat in the days before speed cameras became so common. A friend had a fully loaded 3 Series BMW with close ratio box and sports pack, the Alfa was so much more involving to drive and steer despite being a little down on power. I still remember that engine sound to this day. The Strada was still the only front wheel drive car that I ever found that could be steered on the throttle to overcome understeer .
Devine intervention at 1:37 on Harry's Bend! Magnificent car, 25 years ago I worked with a valetor who bought Rose Quartz coloured 75, Very different to the SAABs I drove but what a wonderful machine, very much more compelling then many of its contemporaries.
You just have to giggle out loud every time that thing revs up. :D It's like a parody of Italian cars almost. ... but not quite. Fantastic!
Cool. That wonderful leather interior, the rear shot with the valance hugging the rear are my faves as well as that engine plus all the owners books. When they went into Touring cars with the 155, with Tarquini, Larini and Nannini driving, it was one of the most stunning looking cars out there, notably in their works and Martini liveries. PS DeDion is pronounced Duh Deeon Jack, similar as was on my father's 1968 Rover 2000 Automatic, also with inboard rear disc brakes
I had an '87 2.5 V6. Once whilst visiting relatives in Berkshire we experienced 'ice rain' a weather phenomenon where the air temperature is far warmer than the ground temp'. In effect every stretch of tarmac was like black ice. The farm's driveway where we stayed was a little over quarter of a mile long and there was a huge gathering that day. Only my Alfa 75 and the farm's Land Rover could make it to the main Rd. Testimony to it's excellent weight distribution/balance.
Lovely sound! And nice to see the tomato briefly 😀
Holy crap!!That's the best sounding v6 I have ever heard. I bought a die cast of this in Switzerland when I visited EU in 84? I love it if I had 10 e36s I take them all for a nice one of these
Man, that sounds gorgeous! Nice one Jack
Thanks for that review, brought back some memories of some great drives. I've had 3 of those things all QVs regret selling them about a week later. A good one is a really nice drive
Great vid Jack, I remember seeing a 75 at the motor show in the 80’s and being blown away by that hand brake, looked like something out of an aeroplane lol.
Beast of a car - If you took the rear spoiler off a VW Sirocco mk1, turned it upside down, bolt it to the underside of the 75 front bumper, it's a perfect fit diffuser
The 75 has been used dozens of times in italian police movies car chase scenes, both as police or villains car. And that's for only one reason: this car is badass.
I had two of these. I'd still have the second one if it hadn't been stolen and dismantled at 18 months old.....
You learn how to use weight transfer, brakes and throttle, to switch between mild understeer and mild oversteer around that neutral point - a joy to drive. The BMW 325 I had afterwards was crude handling in comparison.
Great video Jack as ever, yes it produces a great sound, I remembered the (now) Vaux Zafira style handbrake, plus the oddities of de dion axle as per Aston Martins of the time.
I agree with you regards it being the last proper alfa, in a way that the Delta was the last sort of proper Lancia. I do like the 75,my dad did fancy one, but the reliability of it always put him off. I quite like the 164/9000/Thema/croma model as whilst it was one of the first platform sharers, the cars were all quite different, if you think of the Cloverleaf 164 with shiny engine bits, the Thema 2.0 16v and Turbo, 8.32 and the 9000 turbos obvs, croma 16v too. Maybe you should do a group test on them all , if you could get hold of them?
Have a great Christmas and best wishes for 2022, my only suggestion is Rocco makes a special guest appearance!!! Ben 🚍🚌🇬🇧🇮🇹
Fabio, che spettacolo! Thank you for bringing it to the channel Jack!
Thx again.1. I didn't know it was a government leaded company, its a transaxle, and it sound is so amazing. As i am not on insta,my Review question is a Porsche 924S, aswell a transaxle with 2.5 Liter 4 cylinder, well balanced and once ,or still unloved and underestimated cars. I own one and love it.cheers juergen
I had a 75 twin spark (my first Alfa), followed by a 156 V6. Quirky as it was, I agree, the 75 was the last real Alfa and I enjoyed driving it so much more than the 156 (even with that Busso). Just so we’ll balanced. Great to see this tuned up 75 V6 here! I’d get one tomorrow if I could find/afford one!
BUT, I’d love to see a review on the 70s Alfettas, especially the GTs. I think they’re underrated, but would be great to see your take on them, for us fellow alfisti!
Wait... at 2:14 is that the Tomato sitting roadside??? What a glorious exhaust note! That V6 is magnificent. I came very close to picking up a manual 164LS back in the day. Rather glad I didn't get it as servicing in Canada would have been difficult.
Lovely noise as always. Possibly the last Alfa. I've seen people on the forum describe it as "Fiat witchery", meaning they changed all future cars to FWD.
I love the look of the 75. Nothing wrong with boxy in my view 🙂
Nice review, and very on point. I have a 2.0 TS as a retro daily driver during summertime. Very usable, and incredibly well balanced. Love it to bits!
Great review!! This is a QV/Potenziato with a Veloce kit. So it has the Bosch Motronic EFI and should be the same as the 164 (6300 rpm). The older, 87-89, 3.0 had L-Jetronic EFI and revs to 5700 rpm).
indeed, if I remember right the UK dashboards didn't have the redline changed for the QVs....typical Alfa!
I do think the rev limiter is the same tho? But the power peak is higher on the 192hp ones
Hence why the revcounter is the same (they were in the rest of Europe too)
@@pereldh5741 long time ago I asked a QV owner, he said > 6000 rpm. Almost all the Alfa V6 Motronic I know off redline at around 6300 rpm. You can look a this very old video he goes to around 6300 rpm in 3rd I think
czcams.com/video/tZ5rK0oJR8g/video.html
@@155stw Thanks, looks like we change gear about the same place (185hp America)
Great video again Jack !! I would to see some specs on the cars you review like horse power, torque, price when built and current value. Just a one pager, would be really great!
Great video Jack, I remember my father owned a couple of 75s & 164s and loved them but the frustrations usually had him buying a 3 series in between!
Thanks Jack another great video. Suggestions on future cars. Toyota Supra. MkII 82-86or a MkIII
Loved the ending. Saw a MK1 Mondeo saloon today. Thought of the channel. Lol head was screaming "Mansel" spec.
Rendered it in my head all the way home.
Perhaps that blue, but without decals and have it looking like some kinda homologation special...🤤
Superb vid. Lovely sound! Thanks.
Having owned and tracked an V6 75, I can say with authority that its important to think about rotors and pads BEFORE track use as the DeDion rear rotors will glaze with any real use. Otherwise, super fun and excellent super touring car that can surprise more exotic fare - especially in the rain.
I tracked my Milano 2.5 Gold non ABS. I was at intermediate level. Yes, in the rain, my 3rd track day was in the rain , unfortunately I spun out, two many times, got red flagged and was done for the day. I like the 'Milk truck' styling as a competitor on the track called it in the pits. Mine was a somewhat weekend driver, not a track car setup. Still enjoyed the experience of it.
Nice content today :) warms my heart while my 75 is waiting for spring
Great review Jack. I had a 75 LE with the 2 litre twin spark and Recaro interior. It also had the Harvey Bailey handling kit on it which made the handling great fun. Check out the racing car versions of the 75 from period.
The longitudinal Bussos always sound better due to the equal length downpipes. You can attempt to fit them to transverse cars but ground clearance is an issue - they do transform the sound though.
Also the 12V engine have a lot sweeter sound than the 24V
That's funny about his grandmother insisting on the rosary beads. When I bought my first 156, after about a month of ownership, I detailed the interior and found a miraculous medal in the ashtray, put there by my grandmother lol
I owned the 1.6ie version (the 1600 was the most popular version though never sold in the UK) when I lived in Brussels. It was a lot of fun to drive despite how little power (120bhp?) it had due to that balance and part of the charm of driving it was maintaining the momentum. A quirk of all(?) 75s is that the heated rear screen is powered through a cheap 16-pin wiring connector under the footwell carpet. The high power of the rear screen on my car would overheat the connector, taking out the pin next to it, which happened to power the fuel pump! It took me ages to discover why the car wouldn’t run when it rained (rear demister on)! Every subsequent 75 I looked at had the after-market repair of that pin bypassing the connector! You have to love those quirks. Fab car a SO Alfa Romeo with those uncompromising engineering bits (inboard discs, de Dion etc) and crazy switch gear.
My old mans 1987 75 3.0 torched itself when 2 years old because of a problem with the heated rear screen
As a man approaching 50. I grew up with Alfas. My father loved them. I own three myself. He had two 75s. A 3.0v6 and a 1.8 twin cam. As a 21yr old he used to let me drive both. The v6 used to dig in and handled really well. The 1.8 was terrifying in the wet, used to scare me. Possible the 13inch steel wheels with big bulbous tyres!! I now have several old cars which include three alfas, a jaguar xk8, and a renault 5. The alfas offer something other cars dont!!!
That engine! Reminds me of why I loved these as a kid and cars in general. So much character.
Looks like Harry Metcalfe’s favourite road. Always liked the 75 V6. Nearly bought one once. Something more truly Italian about them than a Ferrari.
I had a 2lt one of these as a private rental car in Italy around 2000. It was hot, the AC didn't work, and it took me a day or two to find the front window switches! But like all Alfas, absolutely FUN to drive.
So happy you reviewed a 75! I always wanted to buy one in the 90s but had various sport model Fiats instead. I have a 1988 Ducati Paso to satisfy my need for quirky 80s Italian vehicles now 😂
This car is so much fun for peanuts. The engine goes way past 5500 rpm Jack, the readline starts yellow 5500 and the cut out is at 6400 rpm, I belive. Anyway glad you loved it and makes videos about the classic Alfas. Oh, this sound is just wonderful. I am happy to own a 156 gta. Great video!!
not peanuts any more unfortunately
@@benzinapaul7416 compared to much other stuff l would say so. But finding one?😬 Difficult
You have a great and classy way to introduce cars, it is joyful to listen to your presentations.
Remember the first time I saw one on good old top gear, wanted one ever since 😍 great video dude 👌👊 wasn’t expecting to see this on a Monday evening lol.
Another great video Jack… That V6 sound track.Wow!
I had two Alfa 90’s, a 2.5 and a 3.0, the most fun car I ever owned!
Do you still have the briefcases?
@@marksaunders8915 no, I never owned one unfortunately, I bought the cars without them.
awesome video, like your personality the best, your passion is there to see and makes me want to get one..how about test driving a 944 s2 or 968, lovely czrs that they just don't make anymore and plus my biggest regret is selling my gorgeous black 944 s2 for peanuts a few years back
Wow. That sounds amazing! My mate had one of these and I always marvelled at the handbrake! I’ve forwarded your vid on to him. 👍🏼😃
Just heard back from him. He had a twin spark v6.
Nice one, Jack! My dad had a beautiful 75 V6 Veloce in the early 90s. As a 10 year old car nut in the passenger seat, I would act as chief gear changer whenever permission was given. I can confirm that the gearshift was vague, with a pretty long throw. I remember being dazzled by the handbrake lever and black-on-red digital displays. It sounded fantastic, too.
Nice review Jack, more of this kinda stuff please!
I'm absolutely amazed this car hasn't completely rusted away, it looks and sounds amazing. It was in '91 I desperately wanted a new Alfa 164 T-Spark so the looks are somewhat familiar. My boss said no as it would be worth nothing after 2 years, he was right of course! I ended up with the new shape (at the time) Audi 100, it had amazing build quality but none of the soul of the Alfa.
Malcolm, the finish and rust protection was pretty good on my 89 75. They did eventually start to rust in the rear wheel arches, but no worse than any other car. The 164 was exemplary for not rusting and few cars of any make have bettered it. Later Alfas are not a disgrace, but nowhere near as rust resistant as the 164. You are right about residual prices. They were catastrophic, and unfairly so looking back. People loved their BMWs and that was that. I must be strange as I have always found BMW to be a triumph of style over substance and not that good quality. Just look at You Tube and see how and why they go wrong.😆😉
Great video Jack - resubscribed. You bring such a neat perspective when you do car reviews!
That sound! Brought back fond memories of my old Alfasud 5M! But less fond memories of my 166!
A great review Jack. Noticed the Tomato even had a short cameo appearance!!
That engine, just sounds right 👍, I think the styling has aged well, always liked the 75, never had the guts to buy one though 😂
I remember reading about these and how they use a transaxle which many are more familiar with in the front engined Porsches, but that they have the clutch at the opposite end, down the back - it means the propshaft turns at engine speed which is interesting! (so its really interesting you mentioned a lightweight flywheel, as the whole shaft assembly is acting like a flywheel!).
The propshaft turns when the engine starts. Didn't own a 75 but did own an Alfetta that have the same layout. The propshaft is a tricky thing to maintain (at least here in Malaysia then, in the 80s).
The propshaft uses 3 universal joints or 'donuts' as we called it; one at the engine, one in the middle, and one attached to the gearbox at the rear. With the propshaft constantly spinning, the donuts are prone to wear and tear; the problem was, not many mechanics (in Malaysia back then), had the tools nor the skills to replace them properly.
If not installed properly, the propshaft will go out of wank after three or four engine starts. The annoying thing with this was the propshaft will emit a clunking noise and becomes louder as it loses more of its balance.
Thats not to mention the vibration that came along with it and transmission of power to the tarmac was not at the optimum level. But still beats lots of the other motorcars of the era in terms of handling.
WOW. I love it so much. This is one of the cars that hit me big when young and I still love them. If only they all sounded like this one!
Great video again , love the sound of the busso. Was that the tomato parked at the side of the road? Alfas have so much character, which usually means they break down alot.
If you're going to have a 75, black is the way to go, it hides that broken back image they project. I've never owned one but did own a GTV6 which is the same car underneath. I think the 50/50 weight distribution is a bit overhyped. There's a long polar moment kind of like a cheerleader's baton so while it's a stable cruiser it doesn't particularly like to turn until it does and then it doesn't like to stop turning. You can definitely spin one out - ask me how I know. I don't think the Fiat acquisition meant the end of "true" Alfas, the 164 was certainly an Alfa despite the FWD and Italian cars had always shared the same bits like door handles, tail lights, knobs, levers and switches. Also, Fiats were pretty darn good cars in their own rights at the time.
I think the Fiat takeover started well (145/146, 155, 164, 147 and 156 were great, 166 was alright and 159 looked awesome but was kinda not great otherwise), but just like Fiat stopped caring about Lancia in the late 90s, they stopped caring about Alfa in the mid 2000s. Now both brands suck, sadly. The Giulia/Stelvio is amazing, but it's overpriced compared to the competition and not any better, not to mention they're their only models; Alfa at least had a fuller lineup in the early 2000s. I really think Stellantis should sell Maserati to Ferrari, because having three luxury brands, with none of them with at least a decent lineup isn't doing them any good; even then, they'd still have to shuffle Lancia and Alfa somehow, as well as bring out more Fiat models.
When the Alfetta was introduced there were only two trans axle cars in production, the Ferrari Daytona and the Aston (DB6?). The Alfetta was the first mid-price car with that layout. Within a few years Porsche introduced the 924 and 928, Volvo the 340 ( Danish Volvos), then Ferrari reintroduced trans axle models, Corvette C5, Maserati, etc. Alfettas and descendants have great traction and stability, and they respond wonderfully to suspension tuning. You can toss them into oversteer, but you have to toss them hard, the high polar moment gives you time to catch the slide when you want. Your spin, if it happened under turn-in and braking, may have been due to the rubber bushing in the triangle's forward apex. Replacing it with a uniball is a good mod. Replacing the castor pads with 105 ball joints is cheap and worth it.
That version of the Alfa 75 V6 was also very rare in Italy. The fact remains that the "75" was the last Alfa Romeo. Suffice it to say that the next model produced by the factory, after joining the fiat group, was the Alfa Romeo 155 ....... based on a Fiat Tempra platform (..... boh ....) and with a fiat engine (. ... boh .... again ....). For an old Alfa Romeo fan, the video is both a pleasure and a pain, however THANK YOU
Love your choice of car to review. I never warmed to the 75 as it was the ‘replacement’ for the Alfetta GTV down this way. How stupid of Alfa to discontinue the GTV. Love your enthusiasm for the car and that engine. What a glorious noise.
What great heritage!! Both you and the car!!
I have a 1978 Alfetta Sport Sedan. absolutely love it. I just picked up a GT today. Runs and drives. I get it next week. I'm home with Covid. Should I name the car Influetta?
honorable mentions for the 156, 166 and GTV 916 for being really great Alfas that live up to the heritage of the badge.
I own a 159 1.8 and love it.................................. but its a Vectra underneath. Makes me smile though (has also left me on the side of the road more then once)
1:57
My mother gave me her St. Christopher medal to protect me when I became a driver 40 years ago. It was given to her by her parents when she learned to drive in 1956. It’s never left my key fob through 8 cars all these years. I’m not religious, but it’s enormously important to me.