Homologation Specials: 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce ‘Alleggerita’
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- čas přidán 25. 08. 2024
- Before the Second World War, Alfa Romeo’s racing program brought a steady influx of trophies into the company case, but the post-conflict reality dictated change in the industry. Production shifted away from luxurious low-volume sedans and sports cars into more plentiful and affordable machines throughout Europe, and Alfa Romeo’s answer was the Giulietta.
The standard models were good-looking, economical, and fun to drive, but they also helped the brand reestablish itself in the racing world by serving as a basis for high performance models like the car featured in this week’s film.
We join Alain de Cadenet in the snowy ranges of northern Italy for a look at one of the special Giulietta variants that helped underpin the brand’s reemergent motorsport profile: the Sprint Veloce. The Sprint Veloce took the beautiful Giulietta Sprint coupe designed by Franco Scaglione and upgraded it for sporting use, and customers could go a step further and spec a lightweight, or “Alleggerita” version like one profiled in the film.
The lightweight treatment included replacing the side window glass with plexiglass, the steel hood, trunk, and doors with aluminum, as well as the removal of the rear bench seat. The sound deadening was thrown out in favor of lightness too, and even the door of the glovebox was eschewed in pursuit of a better power-to-weight, while the higher-compression, dual-carb version of the inline-four made it so both sides of the ratio were improved in their own rights.
This Giulietta simultaneously stands as an example of the manufacturer’s post-war pivot and its earlier concentration on low-volume specialty vehicles, and if you think it’s something of an ideal representation of road-going Alfa Romeos we’d be inclined to agree.
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Alfas of this era are drop dead gorgeous.
Some are even drop head gorgeous!
Just a little advice: "Let's take a look at the engine" is supposed to be the camera operator's cue to look at the engine.
And they showed it!
My father was a lifelong petrolhead and was the sole agent for Alfa for a while in the 60's, and ran a specialist workshop for Alfa, Lancia and Fiat/Abarth in Cape Town. He rated his Sprint Veloce as his favourite car of his life, and he set his personal record of Joburg to Cape Town in 11 hours. Before the days of speed traps or traffic, of course.
Amazing 🙂thanks for sharing.
Alain is the consummate gentleman and the film work on this video is truly great art.
Alain De Cadenet brought a true spirit and passion for telling the story of the automotive industry and his love of the Vignt quatre du Mans!
I knew of him through Speedvision and his pit lane reporting in the 1990's and early 2000's from ESPN to Radio Le Mans. Sadly this new golden era of racing at Le Mans with all these manufacturer entrants opening up the coffers to bid for the most prestigious racing trophy in the world. Alain won't be around any longer to talk about or bring to life again the race that I love so much from a man with so much of it in him ever again.
Alain De Cadenet will not soon be forgotten by myself, his racing spirit lives on in everyone he had the pleasure to interact with and talk to; he will be thoroughly missed with a heavy heart.
Au coeur un souffle.
I fear that Alain is a dying breed now - old school classy gentleman, and a racer too.
The car, the presenter and the location, all make sense...
Beautiful car driven by a great presenter and driver..... more Alain!
Amazing how modern it is for a 1957
At first I didn't think I was going to like this video but as it went on, it grew on me. The final scenes where Alain de Cadenet is driving the car in the mountains are actually quite moving & they really bring home the fact that a well-sorted Alfa Romeo, of any model, is quite unlike any other car in the world! Well done Alain.
I can hear the *ROADSALT* eating away the lower third of the Alfa while driving through the scenic view. It looks beautiful, Franco Scaglione - Great design!
My first experience around cars was this car. My dad had a 1959 that he had got from his father in the late 60s after he was in a work accident. My earliest memories are handing my dad tools so he could work on it. It had a great smell inside...old musty leather and oil. It had a very loud exhaust as I remember, and we could tell my dad was on his way home way before we could see him. It really put the hook in me and I have loved Alfas ever since.
Alain always does a great job presenting these old gems. Hope we see a lot more of him on Petrolicious.
he passed
@@lucamiranda4048 Saddened by that news. Deepest condolences to his family and friends.
Alain de Cadenet. Pure class. The man with the superbly aristocratic French name and the most propah Brit accent possible...
Dear Mr. DeCadenet,
It has been far too long I've seen you review great cars, like this.
Please keep on doing this more. 😘
Alain RIP. Though I never met him he seemed like a friend sharing his love of all things automotive.
I much prefer this guy to that other rather obnoxious one. Have Mr de Cadenet do all the vintage car reviews on this channel from now on!
Mr. De Cadenet is particularly fond of Alfas.
Nice to see Alain back on the tube. Make me miss Victory be Design all the more.
Everything Alain de Cadenet is golden, give him a Alfa and well you got heaven!
great car, great video, and Alain de Cadenet, bliss for sure. Even at 75 he is still the perfect stand in for any owner who does not want to be in the video. He conveys why the owner(s) would have bought the car in the first place.
It’s possible he does on this very SV. He does own some Giulietta’s
Alfas are basically mona lisas on wheels. Once you look at one, say goodbye to your eyes cuz they staying there glued at the cars ass the whole time 🤣
An excellent review of a wonderful car. I drove one once, a Giuletta, much rusted, way back in the '70's and I still remember the special feeling. Another plus was seeing Alain de Cadenet, always able to make you feel that you are there with him.
By far and away, this is one of my favourite Petrolicious videos in a long time. Alain's presentation is impeccable, the videography is as good as ever, and the car is just so beautiful. Keep it up!!
Alfa Romeo..first love, best car name !!!
One of the most beautiful cars I've ever seen. Thanks for sharing
"How rare can those sandcast dcoe's really be?"
*checks google*
$8000
"OK"
I used to have a couple of those, sold them long ago for practically nothing.
@@3ducs haha ya dingus
@@CornflakesYognaut Like you've never done anything remotely similar , ya dingus. This was back in the 1970s, things were different back then.
Bella, Bella, Bella! Very nicely done. Just hearing the engine note-no annoying music-driving along a winding mountain road is pure emotional experience. Bella voce.
This channel just gave an huge step that was really missing, Alain is the perfect presenter with an amazing knowledge. Is english is brilliant, he caught the true essence of this stories, a real legend. Massive Congratulations for this wonderful video👏
Alain!!!!! I would listen to him talk about vacuum cleaner!!! One of the all time great presenters and a great car. Well done. I hope more videos with Alain happen
What words could we use to describe this car and this filmography?priceless....??congrats!!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Beautiful.
My first car, bought in 1967, was a 1964 registered 101 Sprint Normale. I learned a lot about rust repair through that car. General mechanics too. Those three leading shoe front brakes were interesting.
Why start talking about the engine.. if we cant see it properly. We are proper petrol heads, give us more meat!
i live between Futa pass and Raticosa pass, i have an old alfa in my garage and when i look at video like this all my life's problem immediately disappear.
Truely? I salute and envy you sir, well done.
@@christopherhughes2211 An Alfetta gtv. Not an homologation special, but however my dream's car. Pleased to invite you for a ride when you'll come to Italy!
If ever I’m in Italy I’ll take you up on that ride!
Rolling artwork and the perfect backdrop! 😍
The first car I positively remember in my life: when I was born my father had a 1900 Super but a white Giulietta Sprint is the first I remember (he bought a Sprint 'cause at that time the berlina was almost impossible to order).
Oh my I am in love with this Giulietta!
My very first car was a 1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint bought it used in 1967. Red of course and the engine had a brass tag that proudly proclaimed the engine had been dynamically balanced. Great car for a kid of 17. I thought I was Nuvolari just driving to high school.
Wonderful clip. Many thanks. Viva Alfa Romeo!
Lovely presentation of this wonderful Alfa.
Seeing Alain presenting takes me back abit, I used to watch the imfamous Jaguar documentary he did on repeat as a child!
In the age of 20, I restored an Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider from 1968. I kept the car for 8 years and used it for holidays in the south of Europe. Today I ´keeping a Porsche Boxster 987 with 56.000 km and feel much better with this car. It is much better and safer. For me, it´s more fun. I don ´t need welding tools any more, and I love the design, which is much more „roadster“ than the newer models.
Classic and classy ❤️
My dream car since college in the 80's. I settled on a Sprint Normale for awhile, but this video has rekindled the fire!
Museum: Where are you planning on driving this extremely rare priceless car, which is know for "rotting away very easily"?
Alain: On some snowy roads, preferably where they deposited a lot of road salt.
You think the owner is that stupid? That car Im sure has been detailed and protected with the most expensive products; the owner probably washes it everytime he returns to the garage, and stores it next to his other alfas
More Alain?? THANK YOU!!! Great to see you listen to your viewers requests! 😀
In the late 70's/early 80's, I was schooled on these cars, by my older neighbor. He began collecting and restoring them. Never forget the effect they had on me. Even then, seeing these Alfa's in Cleveland was rarity. and they seemed so exotic. When new, they were bought and owned by the affluent and educated up in Cleveland Hts and Mayfield Hts areas. The engine is nothing short of a little jewel/a baby Ferrari.
My dad used to own a 1960 SV. Such a great car ! We used to do several regularly rallies with it 😍
Work of Art!!
oh man how did I not see this before Alain De Cadenet hosted my favorite car show of all time Victory by design
This makes me want a third Alfa now!
Alain de Cadenet! So wonderful to see you. My favorite car presenter. I hope you are keeping well.
stunning
Beautiful car. I want one.
....a Car......a Narrator....and Photography!!....Spetacular!!
Amazing video as always! The Giulietta Sprint is one of my dream cars. Such an elegant design and great sound.
Outstanding.
Alain de Cadenet did it best.
Congratulations on the wonderful tribute. Beautiful alfa romeo
A true gentleman and a beautiful car
Superb presentation Sir......and the Italians and their engineers and stylists had no peer in the immediate post war years. None.
Les Griffiths
What a pretty little car. Put a smile on my face watching it..
ART!
I was going to click of thinking it was going to be the usual presenter. The I heard Alan speaking, he had my full attention. Love this guy presenting style🤗
A great little car I owned one from 66 to 68. Wish I had kept it.
Always enjoy Alaine. Always love alfas from this era. Thank you.
If you haven't already, watch "Victory by Design", especially the Alfa Romeo episode.
@@alfazedz1791 watched that series back when it was on tv. That's what introduced me to Alaine. Great series.
@@jked7463 Same here. He did such a good job. He drove 'em like he stole 'em in that series. He made me nervous and I don't even own the cars. He seemed to have a knack how to get the most out of each vehicle, not matter the era. I, like Mr. De cadenet, am partial to the Alfa badge, but I think my favorite car of the series may have been the Maserati "Birdcage".
@@alfazedz1791 agree totally with all you said. The rear engine (V-12?) jag race car was great also. Can't remember the name right now. I love the sound of the alfa double overhead cam engines.
@@jked7463 Yeah, it's been a while and I can't quite remember the Jag. Do you remember the era? I too like Alfa engine sounds, having driven a GTV6 for five years. It wasn't dual overhead cam (having a single overhead cam per each bank of cylinders, with a short, transverse pushrod operating the exhaust valves), but it was a narrow-angle V6 hemi and it sounded great to my ear -- like music -- mine was one of the least-used car radios in automotive history. If I recall, Mr. De cadenet said Alfas' exhaust tuning was his favorite. I still have all the old VHS tapes from when I recorded the episodes back in the day. Probably about as good looking as the vids on youtube (pre-HD).
Alain de Cadenet is great!
An episode with the Renault 5 Turbo would be amazing
or a peugeot 205 turbo 16
I could have swore he did one on the R5 during “victory by design”, but I can’t find it
Cammisa has that covered for you over at haggerty's channel
speechless, just speechless
no one had an eye like Franco Scaglione
What a magnificent car this is. Indeed one of the sorted out AR of all time
Alain has so much class, what a great story teller!
alain de cadenet!
One of my friends in high school had one just like in the video. We talked about it at a high school reunion. He wished that he never sold it.
The USP of this channel was having the owner s talk about there cars with a level of passion that just can't be replicated. There's something infectious about some so enthusiastic about there pride and joy. Please please go back to that format. I'd consider offering my car if that would help
Great video, more of these please!
Lovely car, lovely scenery and enjoyable video!
Thanks, nice video. In the late 60's we thought the motor mounts were F'd, until we saw that the trans mount was straight & engine was intentionally tilted!
felt so lucky to have an alfa,more lucky to take a veloce for whole lifetime
One of my all-time favourites - a treat of a video,
Thank you Alan!! Top notch, this one!
Car Specs: 124 hp, 1,290 cc DOHC inline four-cylinder engine with two Weber DC03 carburettors, four-speed manual transmission, independent front and rigid rear axle with coil-spring suspension, and four-wheel drum brakes. Wheelbase: 2,248 mm
Petrolicious, at least provide your fans with the much needed specifications of the car, especially when you show us the engine compartment. I forgot to search for the weight which could have provided context on power to weight ratio.
Great cars of that era.
Thank you for making this video nonetheless. L
Excellent Video!!!no disrespect Petro..but can we please!! Bring back Victory by Design!! No body does it like Alain when talking about these classics he's one of the best to watch!!
La Giulietta degli anni sessanta è stata sicuramente una delle auto italiane più belle del periodo,complimenti allalfa Romeo 🎉🎉🎉
2000 web surfing: what an amazing cinematic video about cars!
2021 youtube experts: missed the apex on that last corner...
Giulietta is so beautiful in everything and combined with the presentation by Mr cadenet i think i have stendhal syndrome, simply amazing
Alfa Romeo ❤😍❤
I am an alfista and I am touched to my core by seeing this car and hearing the engine sound and the story BUT please, let me know the brand and type of those sunglasses! Love them!
What a beautiful car
VICTORY BY DESIGN!
Very, very, very beautiful!
Beautiful video. Clearly still the artistic hand of Kika Vigo-Benhia in there!! How much we miss those videos...
Someone forgot to take off forging glasses after doing work for Sauron. Content awesome as usual.
Alfa’s and Lancias of the era retained their beauty, elegance, engineering genius and dynamism of earlier years, some might say they took it a few notches higher. Sadly this all ended all too soon.
I still last after so many of these Alfa and Lancias but it would be cruel to regularly use such wonderful creations year round in the UK because as we know they were made from old baked bean cans.
Che video spettacolare, ho la pelle d'oca ❤️🇮🇹
Amazing design…and best gearbox ever …very Hard to find one .
"...really...total bliss". that sums it up. thanks, petrolicious!
So lovely.
Was a little bit sceptic, cause i didnt know Alain before. But he did a great job by presenting this adoreable Sprint. Hope more of Alain in future!
Look around for "Victory By Design" videos. Alain hosted the series, and got to drive some seriously impressive machinery with a rather heavy foot. Well worth watching.
what a wonderful ending.
God, I hope they don't salt the roads.
Salt is not the problem, leaving salt on the car body is the problem, you need to wash it off and park it somewhere dry but with a draft so water will evaporate or will be blown away.
@@Rammstein56 With respect, no amount of rinsing can get all the brine out of every minute crevasse and seam. The uni-body construction of these cars allow for a labyrinth of opportunities for the tinworm to enter... and once it does, it can not be stopped... except with surgery. Ask any restorer, it is the bane of all vintage alfas. I know from personal experience.
@@modelleg which is why this video is cringe inducing.
@@modelleg Cars are meant to be driven, nothing lasts forever, they were probably never intended to last as long as they have.
One of the most elegant sporster ever! Alfa Romeo was a great historical brand: one of the best ever. Got downhill when it becames a Fiat brand: went from Milan to Turin and became a mass product: so sad!