Last real Alfa
It has been more than thirty years since the Alfa Romeo 75 went out of production. It was long seen by older Alfisti and car enthusiasts as the last real Alfa because of its rear-wheel drive, which also returned to the current Giulia and Stelvio. The 75 is a distant ancestor of the Giulia. We are once again on the road with the typical eighties Alfa, which was delivered until 1992. And of course, a 2.0 Twin Spark or 3.0 V6 is very attractive, but even with a basic version from 1990 you quickly get the real Alfa feeling.
Yes, the last ‘real’ Alfa Romeo. At the front is that wonderful four-cylinder with two overhead camshafts that drives the rear wheels. The gearbox is located at the rear, just like on the Giulietta and the Alfetta, which ensures better weight distribution. The test car has the lightest engine under the hood, a 1.6-liter. Did that make him less desirable? No. You don’t buy classics like this to win at traffic light sprints, but mainly to enjoy them. And you do! Moreover, the 75 with this 106 hp engine is still smooth enough, we notice, and it sounds just as characterful as its more powerful brothers. And have we ever not raved about a GT Junior 1300? Well then. The 75 offers driving pleasure not only with its nice engine sound, but also thanks to the direct steering and light-footed character. It weighs less than 1,100 kg.
The characteristic handbrake lever and the typical steering position of Alfas of that time. (photo Pieter E. Kamp)
What has been less well thought out is the seating position and the position of the pedals. The steering wheel is fairly upright and where you think you will find the accelerator pedal, you will find the brakes. Because the wheel arch comes quite far inwards, the pedal trio had to take a step to the right. You get used to it, just like those window controls above the interior mirror.
The controls for the electric windows are located above the interior mirror. (photo Pieter E. Kamp)
You also quickly get used to the trunk, which can only be opened from the inside. In terms of design, the 75 follows the line of its predecessor Giulietta: a slight wedge shape with a fairly short tail, which makes it almost look like a liftback. In any case, it doesn’t look like a typical sedan. This Alfa owes its type designation to the fact that the brand celebrated its 75th anniversary in the introductory year of 1985. It is not nearly as susceptible to rust as previous models, but it does have its points of attention. The car we drive is still in exceptionally good condition after more than 33 years. Only the headliner that is loosening here and there and the tachometer that does not work correctly are a blemish on the car’s reputation, but it drives like new.
For a 1.6 or 1.8 you pay amounts of around €9,000, the mighty 3.0-V6 always costs €20,000 or far more.
The 1.6 ie was the entry-level version, where ie stands for electronic injection. (photo Pieter E. Kamp)
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl