Alfa Romeo Reviews
Alfa Romeo started out as Anonima Lombardo Fabbrica Automobili (ALFA) in 1910 in a factory bought from Darracq was taken over by Nicolo Romeo in 1915. Its most successful era was the 1930s, when Alfa Romeos were among the best cars money could buy.
Post-WW2 survival drove the company downmarket, but the spirit remained with fine ranges of coupés and spiders to complement the saloons. Sadly that wasn’t enough and when financial losses piled too high in the '80s, Fiat headed off a bid from Ford to take control in 1987. These days, Alfa Romeo retains much of its character, using shared components with Fiat and - formerly - General Motors.
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Good:
Quirky and just as fun to drive as the standard Coupe
Bad:
Rust and a paucity of body parts
Good:
Twin-Spark 2.0-litre engine goes well and sounds even better, quirky good looks of three-door 145
Bad:
Afflicted by mechanical and electrical problems that can prove expensive to fix, limited rear cabin space
Good:
Stunning looks and well equipped. Lively Twin-Spark petrol and strong JTD diesel engines.
Bad:
Mechanical, electrical and build quality problems are all too common. Poor crash test rating.
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Good:
Twin-Spark and 2.6 V6 engines of later cars are both fantastic, touring car kudos, wide bodied Series 2 model looks great
Bad:
Arm-stretching driving position, poor build quality, too many electrical and mechanical glitches
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Good:
Sharp styling, V6 engine is an all-time classic, roomy and fast
Bad:
Lacking deep-seated build quality despite being a massive leap in the right direction for Alfa Romeo
Good:
Strong and enjoyable engines, tidy handling and svelte good looks.
Bad:
V6 hard on tyres. Floor suffers badly from rust.
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Good:
Rare and very capable
Bad:
Highly strung
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Good:
Beautiful and effortless roadster
Bad:
Not as immediately sporting as the smaller Giula-based cars
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Good:
Wedgy styling is certainly distinctive, brilliant flat-four engine, roomy interior
Bad:
Rust, flakiness and the fact it's not an Alfasud
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Good:
Quirky styling, bags of power and rear-wheel drive
Bad:
Overshadowed by its rivals when new, and getting rare now
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Good:
Great engine, some nice 1980s touches like the automatic front spoiler
Bad:
Forgotten gem that failed to deliver its promise. And, oh yes, rust
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Good:
Lusty engine, great at cruising, and you won't see another...
Bad:
Voracious appetite for fuel, parts supply for anything other than the engine a real problem, breeze-block styling
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Good:
Brilliant handling, direct steering, fabulous engine note, roomy interior
Bad:
Rust and increasing rarity
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Good:
Great handling, lusty engines
Bad:
Indifferent built, rust and rarity
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Good:
Alfasud engines, better to drive than most people give it credit for
Bad:
Near extinct in the UK
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Good:
Gorgeous looks, fun to drive, endlessly tuneable
Bad:
Rust killed many, and is still an issue, values continue to rise rapidly
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Good:
Amazing
Bad:
Chances are you can't afford one
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Good:
Great engines, brilliant to drive, and wonderful styling
Bad:
You need to treat them properly
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Good:
Cool styling, lusty engines, get a good one and the dynamics are great
Bad:
Rust, parts availability, rarity
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Good:
Fabulous engines, super fast 'Quick-Rack' steering and gorgeous styling
Bad:
Tiny boot and barely any space for legs in the rear seats, mechanical problems common
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Good:
Amazing styling, superb V8
Bad:
Doesn't handle as well as you might expect
Good:
Charismatic engines, neat handling, exclusive in the UK
Bad:
The younger they are, the less desirable they get
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Good:
Styling divides opinions, brilliant handling, V6 soundtrack
Bad:
Styling (see above)
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Good:
Racer for the road
Bad:
Only in your dreams
