Alfa Romeo Alfetta 1.6 (series 1) Typ 116 - collector's car

Alfa Romeo Alfetta 1.6

first registration: 1976

cylinder: 4

cubic capacity: 1556 cc

power: 108 PS

 

The Alfa Romeo Alfetta Typ 116 (here series 1 as Alfetta 1.6 (1974 - 1977) with 1570 cc / 108 hp (picture) or as Alfetta 1.8 (1972 – 1977) 1779 cc / 122 hp) is an Italian rear-wheel drive executive saloon car and fastback coupé produced from 1972 until 1987. It was popular due to its combination of a modest design with powerful engines, selling over 478’812 (in total incl. Coupé) units until the end of its production run (Alfetta series 1 1972 – 1977: 102’960 units), but in the final years its sales were down due to Alfa Romeo's reliability problems that plagued the company through the late 1970s and early 1980s.The Sedan had a body designed by Centro Stile Alfa Romeo, and the Alfetta GTV coupe (not to be confused with the more recent 1995 Alfa Romeo GTV, or the classic Giulia GTV), was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro. In Germany the Alfetta Series 1 is distinguishable at the number of headlights. The cheaper 1.6 for Germany positioned as no-frills model has single lights, the 1.8 double lights (similar to the first BMW 3series). In other markets like Belgium, where the vehicle on the shot is brought from, both versions are equipped with double lights. The new Alfa Romeo Alfetta introduced a new drivetrain layout to the market in 1972. Clutch and transmission were housed at the rear of the car, together with the differential for a more balanced weight distribution, as used on the Alfetta 158/159 Grand Prix cars. The suspension relied on double wishbones and torsion bars at the front and a de Dion beam at the rear. The rear transaxle found on the Alfetta and derivatives- GTV, 90 and 75- provided these cars with excellent weight distribution. The transaxle design, in combination with inboard rear brakes and a well-located de Dion rear suspension, resulted in excellent traction and handling.The Alfa Romeo Alfetta became well known throughout the world since it was Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro's official escort car, when, in 1978, he was first kidnapped, then killed, by the Italian Terrorist left-wing organization The Red Brigades (Brigade rosse). A fictionalised account of these events was produced as a critically well regarded Italian film, The Advocate, which also heavily featured Alfettas of all types, e.g. Carabinieri 'Short Nose-Round Light' (© en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfa_Romeo_Giulia). Not only because of rust and reliability problems the Alfetta sedan does not develop well as classic car in the shadow of the Coupe Alfetta GTV. In Germany and other Nothern markets may exist only a few specimens of good condition or worthwhile to restore, in the Southern markets existed too many vehicles to develop an estimable relationship (similar to German family sedans of the 70s e.g. Audi 100, Ford Taunus, Opel Rekord or Volkswagen K70) what explains why the chances in getting a collectable or restorable Alfetta Sedan series 1 in Italy are not much higher than elsewhere (several Alfetta sedan were just disembowelled for restoration of Coupe Alfetta GTV). In my opinion the Alfetta Sedan is currently the most underestimated Alfa Romeo of the classic car’ scene. This rare Alfetta sedan serie 1 in extremly good condition is owned by a member of the Alfaclub Leipzig/Halle (Germany) and was member of the Tourist Trophy "EAC" - European Auto Classic - Leipzig, 2010.

 

Leipzig Opera , Augustusplatz, Leipzig

19 June 2010

Done