Nearly choked on my drink when you said they cost £14 GRAND in 1972!! You could buy an Aston Martin for less back then! Then you said about the Marina, and I realized your verbal typo...
I had a 1976 sud just a year old when I got it. Fantastic car just a shame I couldn’t keep up with the rust ,I’ve always thought it was one of the best cars I’ve ever had..still have a soft spot for the sud though
My first alfa that got me hooked to alfas forever..it brought me for long drives everywhere .touring malaysia with my family ,to work, and also the drive is an occasion always..mine was an alfasud 1.5 ti and it outhandled out pace everything on the road at that time even up to cars with more capacity . Those who said they are unreliable , overheat and all either knows nuts about cars or never maintain their cars . Yes it's true the quality isn't great and which car is that decade .it wasn't built to mount an air con unit but we got it in ,installed an uprated alternator, and installed the condenser with cooling fans on the rear spare wheel space and it was really cold enough for our asian humid weather .the car handles beautifully and the engine was one of the best sounding engines alfa made. I still remember the crackle on the after run and the throaty /snarl it produces when rev. Thereafter a generation of alfa twin cams ,and busso followed ..I will never forget this lively sud as my first love and now I'm restoring a 1.7 alfasud sprint to relive my memories . Thanks for the videos and nostalgia ..
My AlfaSud ti is still the car that has given me the greatest driving pleasure/ driving experience despite since then owning other Alfas in 2.5 GTV6, Lancia Beta Monte Carlo, Citroen BX, Modeo ST220 and more recently various Mercs E & A Class. I'd seriously consider having another as a weekend fun car, the trouble is finding a good one. Thank you for bringing back the nice memories.
It was the ‘Sud that first got me interested in Alfas - a 1977 pea green Ti that used to scream down our road every day - it looked and sounded very exotic compared the the Escorts, Vivas and Marinas that my neighbours all drove………
When I was 13 (1983) I was so in love with the Alfa sud that I wrote to alfa Romeo in Italy and a month back Alfa Romeo sent me a pack of stuff including brochures and stickers. I’ll never forget that. I still love the sud to this day. Very rare in Australia and even rarer now…
Me too, about the Giulia Super; they sent me en exceptional book: "Giulia, l'ha disegnata il vento" (Giulia, drowed by the wind"). I already was a young Alfista, from that I became a total Alfista 😃
Your comments on Pomigliano are understood. I had a Fiat 850 bought new (1969) in Wolverhampton within two years it needed extensive floor pan welding. After this I purchased a Sud - after collision damage it was found badly rusted in the lower sides and panels. My cousin in Milan ran similar cars and over the same period reported no such damage. Indeed my later new Alfa Sud which had ziebart lasted with no such trouble - all subsequent Fiats and Alfas: Punto, Tipo, AR 145 were long rust free. We concluded that as you say the Russia Steel had no part in it- but the amount of winter salt on British roads had indeed rotted the same cars that in Italy seemed to last well into their ten plus years
Really hoping the owner is Harry Metcalfe. I could swear that s-bend is the same one featured in most of his road tests... Another great video; I totally agree about the near-perfect styling of the 'sud. Test drove one in the early 90s - didn't buy it due to the stereotypical horrific rust, but I can still remember just how well it drove.
My cousin in Italy had 1.5ti green cloverleaf, I was about 16yo and he took me out for a high speed run (He was a policeman!) I fell in love with the Sud
I had 2 Alfa Sud's. 1 a white 1.3s i believe from 82 and my favourite the Red Alfa Sud 1.5 TI QV from 84 with 105 HP. My God i wish i never got rid of it at that time. Till tis day the nicest driving small Alfa i owned. Ti trim on the seats...black/red with spoilers...it cornered so well. Only the expensive Michelin TRX tires was a mess...could not drive more then 5k miles and they were gone...but did it corner! Yes sir. 😍
This car showed flashes of brilliance! especially the driving dynamics: steering and handling were class-leading! I wish Alfa would offer something similar today instead of the lacklustre Mito offering and carry on the formula DNA of the Afasud affordable, brilliant driving dynamics, engaging, charismatic, interior spaciousness, etc...
I had an identical red 1.5 Super as a student in the late 1980’s, then a blue 1.5ti followed on with a white Lancia Beta Coupe. For a young lad with an obsession with Italian style I would slip on a CP Company sweater, Replay jeans and the classic Timberland deck shoes for a stylish look! Back then I paid less than £500 each for those cars and they looked and drove wonderfully!
When I think back to being utterly clueless back in the day and looking down at these with just 1300 or 1500cc compared to my dad’s 2.0 mk4 Cortina, I must have been mad. These Alfas are so lovely and they had so many innovations such as the inboard front disks and boxer engine design. It’s such a shame there are so few left. A true ground breaker. Nice video Jack. I’m sure I recognize some of those roads from Harry’s vids.
The Sud had also upside down front shocks like modern sport motorbikes, so the heavy part filled with oil not are part of the unsprung mass. But it also made the front struts unusually complicated. Aftermarket shocks were of conventional design and not similar to the original Alfa.
My father had so many of these from new. A 1.2SE, a 1.2ti, a 1.3Super, a Sprint 1.5, a Sprint Veloce 1.5. The first 2 were literally rusting within a year of purchase. Such a shame because these were so far ahead of their time, so dynamic and raspy. I was so lucky to learn to drive in the sprints and pass my test. The examiner saw this nearly new Sprint Veloce and said 'O right, this is going to be fun!'. He passed me saying I drove it like a grandma. Your video has brought back such sweet memories.
My Dad had a 1.2SE also, I persuaded him to go look at it in a garage in Ellesmere Port back in 1976. Despite his best efforts it was rusting so bad that he replaced it with a Vauxhall Magnum a year later. He didn't really want the Magnum but I think it was the only garage that would p/exchange the Alfa...
I should add that I loved that early 'Sud and went on to own my own 1300 saloon (actually 1351cc), Sprint Veloce 1500 and 1500 saloon. Nearly 30 years later I'm living in Portugal and the 'Suds are all gone. The 33 models are the closest relative to the 'Suds and I will probably buy one for the hell of it!
Oh wow. We had one an Alfasud 5M. 1186cc and it was pretty quick for it’s size and I think the first 5 speed box. Loved it. Ended up being slapped with rust bits falling off as it went. I actually cried.
I had a ‘76 Alfasud Ti back in the early eighties, a magnificent little driving machine despite only a 1.2 litre engine and measly 68 horsepower. Superb roadholding.
I spent quite a bit of time in a new Alphasud Sprint being driven by someone who could drive. Dear God! It was a revelation. The grip was like nothing before experienced with unbelievable poise and balance too. The Sprint of course had an even lower CG than the saloon.
This car looks really good. The second generation Lancia Delta from 1993 reminds me of this Alfasud. Similar shape, similar proportions. I used to have two alfas from the 80’s. An Alfetta and a 75. Both were great cars with just a few problems.
the only car I owned and then owned another. the interior and ride was like a big car with the handling of a proper sports car. they got down the road well and gave fantastic fuel economy. but back in the mid 80s when I had them, the best bit was sitting in the drivers seat at night, starting the engine and turning on the lights - it felt like being in a cockpit. great times indeed
The misconception about Alfa reliability carries on to this day. Whenever I post that I own an Alfa on other channels, there is always a comment about how unreliable they are. I've had my 159 ti for nearly 4 years now, and it has been as reliable as my previous car, a Honda Civic 2.2 i-CTDi. However, the 159 is a much more fun car to drive - the Honda was terrible on bad road surfaces and would jitter all over the place.
I made a comment above about Parent's 'Sud but I also had a 159 JTDI from new for 3 years. I loved it, far more reliable than the A4 it replaced. It was a great car to own and pretty well screwed together.
Yep, the jokes about Alfa unreliability and rust wear a bit thin after a while. I’m on my third Alfa - 1st one managed 130k miles over 7 years without any major mechanical or electrical issues, and was still on its original clutch, 2nd one, sadly I didn’t keep very long, due to having a company car, and again, managed 60k miles with no major problems, and my current one, a Giulietta is on 101k, also on its original clutch, no major problems, and drives like a new car. The only downside with Alfas is that you do need to keep up with the servicing, use the correct oil, and if they do go wrong, they can be expensive to fix. However, I’ve always used good Italian car specialists who know how to look after Alfas, and generally have a real passion for the marque. I even still get headlamp flashes from other Alfa owners, which I’ve never experienced with any other make of car.
Drove an Alfa 156 for six years. Loved it. Broke a timing belt at 70k. Apparently they lowered the interval to 40k from 80k and I hadn’t heard. Apart from that it was more reliable than the Passat I had afterwards. People like to be “in the know” but it’s generally received wisdom based on nothing. The majority of people have never even driven one.
Yup, reliability isn't Alfas main issues. I've owned Alfas since 2006, and, yes, they have their foibles. Alfas biggest issues is how they are perceived. They are perceived by people who not sat in one, much less owned one. Instead they drive their soulless Euroboxes.
In 1973 my apprentice bought a low klm Alfa Sud. He was only about eighteen months younger than myself and a "spirited" driver to say the least. His Sud got so abused that within the first year it had stripped the front drive hub splines out. Spares were very hard to get for Alfas here in Australia at the time so we put it in our workshop and welded the driveshafts into the drive hubs, problem solved. Your assessment is right Jack they were nice little cars, went and handled well, and this young fellow was just the bloke to "wring" every ounce of what the Sud would do out of that little car.
Jack, you must remember that in the 70's all cars in Italy had square number plates. It used to annoy me when one was plastered all over a recesses clearly made for a rectangular one. Also, the way the finish has rubbed off the gear knob just so reminds me of my Italian holidays when I was a kid.
It had a modern rectangular plate when I bought it but the original square one was in the boot and I much prefer go they look ( just like my dads old ones )
Driven plenty, but never owned a Sud, but had a beautiful Sprint 1500QV and loved it’s sure footedness. Had a couple of 33’s and a couple of 75s including an awesome Autodelta 3.0 Veloce, I still miss that car today!
That was an education. Looking more closely and in context with it's age the little Sud is a lovely little thing, especially when you describe how it handles. Makes me almost want one...almost.
My first car of my life a was 18 when I got a last production of the 1981 Sud..i born in Marigliano 15 MN from pomigliano d'arco..nice video thanks from Canada 🇨🇦
Had one in South Africa 🇿🇦, used to stuff the surfboards in it and drive it everywhere. Admittedly rotted around me like tissue paper but great little engine and fab looks
True story: Owned a 1985 Q4 15ti back in the day. Traded it in on a Guilletta 2.0. Next day police was at my door asking about it. Of course I could proof it was no longer mine. Turned out it had been stolen from the dealer car lot and used as a getaway car in a bank heist! Damn that car was fast..
Back in the late 80's, a friend had a 1975 (N Reg) 3-door 'booted' 1.2 Sud. It had been fitted with a twin choke and went absolutely brilliantly - probably because it was ridiculously under-geared. I regularly used to borrow it and had an absolute hoot in it. Such a sweet little engine. I had several 33's and Sprints around the early noughties and sadly non of them felt anything like as good as that original cream 1.2.
I wanted one of these as my first car. I passed my test, saved up what I thought was an appropriate amount of money only to discover they’d all gone. That was in the early 90s.
Brilliant and a masterpiece by Alfa. Unfortunately for known reasons cars started to rust from ...showrooms. Nevertheless I was impressed in early 70's when had the opportunity to drive one, it was the reason to become an Alfa fanatic.
Have to repair rust on the alfasud before we deliveret to the customer. And Wien the snow come the timing belt jumped over. But the bigger Alfas were a lille better. But anyway Alfa Romeo is for people with deep pockets.
Back in the 1970's, families tended to only have 1 car, so budget/size would play a big part in the decision. The extra Alfa cost alone would probably make it prohibitive, together with greater competition from the Japanese in the UK. Good to see one still on the road Jack, thanks!
Great video. The Alfasud is one of the most overlooked classics out there. In my opinion nearly all the badly built cars have long gone. As an engineer I know that the primary aim of quality in production is consistency, to produce a product that is good enough, in quantity, but not necessarily to strive for perfection, as that would cost too much money. With the Alfasud they had a production line running out of control, quality was very hit and miss, but don't forget Pomigliano d'Arco was a purpose built state of the art factory at the time. It is conceivable that cars did roll out of there built to a good or adequate standard. There were plenty of lemons too! What is left now are the cherished or well built examples. I also have put my money where my mouth is and own a number of very nice examples of the variants of this wonderful Alfa. Thanks for the video and a potted history of this great Italian classic!
Jack. My first car... Alfasud 2 dr 1.5TI in black 1983 Loved it. That noise was glorious when my mates had a mini metro or a Renault 5. I thought I was the biz.
I thought I was the nuts in my 1986 Metro vanden Plas. Electric windows, cream leather seats, walnut dash. I even used to play the Outrun soundtrack cassette while driving :)
My elder brother had two of them in the eighties. Sporty and compared to the Volkswagen and Opel cars in the larger family quite luxurious. My brother gave up after the floorpan of the second one hardly consisted of any original part....when the car was only six years old ! But these cars probably infected me with the Italian car virus forever.
My parents owned the 1.5. They bought it used, it was one of the later spec models, which did not suffer from rust and was trouble free until sold with around 100k miles on the clock. I loved driving it when I ‘borrowed’ it as a student. Great car indeed.
Thanks for this video, and The fantastic ALFASUD owned 4 of them one 1975. 1978. 1981 and 1983. What a Great and FUN car to drive with this amazing boxer engine.😀😀😀
What a great looking car. Great vid. Wish they would of seen the US market. Next to the GTV Jr, might be my second fav Alfa. I owned three Italian cars here in the US. First a 74 Fiat X1/9 while in college. No guts, cheap plastic, two broken timing belts and such a fun car to drive with the top off. 2nd 1984 Spider Veloce. Not fast but pure joy to drive. Lastly, 1991 164 base with a stick. Bought from father in law who purchased new and only had 20k on it at the time. Damn that car was fun with a stick. Should of never sold it. And the engine was a thing of beauty. Luv just popping the hood and looking at it.
Great clip. love your enthusiastic way of telling your well researched stories. In this case you forgot the 1970 Citroen GS, which , I think, influenced Alfa quite a bit... 4 discs, boxer, body shape... Greetings and please keep going!
I had two back in the day both bought around the three year old mark. First was a 1.5 ti which as you mention was a truly great handling car. The ride quality was also excellent I suspect due to the 165/70/14 tyres that were fitted working great with the spring rates. By the time I sold it though the hot hatch really had come of age and the performance of the XR3i, GTE and GTI were well ahead as were the grip levels. I bought another Sud, a tix which had twin carbs on it. It was certainly perkier but with wider tyres it lost something and never felt quite as good. I should also state that I kept both cars for around 2-3 years and only had one spot of rust in a seam just below one of the tail lights of the early car. Interestingly the first sold immediately as the buyer told me it was the first he’d seen without holes in the bodywork! Next to no mechanical issues at all really, only pain was front disc pads as the front callipers were inboard and had the handbrake mech attached. Hot hatch performance moved on though and ultimately the GTI’s I had later performed much better but I’ll always have fond memories of the Suds I owned in my youth!
My first car was a 1980 1.3 Super, very similar to that one. It was close as I could get to the Italian exotica I’d grown up lusting after and although it dissolved within months it was petrol head nirvana, I loved it. So much so that my next car was an Alfasud Sprint.
Boy, that brings back memories! I bought a red (looked just like that one) 1978 1.2 5M to replace my first car, a 1972 1.2 Vauxhall Viva, in the late 80's. Wow, what a difference! The Sud remains one of, if not the, best handling cars I ever owned. My only mod was to add the twin choke carb from a Ti to squeeze a wee bit more performance from the brilliant 1.2L engine. But the rust, OMG, the rust. The only other problem I had was the carb would ice up in winter. Loved that car.
That is my very first car, same colour, 4 doors, 1.5 super, paid 200 auctions in Croydon 1986, only a provisional licence and lived next-door to tooting nick
Thanks Mr Hruska (in charge of the Alfasud project, from the new factory to the car). You have stubbornly carried through a new idea of a popular car for driving enthusiasts. An original car concept without compromise. A car born from the design idea of a man who had full decision-making powers, who well interpreted the Alfa Romeo idea of the car at the time. Unique. Please, take a comparative driving test today of the Alfasud by comparing it with ALL its rivals of the time and let us know.
35 years ago I owned a 3 door 1.5 ti shoddy work man ship at it's finest but absolutely brilliant car to drive looked good to, thanks for bringing back the memories, great review 👍
Oh the memories, I had one of these back in the late 70s! I was absolutely amazed by the inboard disks, shame they were such rust buckets. Get video Jack!
Really nice to see the Alfasud in your video. My dad had one, it was a later Quadrifoglio Oro model, I loved that car! So sad that they had rust problems.
Great video. I travelled in one of the last versions in fuel injection spec and remember being really impressed at the time. Thanks for explaining why it was called the Sud - all these years I thought the name was a little odd and finally I have the answer.
Jack, you might remember our red Alfasud, exactly like the one you drove here but LHD! My parents drove it every day until 1987. I learned to drive on it! Loved it!
To be honest I was happy when the wonderful Alfa 33 came out to replace the Alfasud. But thanks to your video, I see how much it owed to its predecessor, including that legendary Boxer engine. Thanks Jack!
Alfa Romeos get under your skin. They are fabulously flawed but utterly amazing at the same time. As an ex mechanic, I would never touch them, but, in the last 3 years I’ve had 4 of them, 159, GT, 156, Mito !, all of them were fantastic, even the diesel ones !. They have a style and drive of no other car and, IF I was looking to replace my current car, nothing but an Alfa would be worth even considering.
Had one of the last ‘suds. Bought new. Was always going to get rid before 3 years old. Brake failure, wiring smoking, backfires if plugs were 1 day past their service interval, plus a habit of losing coolant onto a brake disc if not thrashed(?). Still my favourite car I’ve owned ( my therapy is ongoing 😀)
@@henrysmith5860 it led a hard life. I used it as my daily driver and also did road rallying in it. That it’s my favourite car says a lot more about its plus points than it’s issues. We have a 12 year old Mito that runs fine and has only ever needed service items.
Thanks for a great video. Most exciting auto I have ever owned. I owned a new Sprint 1.5 veloce (Mark 1 variant) from 1983 which I kept until 1991. Only a little rust after eight years as by then these cars were rustproofed in the UK before they went on sale. Dinitrol rustproof on the one I bought. However reliability wasn't perfect. There were niggles from time to time and it wasn't the sort of car one could take on a touring holiday.
Such a great little car, and I agree that the early ones were indeed the best looking. I can’t exactly recall the reasons, but I bought another flat 4 engined car in 1973, a Citroen GS 1220. It too had 4 disc brakes and very skinny tyres, but handled pretty well nonetheless. I did always hanker after an Alfasud, but alas I have never owned one. Thanks for driving this remarkably attractive and sound example.
I had one, a lovely car. It and the Citroen GS were leagues ahead of their contemporaries. You should try and get an NSU Ro80 to test. Also a wonderful thing.
@@65PCH I bought a 4 door Sud as my first car but it was already shot with rust so never got it back on the road : ( - even though my girlfriend and my best friend both had Sud Tis they were great, mine was just a bit too 'old'. Went on to 2 ! Marinas ; ) ! which at least were reliable. All a long long time ago . . . .
Parents had one from new in '76 (same colour but a 1300) as they wanted something more 'family' than the R6 they previously had. Apparently they loved the handling, ride and space, but it often wouldn't start and one day a couple of years later, my Mum put some shopping in the boot only to see it go straight through to the tarmac. It just rotted away before their eyes. Dad hated it so much in terms of ownership experience he would leave it on the side of the road outside the front garden with teh keys in hoping someone would just take it. Eventually they sold it in '78 with a 1976 reg R16 that they kept until they bought a first shape Sierra (that also had many of the problems as the 'Sud!). I remember seeing it in the '80s running around town with a vinyl roof as a taxi. Dad vowed then and to this day to never ever buy an Italian car. I tried to get him to get a 155 but he wouldn't even sit in it at the motor show. Imagine his face when I turned up with a 159 years later.
I had a Alfa Sud ti with the twin head lights in the late seventies and I drove it like I stole it. It was the best handling car that put a smile on my face every time I drove it. It burned oil, blew smoke and unfortunately it rusted. I have fond and bad financial memories of the car but if I could have a rust free one or a GTV 1750 or 2000. I’d own another in a heart beat.
Jack these had a huge following here in Australia back in the day. We even took the 1988 Alfasud Sprint, stuck a 5 litre V8 amidships in it and thoroughly reengineered it into a thing called the Giocattolo. It was a Ferrari eater. Only 12 were built. 11 survive. Go look it up on youtube and be prepared to be blown away. Martin
In my spent youth I had a 1977 1.3Ti. In red for top testosterone points. Utterly loved it. I remember summer evening drives with the offside rear window latched open. This gave a perfect blend of engine and exhaust sounds. Nice interior too. I loved the Veglia gauges with their tasteful typefaces and green lighting. The back seat was sumptuous for the ladies, and the high rear window gave a fair degree of privacy. Its structural condition did deteriorate with depressing rapidity* though. *The windows were steamed up. The lane was dark. I backed it into a tree.
Jack, I'm with you, I love these. My mum had a brand new white 5M (1.2 I think) 1977 S reg. My mum still raves about it today and it was a unicorn them with a 5 speed manual... my Granddad also bought one. Sadly, my mum's new cars rotted out on the doors in just one year, and my Grandad's developed a hole in the boot... would I have one today? You bet I would!!!! The bay of E has one advertised for £9995........
Great car, great review. Enjoyed your passion for the brand without any of the normal clichés or 'Alfaisms' just a great video that was all about the car and its nature not the normal about how the presenter loves Alfa. Really watchable video, great content as always.
I remember a letter sent to Autocar a while after the 'Sud 1.2 ti came out. Chap had a Porsche 911, drove it a long time and loved it, but decided he wanted a new one. So, he ordered it, and to get a good deal, sold the old one privately. He had to wait a while for the new 911, so he bought a Sud ti for wheels while waited for the new 911. Soon, he decided that the Sud ti was so good to drive that he cancelled the 911.
I drove many of those back in the day as I used to pick up new cars from a dealer for Ziebart rust proofing. The build quality was very approximate, so no two drove the same. Later I had a 1.7 Sprint and a 1.5SC. Naturally the bodywork would rust virtually overnight. The handling would go off quite quickly due to the sill inner box sections triangulation turning to dust. The front brakes were a nightmare to service, they would lock up on one side no matter what you did to them. The 1.2/1.3 were the sweetest engines - the 1.5 and particularly 1.7 didn't rev nearly as sweetly.
You may have driven mine which was zeibarted from new! I have read that the smaller engines are sweeter, but there aren’t a huge number around to choose from and I’d imagine the extra torque helps it keep up with modern traffic without having to thrash it everywhere.
My Dad had a 1980 1.5 and then a 1983 1.3SC - great fun to drive - I passed my test learning on the 'Sud. Just seeing that interior brings back the memories - and that red gearknob that always goes white! with use!
Great video, thanks! I've owned 2 back in the days. a4-door 1.2 and a 1.3ti. Both pre facelifts. Great funcars to drive, especially the ti. Didn't have rost problems, as long as you fixed stonechips etc.
Even Volkswagen Up! didn't have disc brakes on all four corners (I know relatively speaking the Sud is 2 classes above but both are similarly sized). Alfasud really is ahead of its time. Also, absolutely no sign of Jack's Italian heritage. Definitely not from his pronunciation of Alfasud and Pomigliano, not at all ;)
This was way ahead of it's time.One of the earliest Front Drives of the period.My late father had a 1980 Alfa Sud Sprint when Ford brought out the KA Laser series in Australia in 1981.Mechanicals were similar with say the S variants such as a 5 speed manual and identical power but things like four wheel disc brakes(the same applied to the KB models which we rejected in favor to buy a 1983 Alfa Sud Sprint)didn't arrived till 1985 and their second generation models and the TX3.by 1985 the sud was replaced by the 33 and went upmarket.you wanted an entry level or mid spec anything you went Japanese.
Had three, one after another. First a 1974 SE, with an 1186cc engine, was superb but dissolved. Second an orange 5M , drove it down to the South of France several times and it never missed a beat, the exhaust had an amazing crackle to it. Third a 1.5 ti. Never felt as good as the 5M, swapped it for a Giulietta then a GTV6. All were totally reliable and never let me down, would have any one of them again.
I had a Sud Ti R ref in the early 80’s. Rot got it and the loan lasted longer. Since then bored with other cars I have since owned a 146,156 and now a 159 from new. Still my daily driver and 13 years old. No big issues with any of them. I would love to own a Sud again.
Nearly choked on my drink when you said they cost £14 GRAND in 1972!! You could buy an Aston Martin for less back then! Then you said about the Marina, and I realized your verbal typo...
I think he meant £1,499
I had a 1976 sud just a year old when I got it. Fantastic car just a shame I couldn’t keep up with the rust ,I’ve always thought it was one of the best cars I’ve ever had..still have a soft spot for the sud though
My first alfa that got me hooked to alfas forever..it brought me for long drives everywhere .touring malaysia with my family ,to work, and also the drive is an occasion always..mine was an alfasud 1.5 ti and it outhandled out pace everything on the road at that time even up to cars with more capacity . Those who said they are unreliable , overheat and all either knows nuts about cars or never maintain their cars . Yes it's true the quality isn't great and which car is that decade .it wasn't built to mount an air con unit but we got it in ,installed an uprated alternator, and installed the condenser with cooling fans on the rear spare wheel space and it was really cold enough for our asian humid weather .the car handles beautifully and the engine was one of the best sounding engines alfa made. I still remember the crackle on the after run and the throaty /snarl it produces when rev. Thereafter a generation of alfa twin cams ,and busso followed ..I will never forget this lively sud as my first love and now I'm restoring a 1.7 alfasud sprint to relive my memories . Thanks for the videos and nostalgia ..
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My AlfaSud ti is still the car that has given me the greatest driving pleasure/ driving experience despite since then owning other Alfas in 2.5 GTV6, Lancia Beta Monte Carlo, Citroen BX, Modeo ST220 and more recently various Mercs E & A Class. I'd seriously consider having another as a weekend fun car, the trouble is finding a good one. Thank you for bringing back the nice memories.
Same, I had a rust coloured Sud Ti and loved that car.
I've had loads of suds and a sprint! Loved them all and learned to weld!
Living in the States we never had a chance to enjoy or get to know this car. Thanks for the video on it.
It was the ‘Sud that first got me interested in Alfas - a 1977 pea green Ti that used to scream down our road every day - it looked and sounded very exotic compared the the Escorts, Vivas and Marinas that my neighbours all drove………
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Until this video I've never heard of an Alfa Sud. I learn something new every day. Cheers.
Thanks for watching Jay .. they were very commons here in Europe!
@@Number27 We miss out on so much of the cool European goodness.
When I was 13 (1983) I was so in love with the Alfa sud that I wrote to alfa Romeo in Italy and a month back Alfa Romeo sent me a pack of stuff including brochures and stickers. I’ll never forget that. I still love the sud to this day. Very rare in Australia and even rarer now…
Me too, about the Giulia Super; they sent me en exceptional book: "Giulia, l'ha disegnata il vento" (Giulia, drowed by the wind").
I already was a young Alfista, from that I became a total Alfista
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Your comments on Pomigliano are understood. I had a Fiat 850 bought new (1969) in Wolverhampton within two years it needed extensive floor pan welding. After this I purchased a Sud - after collision damage it was found badly rusted in the lower sides and panels. My cousin in Milan ran similar cars and over the same period reported no such damage. Indeed my later new Alfa Sud which had ziebart lasted with no such trouble - all subsequent Fiats and Alfas: Punto, Tipo, AR 145 were long rust free. We concluded that as you say the Russia Steel had no part in it- but the amount of winter salt on British roads had indeed rotted the same cars that in Italy seemed to last well into their ten plus years
Hey all! Also on the channel is the short video on Harry the owner. Why he bought it and his car history!
Really hoping the owner is Harry Metcalfe. I could swear that s-bend is the same one featured in most of his road tests...
Another great video; I totally agree about the near-perfect styling of the 'sud. Test drove one in the early 90s - didn't buy it due to the stereotypical horrific rust, but I can still remember just how well it drove.
@@slaggybuttonit I think you will be pleasantly surprised
Thinking it looks like where Harry metcalfe does his tests
@@mulletmanpete I think you might both be a little disappointed 😅
My cousin in Italy had 1.5ti green cloverleaf, I was about 16yo and he took me out for a high speed run (He was a policeman!)
I fell in love with the Sud
I had 2 Alfa Sud's. 1 a white 1.3s i believe from 82 and my favourite the Red Alfa Sud 1.5 TI QV from 84 with 105 HP. My God i wish i never got rid of it at that time. Till tis day the nicest driving small Alfa i owned. Ti trim on the seats...black/red with spoilers...it cornered so well. Only the expensive Michelin TRX tires was a mess...could not drive more then 5k miles and they were gone...but did it corner! Yes sir. 😍
This car showed flashes of brilliance! especially the driving dynamics: steering and handling were class-leading! I wish Alfa would offer something similar today instead of the lacklustre Mito offering and carry on the formula DNA of the Afasud affordable, brilliant driving dynamics, engaging, charismatic, interior spaciousness, etc...
Leyland Princess werent Bad either
I had an identical red 1.5 Super as a student in the late 1980’s, then a blue 1.5ti followed on with a white Lancia Beta Coupe. For a young lad with an obsession with Italian style I would slip on a CP Company sweater, Replay jeans and the classic Timberland deck shoes for a stylish look! Back then I paid less than £500 each for those cars and they looked and drove wonderfully!
Thanks for the memories Mark!
I passed my driving test in my Dad's 1.3 super. Looked identical to the one reviewed here. Great memories, great car.
When I think back to being utterly clueless back in the day and looking down at these with just 1300 or 1500cc compared to my dad’s 2.0 mk4 Cortina, I must have been mad. These Alfas are so lovely and they had so many innovations such as the inboard front disks and boxer engine design. It’s such a shame there are so few left. A true ground breaker. Nice video Jack. I’m sure I recognize some of those roads from Harry’s vids.
The Sud had also upside down front shocks like modern sport motorbikes, so the heavy part filled with oil not are part of the unsprung mass. But it also made the front struts unusually complicated. Aftermarket shocks were of conventional design and not similar to the original Alfa.
My father had so many of these from new. A 1.2SE, a 1.2ti, a 1.3Super, a Sprint 1.5, a Sprint Veloce 1.5. The first 2 were literally rusting within a year of purchase. Such a shame because these were so far ahead of their time, so dynamic and raspy. I was so lucky to learn to drive in the sprints and pass my test. The examiner saw this nearly new Sprint Veloce and said 'O right, this is going to be fun!'. He passed me saying I drove it like a grandma. Your video has brought back such sweet memories.
My Dad had a 1.2SE also, I persuaded him to go look at it in a garage in Ellesmere Port back in 1976. Despite his best efforts it was rusting so bad that he replaced it with a Vauxhall Magnum a year later. He didn't really want the Magnum but I think it was the only garage that would p/exchange the Alfa...
I should add that I loved that early 'Sud and went on to own my own 1300 saloon (actually 1351cc), Sprint Veloce 1500 and 1500 saloon. Nearly 30 years later I'm living in Portugal and the 'Suds are all gone. The 33 models are the closest relative to the 'Suds and I will probably buy one for the hell of it!
My father in law had a 2 door Alfa Sud in the 70’s, I think I used to drive it more than him. I absolutely loved it. Great little Car.
Oh wow. We had one an Alfasud 5M. 1186cc and it was pretty quick for it’s size and I think the first 5 speed box. Loved it. Ended up being slapped with rust bits falling off as it went. I actually cried.
One of my friends bought one when we’re based in Cyprus, he still has it! They were great cars.
I had a ‘76 Alfasud Ti back in the early eighties, a magnificent little driving machine despite only a 1.2 litre engine and measly 68 horsepower. Superb roadholding.
I spent quite a bit of time in a new Alphasud Sprint being driven by someone who could drive. Dear God! It was a revelation. The grip was like nothing before experienced with unbelievable poise and balance too. The Sprint of course had an even lower CG than the saloon.
Allow me to correct you. It's not your hero but It's everybody's who ever drove it;) Great video, thanks!
This car looks really good. The second generation Lancia Delta from 1993 reminds me of this Alfasud. Similar shape, similar proportions. I used to have two alfas from the 80’s. An Alfetta and a 75. Both were great cars with just a few problems.
the only car I owned and then owned another. the interior and ride was like a big car with the handling of a proper sports car. they got down the road well and gave fantastic fuel economy. but back in the mid 80s when I had them, the best bit was sitting in the drivers seat at night, starting the engine and turning on the lights - it felt like being in a cockpit. great times indeed
The misconception about Alfa reliability carries on to this day. Whenever I post that I own an Alfa on other channels, there is always a comment about how unreliable they are. I've had my 159 ti for nearly 4 years now, and it has been as reliable as my previous car, a Honda Civic 2.2 i-CTDi. However, the 159 is a much more fun car to drive - the Honda was terrible on bad road surfaces and would jitter all over the place.
I made a comment above about Parent's 'Sud but I also had a 159 JTDI from new for 3 years. I loved it, far more reliable than the A4 it replaced. It was a great car to own and pretty well screwed together.
Yep, the jokes about Alfa unreliability and rust wear a bit thin after a while. I’m on my third Alfa - 1st one managed 130k miles over 7 years without any major mechanical or electrical issues, and was still on its original clutch, 2nd one, sadly I didn’t keep very long, due to having a company car, and again, managed 60k miles with no major problems, and my current one, a Giulietta is on 101k, also on its original clutch, no major problems, and drives like a new car. The only downside with Alfas is that you do need to keep up with the servicing, use the correct oil, and if they do go wrong, they can be expensive to fix. However, I’ve always used good Italian car specialists who know how to look after Alfas, and generally have a real passion for the marque. I even still get headlamp flashes from other Alfa owners, which I’ve never experienced with any other make of car.
Drove an Alfa 156 for six years. Loved it. Broke a timing belt at 70k. Apparently they lowered the interval to 40k from 80k and I hadn’t heard.
Apart from that it was more reliable than the Passat I had afterwards.
People like to be “in the know” but it’s generally received wisdom based on nothing. The majority of people have never even driven one.
Hm, that’s not what I hear from Alfa owners I know. But good for you!
Yup, reliability isn't Alfas main issues. I've owned Alfas since 2006, and, yes, they have their foibles. Alfas biggest issues is how they are perceived. They are perceived by people who not sat in one, much less owned one. Instead they drive their soulless Euroboxes.
In 1973 my apprentice bought a low klm Alfa Sud. He was only about eighteen months younger than myself and a "spirited" driver to say the least. His Sud got so abused that within the first year it had stripped the front drive hub splines out. Spares were very hard to get for Alfas here in Australia at the time so we put it in our workshop and welded the driveshafts into the drive hubs, problem solved. Your assessment is right Jack they were nice little cars, went and handled well, and this young fellow was just the bloke to "wring" every ounce of what the Sud would do out of that little car.
Jack, you must remember that in the 70's all cars in Italy had square number plates. It used to annoy me when one was plastered all over a recesses clearly made for a rectangular one. Also, the way the finish has rubbed off the gear knob just so reminds me of my Italian holidays when I was a kid.
It had a modern rectangular plate when I bought it but the original square one was in the boot and I much prefer go they look ( just like my dads old ones )
Yes, the wood finish was just a paint effect. I have looked at replacements but like the weathered and honest to it’s age look 👍
Driven plenty, but never owned a Sud, but had a beautiful Sprint 1500QV and loved it’s sure footedness. Had a couple of 33’s and a couple of 75s including an awesome Autodelta 3.0 Veloce, I still miss that car today!
That was an education. Looking more closely and in context with it's age the little Sud is a lovely little thing, especially when you describe how it handles. Makes me almost want one...almost.
My first car of my life a was 18 when I got a last production of the 1981 Sud..i born in Marigliano 15 MN from pomigliano d'arco..nice video thanks from Canada 🇨🇦
Had one in South Africa 🇿🇦, used to stuff the surfboards in it and drive it everywhere. Admittedly rotted around me like tissue paper but great little engine and fab looks
Yeah,I had 1.5 cloverleaf,just the best fun mota ever,the exhaust noise on the overrun was sexy too😍😍
True story: Owned a 1985 Q4 15ti back in the day. Traded it in on a Guilletta 2.0. Next day police was at my door asking about it. Of course I could proof it was no longer mine. Turned out it had been stolen from the dealer car lot and used as a getaway car in a bank heist! Damn that car was fast..
Feu Orange air freshener! That's a blast from the past!
Back in the late 80's, a friend had a 1975 (N Reg) 3-door 'booted' 1.2 Sud. It had been fitted with a twin choke and went absolutely brilliantly - probably because it was ridiculously under-geared. I regularly used to borrow it and had an absolute hoot in it. Such a sweet little engine. I had several 33's and Sprints around the early noughties and sadly non of them felt anything like as good as that original cream 1.2.
I wanted one of these as my first car. I passed my test, saved up what I thought was an appropriate amount of money only to discover they’d all gone. That was in the early 90s.
First car, a 1.5ti, YRG 682V. Ran it for three years, no problems. Loved it 👍🏁
Brilliant and a masterpiece by Alfa. Unfortunately for known reasons cars started to rust from ...showrooms. Nevertheless I was impressed in early 70's when had the opportunity to drive one, it was the reason to become an Alfa fanatic.
I’ve always heard it blamed on the Russians.
Have to repair rust on the alfasud before we deliveret to the customer. And Wien the snow come the timing belt jumped over. But the bigger Alfas were a lille better. But anyway Alfa Romeo is for people with deep pockets.
Back in the 1970's, families tended to only have 1 car, so budget/size would play a big part in the decision. The extra Alfa cost alone would probably make it prohibitive, together with greater competition from the Japanese in the UK.
Good to see one still on the road Jack, thanks!
Thanks chap!!
Great video. The Alfasud is one of the most overlooked classics out there. In my opinion nearly all the badly built cars have long gone. As an engineer I know that the primary aim of quality in production is consistency, to produce a product that is good enough, in quantity, but not necessarily to strive for perfection, as that would cost too much money. With the Alfasud they had a production line running out of control, quality was very hit and miss, but don't forget Pomigliano d'Arco was a purpose built state of the art factory at the time. It is conceivable that cars did roll out of there built to a good or adequate standard. There were plenty of lemons too! What is left now are the cherished or well built examples. I also have put my money where my mouth is and own a number of very nice examples of the variants of this wonderful Alfa. Thanks for the video and a potted history of this great Italian classic!
I had two Suds in the 1980s, including a Gold Cloverleaf. Terrific fun, high-revving, perfect for the local Cornish lanes!
Jack. My first car... Alfasud 2 dr 1.5TI in black 1983 Loved it. That noise was glorious when my mates had a mini metro or a Renault 5. I thought I was the biz.
I thought I was the nuts in my 1986 Metro vanden Plas. Electric windows, cream leather seats, walnut dash. I even used to play the Outrun soundtrack cassette while driving :)
😆😆😆😆. They were cool cars at the time!
you were mate, I had a 5 and my dad had a 1.5ti-X...how i wished i had that car..
My elder brother had two of them in the eighties. Sporty and compared to the Volkswagen and Opel cars in the larger family quite luxurious. My brother gave up after the floorpan of the second one hardly consisted of any original part....when the car was only six years old ! But these cars probably infected me with the Italian car virus forever.
My parents owned the 1.5. They bought it used, it was one of the later spec models, which did not suffer from rust and was trouble free until sold with around 100k miles on the clock. I loved driving it when I ‘borrowed’ it as a student. Great car indeed.
Lovely little cars. They made most other cars of the time feel like stodgey old puddings.
Thanks for this video, and The fantastic ALFASUD owned 4 of them one 1975. 1978. 1981 and 1983. What a Great and FUN car to drive with this amazing boxer engine.😀😀😀
I’ve owned 3 two suds anda sud sprint(wish I still had them) reliable cars split petrol pipe on sprint and one sized brake caliper on 1.5 ti
Cute little car. Nice video. Very informative as I'm not familiar with this history. Keep up the good work.
What a great looking car. Great vid. Wish they would of seen the US market. Next to the GTV Jr, might be my second fav Alfa. I owned three Italian cars here in the US. First a 74 Fiat X1/9 while in college. No guts, cheap plastic, two broken timing belts and such a fun car to drive with the top off. 2nd 1984 Spider Veloce. Not fast but pure joy to drive. Lastly, 1991 164 base with a stick. Bought from father in law who purchased new and only had 20k on it at the time. Damn that car was fun with a stick. Should of never sold it. And the engine was a thing of beauty. Luv just popping the hood and looking at it.
Great clip. love your enthusiastic way of telling your well researched stories. In this case you forgot the 1970 Citroen GS, which , I think, influenced Alfa quite a bit... 4 discs, boxer, body shape...
Greetings and please keep going!
I had two back in the day both bought around the three year old mark. First was a 1.5 ti which as you mention was a truly great handling car. The ride quality was also excellent I suspect due to the 165/70/14 tyres that were fitted working great with the spring rates. By the time I sold it though the hot hatch really had come of age and the performance of the XR3i, GTE and GTI were well ahead as were the grip levels.
I bought another Sud, a tix which had twin carbs on it. It was certainly perkier but with wider tyres it lost something and never felt quite as good. I should also state that I kept both cars for around 2-3 years and only had one spot of rust in a seam just below one of the tail lights of the early car.
Interestingly the first sold immediately as the buyer told me it was the first he’d seen without holes in the bodywork!
Next to no mechanical issues at all really, only pain was front disc pads as the front callipers were inboard and had the handbrake mech attached.
Hot hatch performance moved on though and ultimately the GTI’s I had later performed much better but I’ll always have fond memories of the Suds I owned in my youth!
My first car was a 1980 1.3 Super, very similar to that one. It was close as I could get to the Italian exotica I’d grown up lusting after and although it dissolved within months it was petrol head nirvana, I loved it. So much so that my next car was an Alfasud Sprint.
I remember the cloth badges on the rear roof pillars.
A great car. I bought mine in 1979 for about 19000 guilders. Unfortunately it rusted away fast. Sold in 1987 for 75 guilders to the junk yard.
Boy, that brings back memories!
I bought a red (looked just like that one) 1978 1.2 5M to replace my first car, a 1972 1.2 Vauxhall Viva, in the late 80's. Wow, what a difference! The Sud remains one of, if not the, best handling cars I ever owned. My only mod was to add the twin choke carb from a Ti to squeeze a wee bit more performance from the brilliant 1.2L engine. But the rust, OMG, the rust. The only other problem I had was the carb would ice up in winter. Loved that car.
My dream car as a kid. This exact model and colour.
That is my very first car, same colour, 4 doors, 1.5 super, paid 200 auctions in Croydon 1986, only a provisional licence and lived next-door to tooting nick
Thanks Mr Hruska (in charge of the Alfasud project, from the new factory to the car).
You have stubbornly carried through a new idea of a popular car for driving enthusiasts.
An original car concept without compromise.
A car born from the design idea of a man who had full decision-making powers, who well interpreted the Alfa Romeo idea of the car at the time. Unique.
Please, take a comparative driving test today of the Alfasud by comparing it with ALL its rivals of the time and let us know.
35 years ago I owned a 3 door 1.5 ti shoddy work man ship at it's finest but absolutely brilliant car to drive looked good to, thanks for bringing back the memories, great review 👍
Oh the memories, I had one of these back in the late 70s! I was absolutely amazed by the inboard disks, shame they were such rust buckets. Get video Jack!
Really nice to see the Alfasud in your video. My dad had one, it was a later Quadrifoglio Oro model, I loved that car! So sad that they had rust problems.
Great video. I travelled in one of the last versions in fuel injection spec and remember being really impressed at the time. Thanks for explaining why it was called the Sud - all these years I thought the name was a little odd and finally I have the answer.
amazing design for a hatchback!!!! Even in today's standards looks modern!!!
Jack, you might remember our red Alfasud, exactly like the one you drove here but LHD! My parents drove it every day until 1987. I learned to drive on it! Loved it!
To be honest I was happy when the wonderful Alfa 33 came out to replace the Alfasud. But thanks to your video, I see how much it owed to its predecessor, including that legendary Boxer engine. Thanks Jack!
Alfa Romeos get under your skin. They are fabulously flawed but utterly amazing at the same time. As an ex mechanic, I would never touch them, but, in the last 3 years I’ve had 4 of them, 159, GT, 156, Mito !, all of them were fantastic, even the diesel ones !. They have a style and drive of no other car and, IF I was looking to replace my current car, nothing but an Alfa would be worth even considering.
Had one of the last ‘suds. Bought new. Was always going to get rid before 3 years old. Brake failure, wiring smoking, backfires if plugs were 1 day past their service interval, plus a habit of losing coolant onto a brake disc if not thrashed(?). Still my favourite car I’ve owned ( my therapy is ongoing 😀)
You must have baught a dud! I had 3 different models and 3 33.best boxer engine in the world. I can't remember having all the shit you talk about
@@henrysmith5860 it led a hard life. I used it as my daily driver and also did road rallying in it. That it’s my favourite car says a lot more about its plus points than it’s issues.
We have a 12 year old Mito that runs fine and has only ever needed service items.
Had one years ago and loved it, fabulous car in their day.
As a child, I used to love Alfa Romeos and I counted the ones I saw on the road as a pass time when we drove to Italy for the holidays. Good times.
Thanks for a great video. Most exciting auto I have ever owned. I owned a new Sprint 1.5 veloce (Mark 1 variant) from 1983 which I kept until 1991. Only a little rust after eight years as by then these cars were rustproofed in the UK before they went on sale. Dinitrol rustproof on the one I bought. However reliability wasn't perfect. There were niggles from time to time and it wasn't the sort of car one could take on a touring holiday.
Had a 73 SC1.2 Alfasud as my 1st car and loved it. same color as the one on the video
My father had the 1.2 1974, my first drives I've done on it, you never forget the sound of the engine..
Brilliant car my brother in law had the sprint and my father a 1976 2.0;GTV Alfetta, both fabulous and totally reliable.
Such a great little car, and I agree that the early ones were indeed the best looking. I can’t exactly recall the reasons, but I bought another flat 4 engined car in 1973, a Citroen GS 1220. It too had 4 disc brakes and very skinny tyres, but handled pretty well nonetheless. I did always hanker after an Alfasud, but alas I have never owned one. Thanks for driving this remarkably attractive and sound example.
Renault 8's & 10's from the 60's had 4 wheel disc brakes. Fiat 124 & 125 sedans had them too, I think.
I had one, a lovely car. It and the Citroen GS were leagues ahead of their contemporaries. You should try and get an NSU Ro80 to test. Also a wonderful thing.
Spot on, both cars were a mile ahead of the competition.
Yep, compare a GS or 'Sud against a Marina.... The GS and 'Sud were great cars, quite different approaches, but both lovely to drive.
@@65PCH I bought a 4 door Sud as my first car but it was already shot with rust so never got it back on the road : ( - even though my girlfriend and my best friend both had Sud Tis they were great, mine was just a bit too 'old'. Went on to 2 ! Marinas ; ) ! which at least were reliable. All a long long time ago . . . .
Geez a whiz, my personal holy trinity of unjustly maligned mechanical marvels.
Parents had one from new in '76 (same colour but a 1300) as they wanted something more 'family' than the R6 they previously had. Apparently they loved the handling, ride and space, but it often wouldn't start and one day a couple of years later, my Mum put some shopping in the boot only to see it go straight through to the tarmac. It just rotted away before their eyes. Dad hated it so much in terms of ownership experience he would leave it on the side of the road outside the front garden with teh keys in hoping someone would just take it. Eventually they sold it in '78 with a 1976 reg R16 that they kept until they bought a first shape Sierra (that also had many of the problems as the 'Sud!). I remember seeing it in the '80s running around town with a vinyl roof as a taxi. Dad vowed then and to this day to never ever buy an Italian car. I tried to get him to get a 155 but he wouldn't even sit in it at the motor show. Imagine his face when I turned up with a 159 years later.
Cracking review Jack, I’m really pleased your uploading so regularly and it’s always quality content buddy 👍
They were lovely cars, but in 1980 I bought a Lancia Beta Coupe 1600 for similar money. It really was like a mini Ferrari in its day.
I had a Alfa Sud ti with the twin head lights in the late seventies and I drove it like I stole it. It was the best handling car that put a smile on my face every time I drove it. It burned oil, blew smoke and unfortunately it rusted. I have fond and bad financial memories of the car but if I could have a rust free one or a GTV 1750 or 2000. I’d own another in a heart beat.
Loved my Alfasud. It was poor quality and it did rust, but it never let me down. As you say you could join bends together
My very first car was a Renault R8, manufactured in 1963. 956cc, rear-engined and disc brakes all round!
Jack these had a huge following here in Australia back in the day. We even took the 1988 Alfasud Sprint, stuck a 5 litre V8 amidships in it and thoroughly reengineered it into a thing called the Giocattolo. It was a Ferrari eater. Only 12 were built. 11 survive. Go look it up on youtube and be prepared to be blown away. Martin
Ill check It out. Thanks Martin!!
In my spent youth I had a 1977 1.3Ti. In red for top testosterone points. Utterly loved it. I remember summer evening drives with the offside rear window latched open. This gave a perfect blend of engine and exhaust sounds.
Nice interior too. I loved the Veglia gauges with their tasteful typefaces and green lighting. The back seat was sumptuous for the ladies, and the high rear window gave a fair degree of privacy.
Its structural condition did deteriorate with depressing rapidity* though.
*The windows were steamed up. The lane was dark. I backed it into a tree.
these are cracking little cars.
the ti or sprints with 100bhp are great fun to pilot down a back lane or flowing main road.
Jack, I'm with you, I love these. My mum had a brand new white 5M (1.2 I think) 1977 S reg. My mum still raves about it today and it was a unicorn them with a 5 speed manual... my Granddad also bought one. Sadly, my mum's new cars rotted out on the doors in just one year, and my Grandad's developed a hole in the boot... would I have one today? You bet I would!!!! The bay of E has one advertised for £9995........
Its such a shame that rust killed off the reputation that these should be enjoying!!
Great car, great review. Enjoyed your passion for the brand without any of the normal clichés or 'Alfaisms' just a great video that was all about the car and its nature not the normal about how the presenter loves Alfa. Really watchable video, great content as always.
I remember a letter sent to Autocar a while after the 'Sud 1.2 ti came out. Chap had a Porsche 911, drove it a long time and loved it, but decided he wanted a new one. So, he ordered it, and to get a good deal, sold the old one privately. He had to wait a while for the new 911, so he bought a Sud ti for wheels while waited for the new 911. Soon, he decided that the Sud ti was so good to drive that he cancelled the 911.
Great story, thanks!!
I had a 1.5SC identical to that (except in white) as a student. Spent my entire time at Uni welding it. Wonderful car.
I drove many of those back in the day as I used to pick up new cars from a dealer for Ziebart rust proofing. The build quality was very approximate, so no two drove the same. Later I had a 1.7 Sprint and a 1.5SC. Naturally the bodywork would rust virtually overnight. The handling would go off quite quickly due to the sill inner box sections triangulation turning to dust. The front brakes were a nightmare to service, they would lock up on one side no matter what you did to them. The 1.2/1.3 were the sweetest engines - the 1.5 and particularly 1.7 didn't rev nearly as sweetly.
You may have driven mine which was zeibarted from new! I have read that the smaller engines are sweeter, but there aren’t a huge number around to choose from and I’d imagine the extra torque helps it keep up with modern traffic without having to thrash it everywhere.
Of course, the Giulia Super had all around disc brakes too. But the Alfasud is really coming into its own, especially as they are now so rare.
Yes and the Sud was a cheaper product.. no other car in the same class has all round discs! Hope you good old chap!
My Dad had a 1980 1.5 and then a 1983 1.3SC - great fun to drive - I passed my test learning on the 'Sud. Just seeing that interior brings back the memories - and that red gearknob that always goes white! with use!
Great video, thanks!
I've owned 2 back in the days. a4-door 1.2 and a 1.3ti. Both pre facelifts.
Great funcars to drive, especially the ti. Didn't have rost problems, as long as you fixed stonechips etc.
5:42 The steering wheel and those 2 dials look really good
Loved my Alfasuds, my favourite was the sprint qv. I’d love the drive one again to see if they are really as good as I remember them to be.
Nice. I had a black Sprint coupe. Lovely, but would have been lovelier with a Northern European spec heater!
Even Volkswagen Up! didn't have disc brakes on all four corners (I know relatively speaking the Sud is 2 classes above but both are similarly sized). Alfasud really is ahead of its time.
Also, absolutely no sign of Jack's Italian heritage. Definitely not from his pronunciation of Alfasud and Pomigliano, not at all ;)
This was way ahead of it's time.One of the earliest Front Drives of the period.My late father had a 1980 Alfa Sud Sprint when Ford brought out the KA Laser series in Australia in 1981.Mechanicals were similar with say the S variants such as a 5 speed manual and identical power but things like four wheel disc brakes(the same applied to the KB models which we rejected in favor to buy a 1983 Alfa Sud Sprint)didn't arrived till 1985 and their second generation models and the TX3.by 1985 the sud was replaced by the 33 and went upmarket.you wanted an entry level or mid spec anything you went Japanese.
Had three, one after another. First a 1974 SE, with an 1186cc engine, was superb but dissolved. Second an orange 5M , drove it down to the South of France several times and it never missed a beat, the exhaust had an amazing crackle to it. Third a 1.5 ti. Never felt as good as the 5M, swapped it for a Giulietta then a GTV6. All were totally reliable and never let me down, would have any one of them again.
The 128 fiat also had rust problems and nearly had me killed.the front stabilizer pillers rusted away after a year or two.depends on regular washing
I had a Sud Ti R ref in the early 80’s. Rot got it and the loan lasted longer. Since then bored with other cars I have since owned a 146,156 and now a 159 from new. Still my daily driver and 13 years old. No big issues with any of them. I would love to own a Sud again.