I picked up an early mustard yellow Alfa Sud at a wrecking yard for peanuts in the late 1990s. There was nothing wrong with it, apart from a dead battery, and being in Australia, there was no rust (something they were prone to). I fell in love with it straight away and at the time it was the best handling front wheel drive car I hade ever driven. It wasn't really fast but it sounded fast. I really enjoyed my time with my one and only Alfa Romeo.
Fine as a Porcupine!!!!!!! I bought one of these new from Benstead & Pidcock in Peterborough back in 1983. Mine was red and it was the Green Cloverleaf version with 105 HP. It was LOTS OF FUN to drive!!! The garage took me from Peterborough to Alfa's UK HQ in London from Bedford to receive delivery, which I thought was a nice gesture. I had it for three years and drove it for nearly 100'000 miles without any serious problems. NYP 951 Y
A proper bittersweet step back in time for me. I had 2 of these, a rusty red 3 door 1.5ti, which drove unbelievabley well. However, I picked up a 3 year old 1.3 SC 5 door in black, which had been pranged on the front, easily repaired for pennies. I then installed the drive train from a 1.7 sprint veloce! I painted the wheels black and applied green clover leaf stickers on the rear wings. It was amazing and owed me under a grand! However I was pestered all the time to sell and eventually trebled my money! What a mistake! And he drove it into the ground and wrecked it within six months. I wish I still had it! Anyway thanks for the memories, Ed.👍
Your best video yet! Yes i was the first to get your teaser shot of the Sud on facebook! i have always adored these little cars and at the age of 15 in 1975 i convinced my Dad to buy a new Alfasud 1.2ti, he even taught me to drive it at 16 on a disused airfield, once i reached 21 and could get insured on one i went on to have four Alfasud`s, mostly 1.5 ti`s from 1981 to 1983, returning to a 1.3ti as my classic car in the 2000`s, your face and obvious enjoyment of the car was just like stepping back well over 40 years to when i first drove one.. These cars are so infectious in their charm..
I had a 1.5 Ti in the 80s. What great roadholding, my best drive ever is taking it on the curving roads and tunnels around Lake Garda. It was also solidly built, despite the notorious rust problem. In fact I believe this saved my life when, at at least 60 mph, a driver pulled out in front of me as I drove along the Route National outside Calais. I T boned him so hard his car took off like a kicked football, turning over in the air before rolling over the road and down the embankment! The Alfa was, obviously a write off but had retained its integrity and didn't even leave its lane, so my passenger and I suffered no more than seatbelt bruising.
Dear enthusiast, you have no idea how many people told me: "Alfa forgave me the mistake I made", in the years when there was no electronics but: chassis, suspension, steering, balance. As an Alfista I obviously enjoyed it like a hedgehog 😁
Hi Ed. I owned the Alfa Sud Sprint Veloce in black back in 1983. It was a 1980 model. Although not exactly the same as the Sud you're presenting here, it was as I'm sure you'll know, very similar in many ways. Oh boy, what a car that was. I loved it. I remember the light within the instrument cluster that came on when you started the car and stayed on for maybe 40-50 seconds and then I think changed colour (started red and changed to green) and faded away. It was a warm up light to tell you to wait whilst the engine warmed up. I'd sit there and patiently wait for the light to go off and when it did, I'd think, 'show time!' It was wonderful to drive. Went around corners like nothing else I've owned since and was at the time, quite a draw card for the women. More happy memories. Keep your reviews coming. I really appreciate your style, your clear descriptions and the effort you put into these videos. Big fan!
When I got my first car in 1999, it was a 1991 Alfa 33 1.7 ie. The concept of the 33 was almost exactly the same as the Sud, bar the inboard discs. And although by then the Sud concept was already 30 years old, I just loved my 33. Lots of the things you mention here were still there, the engine (despite injection), the light weight, the road holding etc. Pure magic. Thank you for this excellent video, Ed. Your standards are way up there, your stories better than most car shows on TV. I see a wonderful future for you! 👍🏻😃🍀
I've had two Alfasuds a four door and TI, wonderful cars, but astonishing levels of rust. The pcv valve was blocked so when I accelerated the oil filler cap would pop off , I ended up using a small chain to catch it. The inboard discs were interesting when leaking oil would blow back on to them ! Gearshift was like a stick in a bag of marbles.
Picture the scene. 1979. I worked for a major manufacturer in the UK and there were 100 apprentices aged 16-20. And all of us were bike and car mad. The bike to have was the RD 250 and most of us had normal first cars of the day such as escorts, cortinas, viva, marina etc. except one ….. he had a white Alfasud. Lucky bastard.
The Alfasud doesn't start rusting in the dealer's showroom, it started rusting in the brochure. ;) Great video, what a minter that little black beauty, thank you for showing it.
My first car was a 1977 Alfasud 5M, and yes that died 8 years old of incurable rust. After that I had another Afasud TI and 4 Alfa's 33, and did oh I love these. Your analysis on the strong points and the weak points is spot on, thanks for the great video. A lot of professional Car journalists could learn from you how to capture the soul of a car in a car review.
Hi Ed - Huge respect and appreciation; Clearly a lot of time and effort went into producing this, just hope you enjoy making your videos as much as I / we enjoy watching them. Respect, Rob.
Memories, great memories! My first ever brand new car was an '81 1.5 ti, replaced in '83 by a 1.5 ti Quadrifoglio Verde. Later my brother and I bought an older 1.2 ti, which we kept for many years. I also had some 33s but then slowly drifted away from Alfa.
Hello, I’ve got one of these (Green Cloverleaf). I have to say, your video is probably the best review I’ve ever seen on these cars. Very well researched and you clearly did your own homework. It was a very refreshing take on the car and you clearly ‘get’ the whole Alfasud driving experience. Really enjoyed the video and I’ve subscribed. Great work 👍
As a young man, I sat in the back of one of these in 1981 in Te Awamutu, NZ, where a great aunt took me and my mum shopping. It was very spacious, matching that of a much larger car. It held the road very well, and I can see why it was popular, putting together many ideas from different car manufacturers in a single vehicle...
Thanks so much for reviewing the Alfa Sud and what joy to see your smile when you drove her. My first car was a 1980 Alfa Sud Sprint Veloce 1.5 registration MLW 823V in an orange/brown/rust. I adored my Sud Sprint and your well researched, articulate and passionate review brought back so many happy memories. I had to change the brake callipers on the front inboard discs as the seals went. I remember consulting my Haynes manual and step 1 in the section for getting the callipers off was “remove engine”. I completely ignored the advice of the book and spent nearly a week getting the callipers off whilst the engine was in-situ. The ignorance and naivety of youth 😂 Keep up your great work and thanks again for taking this 50 something man back to his youth with a smile and even a small tear in my eye. I’m so pleased you loved it as much as I did!!
Back in the 1980s I had an Alfasud Sprint Velope 1.5 - what a car!!! The handling was absolutely immense and I loved the car so much. Unfortunately it had the usual rust problem, although not much worse than many other cars of the time. I had the car serviced at all the proper intervals but it still snapped both of it’s timing belts absolutely ruining the engine. I shall always have such wonderful memories of the driving experience, which still brings a smile to my face when I think of it.
In the 80s I had a ‘79 Sprint Veloce too. Followed by two Sud 1.5 ti Green Cloverleafs, one of those tweaked and lowered - it was actually featured in GTS magazine. The Sprint is the one I’d love now though, such a lovely looking car with all the Sud characteristics and the earlier delicate chrome bumpers. Like yours it did rust a bit, and I can’t remember why I sold it but I really wish I had it now. My flat four love carried on and I’ve been a Subaru owner for the last 25 years. The thrum of a flat four is addictive.
Don't think it was ever underrated, it always got great reviews in it's day and sold well. But the build quality was awful and the cars was nearly scrapped in the same tempo that new ones could be build. Saying that as a guy that once have owned and driven Alfasuds for like 10 yars and even done a big restoration on one. Loved how they drove, ended hating using all the time on fixing problems.
I asked my father about the rust in Italian cats back then, since he had a Beta coupe in the very late 70s/early 80s. Looking back he reckoned that all cars back then rusted easily. His Beta was rust proofed, but he remembered getting it cheap at auction because of the reputation, but not selling it on for much in return.
Oh my! These cars are just becoming more and more beautiful and desirable on a daily basis, in the context of modern cars that surround them on the roads.
People don’t realise what a technical tour de force these cars were in their day. As an original 1.2 litre saloon, they had bigger disc brakes on the front than a Ford Capri 3 litre. ! Plus also having discs on the back, something of a misnomer in British cars unless you were buying something specialised or very executive expensive. They were considered one of best handling cars in the world , regardless of price, very little torque steer , with some of the better motoring hacks of the day lifting a rear wheel mid corner , at literally astonishing cornering forces for the day. The engine power outputs were excellent for the day, considering the actual capacities , and the throttle response , braking performance, lovely gear change combined and “Gelled together” to make a terrific Drivers Car which little could match at the time , in fact , dare I say , few would today. Such a shame few exist today. Nice vid again .
Your videos are always good, but may I just say that this is one of your best yet - such a wealth of information, well presented, and most of which I didn't even know!
I had a 1.5 gold cloverleaf in red with a tan interior in 1985 what a car out handled everything else, the sound was amazing and even though I lived in Scotland then I drove round all the time with the windows down so I could listen to the exhaust. And it never had a spot of rust on it.
Had three Suds back in the nineties interspersed with a couple of X/1-9's and two boxy Pandas. Was my first 'real' car after a couple of much loved 2CV's. Loved the vid, brought the memories and sounds flooding back. Of all the cars I've owned it's the Sud I'd want to drive again. There remains such an allure to these charming, slightly exotic little gems. I can hear that creamy raspy little boxer right now!
Well done Ed, a fantastic review, full of history, passion (£1 in the tin) and information. I grew up seeing the Alfasud and I think this where my interest in them comes from, they were so different and sporty compared to the uk cars we saw most often in the early 70’s. I’ve owned 3 Alfa’s (still have one) but not a Sud much to my regret. Keep up the excellent work!
Terrific video and review your passion and attention to detail is first class you bring a refreshing approach to old school car reviews keep up the great work!
The most comprehensively accurate and detailed video on the superior Sud... Can't believe it's 50 years! I owned four gorgeous Sud Tis--a brand-new final model Green Cloverleaf 1.5 Twin Carb of 1984 (disappointing due to Alfa tinkering with shock/ spring rates), a superb 1981 1.5 Ti and two 1978 1.2 Tis... The driving was sublime in every way (especially of the earlier models 1977 to 1981), including the sound and the fact that the handling would always help you out. Not only that--at a time when large sad Fords and Holdens competed with awful little cars like Datsun's appalling 120Y, the Sud was a revelation, a breath of fresh air--and it had much more rear legroom than the big cars due to its incredible space efficiency. Every major car manufacturer on Earth had Suds in their test fleets as they tried to back-engineer its perfection. Thank you Giorgetto Guigaro and Rudolph Hruska for the magnificent designs--no thanks to Alfa Romeo for the rust issues due to the Russian steel and untrained personnel. For $16,000Au my new 1984 Quadrifoglio Verde Ti came with a 5 year rust warranty--but there I was at the panel beater well before 3 years having bubbling rust along the hatch window repaired...
First new car I ever went in was a Mk1 Alfasud in 1977. My friend’s mum drove straight from the dealership to our primary school at chucking out time, and gave a few of us a raz around the country lanes & then home. I sat in the nearside rear seat and still remember the rasp of the exhaust. It was exhilarating as it was so exotic to me - it being a foreign car, whose name I could not pronounce & had never heard of. Our family car at the time was a dumpy brown 1968 Wolseley 18/85 automatic. I still have an obsession with Alfasuds, all because of that 15 minute drive 45 years ago! (eek).
Ed, that’s a very late car. As sold in the early 70s as a four door they were far from premium, they had cardboard door trims, a very simple dash and the classic boot lid which when opened rested on the rear window.! They had a double skinned foam filled firewall. And then there is the rust. The early ones are beautiful but the build quality and rust was unbelievably bad. The early ones were light but the recycled steel rusted from under the paint. I love them but the early ones are seriously hard work.
My first Alfa was a 1977 1.3 ti in Arancia Capua (a pale orange) and it was a great little car. Second Sud was a 1981 1.5ti. Neither of these cars had any major rust. My 1981 Sprint which I have now does have a few places which now need a little bit of work, but not bad for a 41 year old car. Brilliantly fun cars to drive, especially in the twisty bits.
I've loved them from the day they were released. Now I can't find one nor afford it if one does becomes available. Great background story and evaluation.
My dad's best friend had a long love affair with the Alfa sud Ti and later the 33 and 75. He replaced his suds every 3 years though as they literally dissolved on the driveway and he bought them brand new.
Lovely (and very rare now) old things that earned a fine reputation for themselves as a proper 'drivers car" back in the day. Given the exception condition of this example I'm guessing the owner was cursing their luck when it started to rain while filming this!
A great review Ed, this one brought back memories. An old friend had a 5 door if I recall correctly back in the late 80's / early 90's and had the 1.5 engine. I remember this being a tad bonkers during that time, it was tractable but could rev out with that soundtrack that was addictive. During those days the traffic light drag races were quite common and I remember the old 'Sud' doing a far more respectable performance against far more modern cars in the segment. Ultimately the heavy onslaught of metal moth took it's toll leaving areas of bodywork resembling brown lace. If only they had been nailed together with the correct hammer and a modicum of common sense used to reduce moisture instead of collect and store it the story of the 'Sud' could have been very different. Anyway I still have the memories of a great car.
Lovely car! I think it is crying shame that the successor Giulietta has been discontinued. Even if FCA didn't want to spend much, I think they could have put a new front-end on it, grafted in the interior from the new Tonale and keep it carrying on for a bit longer IMO.
Always loved the styling of these. A friend of my brothers had one and they were staggered by how well it handled at the time. Driving wise it really was in another league to most of its competitors. So sad it rusted before your very eyes. I remember his needed new front wings at 3 years old and shortly after a new windscreen surround as the tin worm was so bad the windscreen could have fallen out! We should remember that all cars rusted pretty badly in the seventies though. We’ve come a long way with galvanising steel, wax injection of box sections, zinc coating of bodyshells etc since then, thankfully. This looks a lovely example. Such a gorgeous car. Good design stands the test of time and this is undoubtedly proof. Proof too that they weren’t all terrible rust buckets.
I bought a new Mark 1 Sprint 1.5 Veloce in January '83. It was one of the final Mark 1 versions. It had Dinitrol rustproofing applied by Alfa in the UK before sale. I kept that car for eight years. It was garaged. There was just a little rust when I sold it in January '91. However like all Italian cars it needed care and attention.
I had a 1983 Green Cloverleaf Ti (3 door, silver, Y reg) in the mid 90's, 140,000 miles and totally rust free. By contrast in 1987 I bought a 1980 (W plate) red base model 1.5 5 door in red. It was so rotten the front strut mounts had partly detached. This meant the bonnet became a structural member as the struts hinged up under it. The was thrown away after my failed welding attempts. It left a legacy though, as I'm now a long term restorer and coachbuilder. Anyway, point is the later Alfa Suds were in a different league as far as rust prevention was concerned. Fab cars that I have the fondest memories of.
Another great vid. Can totally get your enthusiasm & fun driving that little gem. I was the proud & lucky owner of a 1982 Alfasud 1.3SC back in the late 80s / early 90s when I was about your age. I loved the thing! Still miss it...even though its body dissolved around all its wonderful mechanics!
I bought a Alfasud 1.5 SC a 1982 model in 1985 It was in Bianco Capodimonte , only the single carb version but such wonderful fun and I loved that car, as every Alfasud owner did. But oh my god the rust the floor pan was rotten when I acquired it at 3 years old it developed a rust spot on the roof underneath undamaged paint and it grew at an alarming rate! There was not a body panel that did not rot, such a shame it was a fantastic little car and put a smile on my face everytime I drove it. It had to go in the end it was simply getting lighter by the rainfall . Nearly 40 years on and I would love to own one again it was such a pure driving experience something modern cars can not deliver.
Finally got around to watching this. Great vid, very informative, and great to see these cars finally getting some press for something other than the build / rust issues and understanding the clever packaging and engineering which made them both practical and fun to drive. Also great to see someone ( I assume ) too young to have remembered them from period so can enjoy it for what it is without being tainted by rose tinted spectacles. I absolutely love mine and the way it flows down the road. Not fast by any means but perfectly able to keep up with modern traffic. If it wasn’t for rust and parts supply concerns, from a pure driving point of view I would happily use it every day!
Another amazing video. My grandfather had a 1984 5 door AlfaSud. He maintained to the end of his days that it was the best car he ever drove performance wise, but the reliability was the downside. Still looks great now, but the owners have done a good job to prevent it dissolving like so many others.
I lived with my mate 35 yrs ago he had one and I drove it every chance I had the breaks failed in the end and the repair cost was more than the cars value truly the most fun car I ever drove and I’ve since had a lot of hot hatch’s
Superb analysis! As a trade plate driver in 1978, we loved driving new Suds, 127s and 128s. We HATED driving 24-36+ month old versions because often by then they were mechanically exhausted. We referred to them as "60k Cars"; that was often their total life span.
I had a 1.5ti for a couple of years in the late 80s. It looked identical to the car featured here. Fabulous, comfortable, speedy little beast. When it worked. Unfortunately, the previous two or three owners had hammered it to the verge of extinction, so it spent most of it's time in my ownership dumping various mechanical components all over the nearest available stretch of tarmac. I wish I'd had the funds to get it properly fettled, I'd still have it now.
Magical is the word for the Sud. I have bought a new Peugeot 205GTI and a new BMW 525i; both fantastic cars on every level but despite it's flaws, my second hand Alfasud 1.5 is the car I remember with the most affection.
Great video, I have owned /cared for a 1980 Alfasud Sprint Veloce since 1986, yes I'm old, so is the car, and they are going to bury me in it. They are wonderful machines but you must care for them, otherwise it will bite your arse.
Thanks Ed, another excellent, informative, professionally presented video. Keep them coming. (I nearly bought one of these in the early 80's, rust put me off!)
My most favourite car ever. I had a "W" reg British racing green Sud and loved it. I treated it with rust proofing all round and never had a rust issue, but I was one of the lucky ones as they had a dreadful reputation. Your face says it all, you cannot drive a Sud without a smile and the occasional open window. The Boxer sounds like you are in drivers heaven. I often wonder what happened to mine after I sold it, certainly gave me many happy memories :)
What a great looking car. Excellent review, these reviews are well researched and each video gets better and better all the time. Looking forward to the next one.
Very well documented 👍 I still drive my ivory colour 2 door Alfasud 1.5Ti I bought way back in 1980 up to this day. I still like it 😊 Nice to see you driving one and the engine noise is unique 😲
My grandfather had one way back in the 80s. He was ill later in life so I only saw it come out of the garage once, then it rusted away. I'd seen pictures of one and really wanted him to take it out for a drive, forgetting as a kid that he was old and poorly.
Great drivers car indeed. Had a 1.3SC on hire for a couple of weeks holiday in the Lake District in 1983. I revelled in the handling, suspension control, delicacy, and fantastic engine. With stone walls as echo chambers, winding the windows down was obligatory and the sound addictive! I also remember that I had to wear narrow trainers as the pedals were awkward/impossible in normal shoes! I recall that the handbrake on the disc brakes was not particularly effective.
Disc hand brakes of the era were a tad iffy on steep inclines if I remember correctly. I always used to leave my cars in gear when parked. All good until someone decided to move my car and narrowly avoided some non factory body modifications.
The Alfasud was my first car, and with that the first of many Alfa Romeos. I had a 1973 1.2 and it was in a really bad shape when I got it in 1985. In many ways it was an amazing car, it was definately one of the best of it's time, no wonder it became car of the year. Had the quality held up, if it hadn't rusted away like it did, it could have become a huge success for Alfa Romeo and sold a lot more than it did. I didn't have mine for very long though, just a couple of months. A lot of work had to be done to make it pass inspection and after I got it through eventually I had an accident caused by a drunk driver that totalled the car. Sad, I liked the car a lot, but on the other hand I got myself a much nicer Alfetta 1.8 instead.
Great video, as ever. In 1974 I had regular use (not my own) of a Sud. Nothing else quite like it at the time. It had a certain 'something' that no other car of this size had. It was all pre Facelift as well, the original styling inside and out which was - in my opinion - far nicer and a more pure design. The one thing that got it in the end of course...rust. Somewhere I still have the sales brochures from the early 70's for these and loads of other brands of the time. For most of the late 60's and 70's I was that annoying kid on a Saturday morning, walking into all the dealerships and saying "Got any brochures I can have please?" They gave them to me to just go away I imagine. Thanks for doing this one.
Another driving video! Well done Ed! these videos are so much better than ur others as you get to drive the cars, makes all the difference to the quality of the video. well done fella
I had a few of these back in the 80'/90's. I had to rebuild all of them due to rust. When they are working though they are a delight to drive, so much feel through the chassis, brakes and steering. Beautifully predicable understeer/oversteer on the throttle. They are a bit thirsty though, especially the 1.5 Tii models. The 1.3 were always a bit slow. The driving position is great if you have short legs and long arms. I used to be able to get the engine and gearbox out with only couple of axle stands and a trolley jack in 30 min. All the other boxer engines you mention are air cooled, not water cooled like the 'Sud. The shape is a "Kammback" a very popular shape back when the 'Sud was designed. Basically a cut off teardrop, good for aerodynamics and practicality.
Had an Alfasud 1350 5-door (non Ti, with about 5 bhp less) in the late 80s. One of the most charismatic cars I've owned (& I've owned quite a few). ELM 780Y. Remember it having a couple of idiosyncrasies, such as the choke knob hidden away under the steering column. And the heater fan speed controlled by one of the steering column stalks. Great memories.
I went to look at a used Alfa Sud in the mid 80s, it was cheap so I thought why not, now I'm not exaggerating when I say the rot was chronic, it even had several rust holes in the roof, the car was barely 6 years old, I didn't buy it lol, that said I'd still buy a mint one now.
Yep, yep, and yet another yep! My old man bought one of these when they first came out. As we were a family of five, the 4 door version proved it's worth, but it really should have been a hatchback. I got to drive it a few times, with the old man in the passenger seat of course, and I absolutely loved it, having previously driven several Minis! My dad told one story about following a sporty larger car (I can't rem what though) when he was returning from Canterbury down to Folkestone. The famous Roman road "Stone Street" cuts a straight line for several miles through the countryside, until it begins wiggle a bit, and then drop down towards the A20. Whatever that car ahead was, it pulled away from the little Alfa, but once the corners arrived, my dad said he was able to close the gap, and basically was up it's tailpipe through the twisties ! 😁
one more video of yours where your heart clearly went in head over heels.... i wonder if while filming this video, in the back of your mind you started scratching up all your last pennys to try to get you one of your own...
Regrettably this a facelift car, the first series( chrome bumpers etc) been way more fascinated and agile to drive( even with the standard engine). Ther biggist problem of the Alfasud ....they've had the intention to rust already in the catalog. ( steel quality/ production methods and....strikes, are the mean reason for that issue) Despite this all, the Sud is and always will be branded on this old man's vision. A real eye opener in the world of the '70. Nippy and frisky....things we dont find apin the present cars!
Hruska's masterpiece (from a wonderful idea by Luraghi) In Italy it had a good success but when it first appeared it did not arouse the wonder of other markets, because here we already had other light, spacious, front-wheel drive family cars: sports family cars. From FIAT 128 to Lancia Fulvia to the excellent experimental snobs Autobianchi Primula and A111.
Love the video, Ed. Your knowledge and delightful delivery make me want to watch and listen, despite having no affinity for the car in question. Here in Canada, Alfa has always rather been seen as an expensive FIAT, commonly known as a "Fix It Again, Tony". They also tended to rust rather faster than other cars out there. The new ones here are rare and not showing any great improvements over their reputation. Add my absolute hatred of front wheel drive, and the Alfasud is just not for me. Still, a very interesting and compelling video.
It's a pleasure to see such a nice exemple of Alfasud. A Ti no less. The vid describe very well the qualities of the car and its history. The rust problem improves over time. My mother had an early Ti model, i loved this car as a child. After 5 years or so sleeping outdoor the car was rusted to the point of having bistered paint and holes in the front fenders. It was a bit shameful but the car still rode well... My father had another, late production one, 4 door not Ti, that didn't rust to that extent.
The Alfa Sud took the number one spot for rusting, with the Vauxhall Victor F model a close second, which was also due bare metal shells being stored in an open yard. The Victor was a really well engineered car with an unbustable engine, and only one real fault besides the rust. The 2 leaf rear springs were liable to snap, but easily and cheaply replaceable with a mountain of s/h springs from rusted out cars. After that number 3 spot was occupied by the Renault Dauphine and Floride, both built on the same platform. I thought that Ford was the company which popularised McPherson strut front suspension
Ford were there with struts in the ‘50s, and used them all the way through, but nobody really paid much attention to using them on everyday small cars until Fiat started doing so in 1963. With the Autobianchis, then 128 and 127, by the mid-‘70s most people were suddenly using them. I understand that it’s contentious to say one group popularised them, but I think with this setup, it does at least have backing through sheer volume, at least!
@@TwinCam I bow to your superior knowledge. I can see that Fiat popularised it by using the struts in so many models when other makers were clinging to their coil spring and wishbone set ups. I know you like collecting brochures. Should you ever get hold of one for an F model Victor, there is supposedly a paragraph describing the special plastic coating on the underside to protect it from rusting. I have not seen this myself, but think I read it in a magazine test drive article.
When I passed my driving test in 1980 i bought a 1976 alfasud ti. It was a fantastic drivers car but unfortunately rusted away at an alarming rate. Thanks for an excellent review.
I had a Sud back in 1979-80. I used to ‘race’ a guy in a gti from work for ten miles or so. I had him on the bends, but he had some on the straights. I think he’d tuned the Golf. Sold it when kids came along.
I'd like to add some hystorical details. Alfa Romeo had bonds with South Italy since the very beginning, being born from the fusion between Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili and the company "Ing. Nicola Romeo &co.". Nicola Romeo was a brilliant engineer from Naples. Alfa Romeo became state-owned as far back as 1921. The first aeroplane factory in Pomigliano d'Arco dates back to 1926. It was only after state intervention and that Alfa Romeo could become a large-scale industry, which was able until the mid seventies to produce some of the best cars in the world. They were so good that in 1939 Henry Ford was heard saying "When i see an Alfa Romeo I take off my hat".
I remember well my first drive of a Ti Sud (was it really almost 50 years ago??). I spent about a minute pushing the wheel arch and wondering why it wouldn’t rev. Once I worked it out…wow, what a drive. 😝
My brother -in-laws first car was an Anglia which he loved. His second was an Alfasud - he liked that but the galloping rot scarred him for life - he buys Honda now - of interest to you Ed is in between he had an MG Metro ( got stolen ) and a Metro Mayfair - he always lusted after an Ital like the one his Dad had.
Owned two of them, so much driving pleasure on small southern french departementales until german TÜV parted us ways. No effing Golf GTI was able to match these performances. Greetings from Dell'Ortos, Golden Lodge candles and Ansa exhausts, ciao.
My first car in Johannesburg in 1997 was a 1983 model Sud 1.5 Super hatch...very quirky, very stubborn but an absolute hoot to drive! I still miss that car and I sold her in 1999...
One of the founders of Alfa Romeo, Nicola Romeo (who bought ALFA), the very same who put the Romeo in Alfa Romeo, was Neapolitan engineer (born not far from Pomigliano d'Arco). His name was Nicola Romeo.
Fantastic car, it remembers me about the Fiat Ritmo Abarth, a car my friend had and I absolutely loved. Luckily there are a lot of people who truly understand what driving is about and who keep these cars on the road. This example looks just marvellous.
Great post Ed, and what a wonderful car, they are rare because, just one splash of moisture is enough to cause enough rusting to turn the Alphasud into a pile of redish brown dust.
Had my first one back in '81. A Red 1976 model 1..2 , it was just awesome. Can't explain the feeling I got after the first drive but you can imagine coming from a Mk2 Escort. Bought another, a 1.3 Super which was better again. Neither had any mechanical or electrical issues bar being costly to get the clutch or cam belts changed. Obviously, rust was the major issue. A car underrated by many and overall a better car to drive and enjoy than a Mk1 Golf GTi .
I picked up an early mustard yellow Alfa Sud at a wrecking yard for peanuts in the late 1990s. There was nothing wrong with it, apart from a dead battery, and being in Australia, there was no rust (something they were prone to). I fell in love with it straight away and at the time it was the best handling front wheel drive car I hade ever driven. It wasn't really fast but it sounded fast. I really enjoyed my time with my one and only Alfa Romeo.
Totally agree - best handling car of its era, without a doubt.
Fine as a Porcupine!!!!!!!
I bought one of these new from Benstead & Pidcock in Peterborough back in 1983. Mine was red and it
was the Green Cloverleaf version with 105 HP. It was LOTS OF FUN to drive!!! The garage took me from
Peterborough to Alfa's UK HQ in London from Bedford to receive delivery, which I thought was a nice gesture. I had it for three years and drove it for nearly 100'000 miles without any serious problems.
NYP 951 Y
It soldiered on until 1993 by the looks of it. Not bad at all.
A proper bittersweet step back in time for me. I had 2 of these, a rusty red 3 door 1.5ti, which drove unbelievabley well. However, I picked up a 3 year old 1.3 SC 5 door in black, which had been pranged on the front, easily repaired for pennies. I then installed the drive train from a 1.7 sprint veloce! I painted the wheels black and applied green clover leaf stickers on the rear wings. It was amazing and owed me under a grand! However I was pestered all the time to sell and eventually trebled my money! What a mistake! And he drove it into the ground and wrecked it within six months. I wish I still had it! Anyway thanks for the memories, Ed.👍
I got a red Alfasud 1.5Ti with colour coded body kit in 1985. What a great car. I love Alfas.
Your best video yet! Yes i was the first to get your teaser shot of the Sud on facebook! i have always adored these little cars and at the age of 15 in 1975 i convinced my Dad to buy a new Alfasud 1.2ti, he even taught me to drive it at 16 on a disused airfield, once i reached 21 and could get insured on one i went on to have four Alfasud`s, mostly 1.5 ti`s from 1981 to 1983, returning to a 1.3ti as my classic car in the 2000`s, your face and obvious enjoyment of the car was just like stepping back well over 40 years to when i first drove one.. These cars are so infectious in their charm..
I had a 1.5 Ti in the 80s. What great roadholding, my best drive ever is taking it on the curving roads and tunnels around Lake Garda. It was also solidly built, despite the notorious rust problem.
In fact I believe this saved my life when, at at least 60 mph, a driver pulled out in front of me as I drove along the Route National outside Calais. I T boned him so hard his car took off like a kicked football, turning over in the air before rolling over the road and down the embankment! The Alfa was, obviously a write off but had retained its integrity and didn't even leave its lane, so my passenger and I suffered no more than seatbelt bruising.
Dear enthusiast, you have no idea how many people told me: "Alfa forgave me the mistake I made", in the years when there was no electronics but: chassis, suspension, steering, balance.
As an Alfista I obviously enjoyed it like a hedgehog 😁
Hi Ed. I owned the Alfa Sud Sprint Veloce in black back in 1983. It was a 1980 model. Although not exactly the same as the Sud you're presenting here, it was as I'm sure you'll know, very similar in many ways. Oh boy, what a car that was. I loved it. I remember the light within the instrument cluster that came on when you started the car and stayed on for maybe 40-50 seconds and then I think changed colour (started red and changed to green) and faded away. It was a warm up light to tell you to wait whilst the engine warmed up. I'd sit there and patiently wait for the light to go off and when it did, I'd think, 'show time!' It was wonderful to drive. Went around corners like nothing else I've owned since and was at the time, quite a draw card for the women. More happy memories. Keep your reviews coming. I really appreciate your style, your clear descriptions and the effort you put into these videos. Big fan!
When I got my first car in 1999, it was a 1991 Alfa 33 1.7 ie. The concept of the 33 was almost exactly the same as the Sud, bar the inboard discs. And although by then the Sud concept was already 30 years old, I just loved my 33. Lots of the things you mention here were still there, the engine (despite injection), the light weight, the road holding etc. Pure magic.
Thank you for this excellent video, Ed. Your standards are way up there, your stories better than most car shows on TV. I see a wonderful future for you! 👍🏻😃🍀
We had 3 Alfa 33s in our family. I agree entirely - a true spiritual successor to the Sud.
@@petedenton9434 Even with a cat and injection, but mine managed to keep the nice roar and popping 😃
@@fhwolthuis indeed - we had a 1.5 twin carb and then a 1.5 and and 1.7 injection models.
I believe the late 'Sud had outboard front discs
I’m not 100% sure, but I think it was just the Sprints from ‘85 onwards, so after the standard ‘Sud was discontinued?
I've had two Alfasuds a four door and TI, wonderful cars, but astonishing levels of rust. The pcv valve was blocked so when I accelerated the oil filler cap would pop off , I ended up using a small chain to catch it. The inboard discs were interesting when leaking oil would blow back on to them ! Gearshift was like a stick in a bag of marbles.
I remember changing the front pads required an 8mm (I think) Allen key on a ratchet extension to back off the pistons. Worked quite well!
Picture the scene. 1979. I worked for a major manufacturer in the UK and there were 100 apprentices aged 16-20. And all of us were bike and car mad. The bike to have was the RD 250 and most of us had normal first cars of the day such as escorts, cortinas, viva, marina etc. except one ….. he had a white Alfasud. Lucky bastard.
The Alfasud doesn't start rusting in the dealer's showroom, it started rusting in the brochure. ;) Great video, what a minter that little black beauty, thank you for showing it.
You need to be on a motoring TV program, you vlog content is really impressive
My first car was a 1977 Alfasud 5M, and yes that died 8 years old of incurable rust. After that I had another Afasud TI and 4 Alfa's 33, and did oh I love these. Your analysis on the strong points and the weak points is spot on, thanks for the great video. A lot of professional Car journalists could learn from you how to capture the soul of a car in a car review.
Hi Ed - Huge respect and appreciation; Clearly a lot of time and effort went into producing this, just hope you enjoy making your videos as much as I / we enjoy watching them. Respect, Rob.
Whilst I am a muscle car guy from Australia, I have to admit that all Alfa's from this period were pure Art.
Just a quick question, in your opinion which is the best Australian muscle car ever? Looking at buying one atm.
@@mrv1271 FALCON 351 FROM 1970'S
Memories, great memories! My first ever brand new car was an '81 1.5 ti, replaced in '83 by a 1.5 ti Quadrifoglio Verde. Later my brother and I bought an older 1.2 ti, which we kept for many years. I also had some 33s but then slowly drifted away from Alfa.
Hello, I’ve got one of these (Green Cloverleaf). I have to say, your video is probably the best review I’ve ever seen on these cars. Very well researched and you clearly did your own homework. It was a very refreshing take on the car and you clearly ‘get’ the whole Alfasud driving experience. Really enjoyed the video and I’ve subscribed. Great work 👍
As a young man, I sat in the back of one of these in 1981 in Te Awamutu, NZ, where a great aunt took me and my mum shopping. It was very spacious, matching that of a much larger car. It held the road very well, and I can see why it was popular, putting together many ideas from different car manufacturers in a single vehicle...
Same in Hawkes Bay bro!
Thanks so much for reviewing the Alfa Sud and what joy to see your smile when you drove her. My first car was a 1980 Alfa Sud Sprint Veloce 1.5 registration MLW 823V in an orange/brown/rust. I adored my Sud Sprint and your well researched, articulate and passionate review brought back so many happy memories.
I had to change the brake callipers on the front inboard discs as the seals went. I remember consulting my Haynes manual and step 1 in the section for getting the callipers off was “remove engine”. I completely ignored the advice of the book and spent nearly a week getting the callipers off whilst the engine was in-situ. The ignorance and naivety of youth 😂
Keep up your great work and thanks again for taking this 50 something man back to his youth with a smile and even a small tear in my eye. I’m so pleased you loved it as much as I did!!
Back in the 1980s I had an Alfasud Sprint Velope 1.5 - what a car!!! The handling was absolutely immense and I loved the car so much. Unfortunately it had the usual rust problem, although not much worse than many other cars of the time. I had the car serviced at all the proper intervals but it still snapped both of it’s timing belts absolutely ruining the engine. I shall always have such wonderful memories of the driving experience, which still brings a smile to my face when I think of it.
In the 80s I had a ‘79 Sprint Veloce too. Followed by two Sud 1.5 ti Green Cloverleafs, one of those tweaked and lowered - it was actually featured in GTS magazine.
The Sprint is the one I’d love now though, such a lovely looking car with all the Sud characteristics and the earlier delicate chrome bumpers.
Like yours it did rust a bit, and I can’t remember why I sold it but I really wish I had it now.
My flat four love carried on and I’ve been a Subaru owner for the last 25 years. The thrum of a flat four is addictive.
I have always loved the Alfasud so underated.
Don't think it was ever underrated, it always got great reviews in it's day and sold well. But the build quality was awful and the cars was nearly scrapped in the same tempo that new ones could be build. Saying that as a guy that once have owned and driven Alfasuds for like 10 yars and even done a big restoration on one. Loved how they drove, ended hating using all the time on fixing problems.
It was so underrated that Car magazine elected it their Car Of The Decade in 1979/80......
@@PeteretePeter 👍🏼👍🏼
The reputation they got through rust spoilt a great car. You should consider a career in writing for magazines your a very articulate young man.
I asked my father about the rust in Italian cats back then, since he had a Beta coupe in the very late 70s/early 80s.
Looking back he reckoned that all cars back then rusted easily. His Beta was rust proofed, but he remembered getting it cheap at auction because of the reputation, but not selling it on for much in return.
Oh my! These cars are just becoming more and more beautiful and desirable on a daily basis, in the context of modern cars that surround them on the roads.
Rare and beautiful, and the best performance cars in the 70s/80s. Buy them!
drove my friends one once. the driving position,the road holding and performance all was fantastic
People don’t realise what a technical tour de force these cars were in their day. As an original 1.2 litre saloon, they had bigger disc brakes on the front than a Ford Capri 3 litre. ! Plus also having discs on the back, something of a misnomer in British cars unless you were buying something specialised or very executive expensive. They were considered one of best handling cars in the world , regardless of price, very little torque steer , with some of the better motoring hacks of the day lifting a rear wheel mid corner , at literally astonishing cornering forces for the day. The engine power outputs were excellent for the day, considering the actual capacities , and the throttle response , braking performance, lovely gear change combined and “Gelled together” to make a terrific Drivers Car which little could match at the time , in fact , dare I say , few would today. Such a shame few exist today. Nice vid again .
Your videos are always good, but may I just say that this is one of your best yet - such a wealth of information, well presented, and most of which I didn't even know!
I had a 1.5 gold cloverleaf in red with a tan interior in 1985 what a car out handled everything else, the sound was amazing and even though I lived in Scotland then I drove round all the time with the windows down so I could listen to the exhaust. And it never had a spot of rust on it.
Had three Suds back in the nineties interspersed with a couple of X/1-9's and two boxy Pandas. Was my first 'real' car after a couple of much loved 2CV's. Loved the vid, brought the memories and sounds flooding back. Of all the cars I've owned it's the Sud I'd want to drive again. There remains such an allure to these charming, slightly exotic little gems. I can hear that creamy raspy little boxer right now!
Totally agree - best handling car of its era, without a doubt.
Well done Ed, a fantastic review, full of history, passion (£1 in the tin) and information. I grew up seeing the Alfasud and I think this where my interest in them comes from, they were so different and sporty compared to the uk cars we saw most often in the early 70’s. I’ve owned 3 Alfa’s (still have one) but not a Sud much to my regret. Keep up the excellent work!
Terrific video and review your passion and attention to detail is first class you bring a refreshing approach to old school car reviews keep up the great work!
Another excellent video Ed. Great to see your enjoyment of driving the Italian cars.
So ahead of its time. Looks great today and was launched 2 years before Austin Allegro...... Austin 1100 was the actual competitor at launch.
Excellent video, thanks. I have a 1.5 Sprint Veloce that I bought recently, the seats are a bit saggy, those 916 seats could be an interesting option.
The most comprehensively accurate and detailed video on the superior Sud... Can't believe it's 50 years! I owned four gorgeous Sud Tis--a brand-new final model Green Cloverleaf 1.5 Twin Carb of 1984 (disappointing due to Alfa tinkering with shock/ spring rates), a superb 1981 1.5 Ti and two 1978 1.2 Tis... The driving was sublime in every way (especially of the earlier models 1977 to 1981), including the sound and the fact that the handling would always help you out. Not only that--at a time when large sad Fords and Holdens competed with awful little cars like Datsun's appalling 120Y, the Sud was a revelation, a breath of fresh air--and it had much more rear legroom than the big cars due to its incredible space efficiency. Every major car manufacturer on Earth had Suds in their test fleets as they tried to back-engineer its perfection. Thank you Giorgetto Guigaro and Rudolph Hruska for the magnificent designs--no thanks to Alfa Romeo for the rust issues due to the Russian steel and untrained personnel.
For $16,000Au my new 1984 Quadrifoglio Verde Ti came with a 5 year rust warranty--but there I was at the panel beater well before 3 years having bubbling rust along the hatch window repaired...
Thanks mate :)
First new car I ever went in was a Mk1 Alfasud in 1977. My friend’s mum drove straight from the dealership to our primary school at chucking out time, and gave a few of us a raz around the country lanes & then home. I sat in the nearside rear seat and still remember the rasp of the exhaust. It was exhilarating as it was so exotic to me - it being a foreign car, whose name I could not pronounce & had never heard of. Our family car at the time was a dumpy brown 1968 Wolseley 18/85 automatic. I still have an obsession with Alfasuds, all because of that 15 minute drive 45 years ago! (eek).
Hey boy, great story ! 😃
Ed, that’s a very late car. As sold in the early 70s as a four door they were far from premium, they had cardboard door trims, a very simple dash and the classic boot lid which when opened rested on the rear window.! They had a double skinned foam filled firewall. And then there is the rust. The early ones are beautiful but the build quality and rust was unbelievably bad. The early ones were light but the recycled steel rusted from under the paint. I love them but the early ones are seriously hard work.
... Best read by Roy Slater (and Peter Hull)
Nice to see you review the car for what it is and not the usual Alfa cheap slag lines wonderful video!
My first Alfa was a 1977 1.3 ti in Arancia Capua (a pale orange) and it was a great little car. Second Sud was a 1981 1.5ti. Neither of these cars had any major rust. My 1981 Sprint which I have now does have a few places which now need a little bit of work, but not bad for a 41 year old car. Brilliantly fun cars to drive, especially in the twisty bits.
I've loved them from the day they were released. Now I can't find one nor afford it if one does becomes available. Great background story and evaluation.
It’s the Alfasud that started off my love of Alfa Romeo - exceptional little cars!
My dad's best friend had a long love affair with the Alfa sud Ti and later the 33 and 75. He replaced his suds every 3 years though as they literally dissolved on the driveway and he bought them brand new.
I had one and loved it. I'm going back 25 years and have fond memories of my black 3 door.
Lovely (and very rare now) old things that earned a fine reputation for themselves as a proper 'drivers car" back in the day. Given the exception condition of this example I'm guessing the owner was cursing their luck when it started to rain while filming this!
Had the same thought.. "put it away, it is starting to rain.."
25:00 the engine was also used in the 33. Great review and that one is a stunning example. Brave man to film it in the rain…
A great review Ed, this one brought back memories. An old friend had a 5 door if I recall correctly back in the late 80's / early 90's and had the 1.5 engine. I remember this being a tad bonkers during that time, it was tractable but could rev out with that soundtrack that was addictive. During those days the traffic light drag races were quite common and I remember the old 'Sud' doing a far more respectable performance against far more modern cars in the segment. Ultimately the heavy onslaught of metal moth took it's toll leaving areas of bodywork resembling brown lace. If only they had been nailed together with the correct hammer and a modicum of common sense used to reduce moisture instead of collect and store it the story of the 'Sud' could have been very different. Anyway I still have the memories of a great car.
Totally agree - best handling car of its era, without a doubt.
I had a black 1.5 Ti bought new in 1983. It was great fun and had a lovely sound on the overrun. Lots of "barbs" and crackles. Loved it.
Lovely car! I think it is crying shame that the successor Giulietta has been discontinued. Even if FCA didn't want to spend much, I think they could have put a new front-end on it, grafted in the interior from the new Tonale and keep it carrying on for a bit longer IMO.
Always loved the styling of these. A friend of my brothers had one and they were staggered by how well it handled at the time. Driving wise it really was in another league to most of its competitors. So sad it rusted before your very eyes. I remember his needed new front wings at 3 years old and shortly after a new windscreen surround as the tin worm was so bad the windscreen could have fallen out! We should remember that all cars rusted pretty badly in the seventies though. We’ve come a long way with galvanising steel, wax injection of box sections, zinc coating of bodyshells etc since then, thankfully. This looks a lovely example. Such a gorgeous car. Good design stands the test of time and this is undoubtedly proof. Proof too that they weren’t all terrible rust buckets.
I bought a new Mark 1 Sprint 1.5 Veloce in January '83. It was one of the final Mark 1 versions. It had Dinitrol rustproofing applied by Alfa in the UK before sale. I kept that car for eight years. It was garaged. There was just a little rust when I sold it in January '91. However like all Italian cars it needed care and attention.
I had a 1983 Green Cloverleaf Ti (3 door, silver, Y reg) in the mid 90's, 140,000 miles and totally rust free. By contrast in 1987 I bought a 1980 (W plate) red base model 1.5 5 door in red. It was so rotten the front strut mounts had partly detached. This meant the bonnet became a structural member as the struts hinged up under it. The was thrown away after my failed welding attempts. It left a legacy though, as I'm now a long term restorer and coachbuilder. Anyway, point is the later Alfa Suds were in a different league as far as rust prevention was concerned. Fab cars that I have the fondest memories of.
Totally agree - best handling car of its era, without a doubt.
I had 2 , a 1.3 4 door in silver 81, and a 83 1.5 ti 3 door just like the one in the video, loved them even though the pain of owning them , 😀
Another great vid. Can totally get your enthusiasm & fun driving that little gem. I was the proud & lucky owner of a 1982 Alfasud 1.3SC back in the late 80s / early 90s when I was about your age. I loved the thing! Still miss it...even though its body dissolved around all its wonderful mechanics!
I bought a Alfasud 1.5 SC a 1982 model in 1985 It was in Bianco Capodimonte , only the single carb version but such wonderful fun and I loved that car, as every Alfasud owner did. But oh my god the rust the floor pan was rotten when I acquired it at 3 years old it developed a rust spot on the roof underneath undamaged paint and it grew at an alarming rate! There was not a body panel that did not rot, such a shame it was a fantastic little car and put a smile on my face everytime I drove it. It had to go in the end it was simply getting lighter by the rainfall . Nearly 40 years on and I would love to own one again it was such a pure driving experience something modern cars can not deliver.
Great report. Very well done.
Finally got around to watching this. Great vid, very informative, and great to see these cars finally getting some press for something other than the build / rust issues and understanding the clever packaging and engineering which made them both practical and fun to drive.
Also great to see someone ( I assume ) too young to have remembered them from period so can enjoy it for what it is without being tainted by rose tinted spectacles.
I absolutely love mine and the way it flows down the road. Not fast by any means but perfectly able to keep up with modern traffic. If it wasn’t for rust and parts supply concerns, from a pure driving point of view I would happily use it every day!
Another amazing video. My grandfather had a 1984 5 door AlfaSud. He maintained to the end of his days that it was the best car he ever drove performance wise, but the reliability was the downside. Still looks great now, but the owners have done a good job to prevent it dissolving like so many others.
I lived with my mate 35 yrs ago he had one and I drove it every chance I had the breaks failed in the end and the repair cost was more than the cars value truly the most fun car I ever drove and I’ve since had a lot of hot hatch’s
Superb analysis! As a trade plate driver in 1978, we loved driving new Suds, 127s and 128s. We HATED driving 24-36+ month old versions because often by then they were mechanically exhausted. We referred to them as "60k Cars"; that was often their total life span.
I had a 1.5ti for a couple of years in the late 80s. It looked identical to the car featured here. Fabulous, comfortable, speedy little beast. When it worked. Unfortunately, the previous two or three owners had hammered it to the verge of extinction, so it spent most of it's time in my ownership dumping various mechanical components all over the nearest available stretch of tarmac. I wish I'd had the funds to get it properly fettled, I'd still have it now.
Magical is the word for the Sud. I have bought a new Peugeot 205GTI and a new BMW 525i; both fantastic cars on every level but despite it's flaws, my second hand Alfasud 1.5 is the car I remember with the most affection.
Always love your intelligent, informative vids Ed. Keep up the great work!
Another great video Ed. Keep up the amazing work.
Great video, I have owned /cared for a 1980 Alfasud Sprint Veloce since 1986, yes I'm old, so is the car, and they are going to bury me in it. They are wonderful machines but you must care for them, otherwise it will bite your arse.
You’ve still got it?! Bravo. I had a ‘79 Sprint in the 80s, replaced it with two 1.5ti GCs, but it’s the one car I’d love to own now.
Thanks Ed, another excellent, informative, professionally presented video. Keep them coming. (I nearly bought one of these in the early 80's, rust put me off!)
My most favourite car ever. I had a "W" reg British racing green Sud and loved it. I treated it with rust proofing all round and never had a rust issue, but I was one of the lucky ones as they had a dreadful reputation. Your face says it all, you cannot drive a Sud without a smile and the occasional open window. The Boxer sounds like you are in drivers heaven. I often wonder what happened to mine after I sold it, certainly gave me many happy memories :)
so completely And effortlessly beautiful
What a great looking car. Excellent review, these reviews are well researched and each video gets better and better all the time.
Looking forward to the next one.
Very well documented 👍 I still drive my ivory colour 2 door Alfasud 1.5Ti I bought way back in 1980 up to this day. I still like it 😊 Nice to see you driving one and the engine noise is unique 😲
My grandfather had one way back in the 80s. He was ill later in life so I only saw it come out of the garage once, then it rusted away.
I'd seen pictures of one and really wanted him to take it out for a drive, forgetting as a kid that he was old and poorly.
Great drivers car indeed. Had a 1.3SC on hire for a couple of weeks holiday in the Lake District in 1983. I revelled in the handling, suspension control, delicacy, and fantastic engine. With stone walls as echo chambers, winding the windows down was obligatory and the sound addictive!
I also remember that I had to wear narrow trainers as the pedals were awkward/impossible in normal shoes! I recall that the handbrake on the disc brakes was not particularly effective.
Disc hand brakes of the era were a tad iffy on steep inclines if I remember correctly. I always used to leave my cars in gear when parked. All good until someone decided to move my car and narrowly avoided some non factory body modifications.
The Alfasud was my first car, and with that the first of many Alfa Romeos. I had a 1973 1.2 and it was in a really bad shape when I got it in 1985. In many ways it was an amazing car, it was definately one of the best of it's time, no wonder it became car of the year. Had the quality held up, if it hadn't rusted away like it did, it could have become a huge success for Alfa Romeo and sold a lot more than it did.
I didn't have mine for very long though, just a couple of months. A lot of work had to be done to make it pass inspection and after I got it through eventually I had an accident caused by a drunk driver that totalled the car. Sad, I liked the car a lot, but on the other hand I got myself a much nicer Alfetta 1.8 instead.
Great video, as ever.
In 1974 I had regular use (not my own) of a Sud. Nothing else quite like it at the time. It had a certain 'something' that no other car of this size had. It was all pre Facelift as well, the original styling inside and out which was - in my opinion - far nicer and a more pure design. The one thing that got it in the end of course...rust.
Somewhere I still have the sales brochures from the early 70's for these and loads of other brands of the time.
For most of the late 60's and 70's I was that annoying kid on a Saturday morning, walking into all the dealerships and saying "Got any brochures I can have please?" They gave them to me to just go away I imagine.
Thanks for doing this one.
Another driving video! Well done Ed! these videos are so much better than ur others as you get to drive the cars, makes all the difference to the quality of the video. well done fella
I had a few of these back in the 80'/90's. I had to rebuild all of them due to rust.
When they are working though they are a delight to drive, so much feel through the chassis, brakes and steering. Beautifully predicable understeer/oversteer on the throttle.
They are a bit thirsty though, especially the 1.5 Tii models. The 1.3 were always a bit slow.
The driving position is great if you have short legs and long arms.
I used to be able to get the engine and gearbox out with only couple of axle stands and a trolley jack in 30 min.
All the other boxer engines you mention are air cooled, not water cooled like the 'Sud.
The shape is a "Kammback" a very popular shape back when the 'Sud was designed. Basically a cut off teardrop, good for aerodynamics and practicality.
Had an Alfasud 1350 5-door (non Ti, with about 5 bhp less) in the late 80s. One of the most charismatic cars I've owned (& I've owned quite a few). ELM 780Y. Remember it having a couple of idiosyncrasies, such as the choke knob hidden away under the steering column. And the heater fan speed controlled by one of the steering column stalks. Great memories.
I went to look at a used Alfa Sud in the mid 80s, it was cheap so I thought why not, now I'm not exaggerating when I say the rot was chronic, it even had several rust holes in the roof, the car was barely 6 years old, I didn't buy it lol, that said I'd still buy a mint one now.
Yep, yep, and yet another yep! My old man bought one of these when they first came out. As we were a family of five, the 4 door version proved it's worth, but it really should have been a hatchback. I got to drive it a few times, with the old man in the passenger seat of course, and I absolutely loved it, having previously driven several Minis! My dad told one story about following a sporty larger car (I can't rem what though) when he was returning from Canterbury down to Folkestone. The famous Roman road "Stone Street" cuts a straight line for several miles through the countryside, until it begins wiggle a bit, and then drop down towards the A20. Whatever that car ahead was, it pulled away from the little Alfa, but once the corners arrived, my dad said he was able to close the gap, and basically was up it's tailpipe through the twisties ! 😁
That's a fine example of a rare car Ed. It was a nice looking thing, shame they dissolved in front of you.
one more video of yours where your heart clearly went in head over heels.... i wonder if while filming this video, in the back of your mind you started scratching up all your last pennys to try to get you one of your own...
Regrettably this a facelift car, the first series( chrome bumpers etc) been way more fascinated and agile to drive( even with the standard engine).
Ther biggist problem of the Alfasud ....they've had the intention to rust already in the catalog. ( steel quality/ production methods and....strikes, are the mean reason for that issue)
Despite this all, the Sud is and always will be branded on this old man's vision. A real eye opener in the world of the '70. Nippy and frisky....things we dont find apin the present cars!
Hruska's masterpiece (from a wonderful idea by Luraghi)
In Italy it had a good success but when it first appeared it did not arouse the wonder of other markets, because here we already had other light, spacious, front-wheel drive family cars: sports family
cars.
From FIAT 128 to Lancia Fulvia to the excellent experimental snobs Autobianchi Primula and A111.
A beautiful example of a body design that has held up well, too bad about the build issues. Still one of the best looking hatchbacks ever built.
You’re making some of the best car related videos on UA-cam now.👏
Love the video, Ed. Your knowledge and delightful delivery make me want to watch and listen, despite having no affinity for the car in question. Here in Canada, Alfa has always rather been seen as an expensive FIAT, commonly known as a "Fix It Again, Tony". They also tended to rust rather faster than other cars out there. The new ones here are rare and not showing any great improvements over their reputation. Add my absolute hatred of front wheel drive, and the Alfasud is just not for me. Still, a very interesting and compelling video.
It's a pleasure to see such a nice exemple of Alfasud. A Ti no less. The vid describe very well the qualities of the car and its history.
The rust problem improves over time. My mother had an early Ti model, i loved this car as a child. After 5 years or so sleeping outdoor the car was rusted to the point of having bistered paint and holes in the front fenders. It was a bit shameful but the car still rode well... My father had another, late production one, 4 door not Ti, that didn't rust to that extent.
The Alfa Sud took the number one spot for rusting, with the Vauxhall Victor F model a close second, which was also due bare metal shells being stored in an open yard. The Victor was a really well engineered car with an unbustable engine, and only one real fault besides the rust. The 2 leaf rear springs were liable to snap, but easily and cheaply replaceable with a mountain of s/h springs from rusted out cars. After that number 3 spot was occupied by the Renault Dauphine and Floride, both built on the same platform. I thought that Ford was the company which popularised McPherson strut front suspension
Ford were there with struts in the ‘50s, and used them all the way through, but nobody really paid much attention to using them on everyday small cars until Fiat started doing so in 1963.
With the Autobianchis, then 128 and 127, by the mid-‘70s most people were suddenly using them.
I understand that it’s contentious to say one group popularised them, but I think with this setup, it does at least have backing through sheer volume, at least!
@@TwinCam I bow to your superior knowledge. I can see that Fiat popularised it by using the struts in so many models when other makers were clinging to their coil spring and wishbone set ups. I know you like collecting brochures. Should you ever get hold of one for an F model Victor, there is supposedly a paragraph describing the special plastic coating on the underside to protect it from rusting. I have not seen this myself, but think I read it in a magazine test drive article.
When I passed my driving test in 1980 i bought a 1976 alfasud ti. It was a fantastic drivers car but unfortunately rusted away at an alarming rate. Thanks for an excellent review.
I had a Sud back in 1979-80. I used to ‘race’ a guy in a gti from work for ten miles or so. I had him on the bends, but he had some on the straights. I think he’d tuned the Golf. Sold it when kids came along.
I'd like to add some hystorical details. Alfa Romeo had bonds with South Italy since the very beginning, being born from the fusion between Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili and the company "Ing. Nicola Romeo &co.". Nicola Romeo was a brilliant engineer from Naples. Alfa Romeo became state-owned as far back as 1921. The first aeroplane factory in Pomigliano d'Arco dates back to 1926. It was only after state intervention and that Alfa Romeo could become a large-scale industry, which was able until the mid seventies to produce some of the best cars in the world. They were so good that in 1939 Henry Ford was heard saying "When i see an Alfa Romeo I take off my hat".
I remember well my first drive of a Ti Sud (was it really almost 50 years ago??). I spent about a minute pushing the wheel arch and wondering why it wouldn’t rev. Once I worked it out…wow, what a drive. 😝
Gary and I took one for a test drive in the day Paul. I remember it well too.
@@peterriggall8409 great little cars.
Your driving the car!! Finally!!
My brother -in-laws first car was an Anglia which he loved. His second was an Alfasud - he liked that but the galloping rot scarred him for life - he buys Honda now - of interest to you Ed is in between he had an MG Metro ( got stolen ) and a Metro Mayfair - he always lusted after an Ital like the one his Dad had.
Owned two of them, so much driving pleasure on small southern french departementales until german TÜV parted us ways. No effing Golf GTI was able to match these performances. Greetings from Dell'Ortos, Golden Lodge candles and Ansa exhausts, ciao.
Fabulous video Ed, good to see you driving and it's such a fabulous car. Thank you for bringing the mystique of this car back down to earth!
What the Allegro could have been…. glad to see you didn’t fall in the “Soviet steel” legend to explain the rust issues!
My first car in Johannesburg in 1997 was a 1983 model Sud 1.5 Super hatch...very quirky, very stubborn but an absolute hoot to drive!
I still miss that car and I sold her in 1999...
One of the founders of Alfa Romeo, Nicola Romeo (who bought ALFA), the very same who put the Romeo in Alfa Romeo, was Neapolitan engineer (born not far from Pomigliano d'Arco). His name was Nicola Romeo.
Fantastic car, it remembers me about the Fiat Ritmo Abarth, a car my friend had and I absolutely loved.
Luckily there are a lot of people who truly understand what driving is about and who keep these cars on the road. This example looks just marvellous.
Great video about a superb car! 👍
Yesss ! Another video about a AR. Great. Thx !
Great post Ed, and what a wonderful car, they are rare because, just one splash of moisture is enough to cause enough rusting to turn the Alphasud into a pile of redish brown dust.
Had my first one back in '81. A Red 1976 model 1..2 , it was just awesome. Can't explain the feeling I got after the first drive but you can imagine coming from a Mk2 Escort. Bought another, a 1.3 Super which was better again. Neither had any mechanical or electrical issues bar being costly to get the clutch or cam belts changed. Obviously, rust was the major issue. A car underrated by many and overall a better car to drive and enjoy than a Mk1 Golf GTi .