I still say my 1982 1.5ti was the best car I ever had, and I've had many. It was the only car I drove with the window open in the winter, just to hear that wonderful sound!!
i had a alfasud sprint with a good friend of mine, great drive ! great handling. some issues mechanical ones and of course the body work issues . wish i stil had it difficult to find spare parts for the sprints
My father had a 33 1.3s 1988..... and it was the same for me too, i was born in 1982 and the wonderful boxer's sound still remain in my head. I think there aren't others case like that in utility cars.
Had three of these in a row. You have to sit further back. I have long arms and the driving position is the best I’ve ever had. The gear stick fell into the perfect position and gear changes were incredibly fast. A real drivers car.
Brings back memories of my 1984 1.5 Sprint... the squeeky clutch pedal (solved with a thumb smear of grease), the rasp of the engine, the backfire on the over run - the old round clocks and yellow needles whizzing back and forth as the revs rose and fell. Ah yes - good times - thanks for the vid!
maybe you should have put more air in the front tyres. I had a 1975 4 door 1.2 and ran Pirelli CN36s with 34 psi front and 32psi rear. It made such a difference to the CN54 it came with when new. There was nothing better than thrashing it around the Great Ocean Road.
I had a 1980 1.5SC as my second car (my first was a Datsun Cherry FII) - I spent most of my time at University welding it back together, but still loved it - it would have been about 6 years old at the time.
In terms of performance and agility, this car was the Cassius Clay/Muhammed Ali of its day. Punched well above its weight and had the most skillful footwork A.K.A steering/handling.
Great car, so much fun. I had a Y reg just the same in 1986 (after an alfetta GTV 2000), but the body kit was in matching red with over sills. It was falling to bits when I sold it 2 years later. I bought a 205 Gti.
This is my daily driver, in 2012! Please, please make a video tour of this beautiful car, as I wish I were my age the time this beauty came out to see it brand new :)
when i had my alfa sudi was riding motocross. I likened driving the sud to a cross between a motocross bike and a go cart. Power at revs and great handling.
If they had only sorted out the rust problem. I had one which was four years old which failed its MOT because the jacking points had rotted away and there was a hole in the floor. I can honestly say that despite the rust it was one of the best cars I have ever owned. I had a 1982 1.5Ti which used to blow off Ford Escort XR3's from the lights and then I would loose them around the bends due to the exceptional road holding. Great fun.
Always liked the look of the later Alfasud Ti models especially the limited-edition variants with body-coloured bumpers, kind of sad though that while being renowned for its handling it never received the 118 hp 1.7 Boxer engine (found in the later Alfasud Sprints) to became a real hot hatch contender to the Golf GTi, instead of being left behind in the hot hatch wars as was the case with the 105 hp 1.5 Ti.
My first car was an Alfa Sud 1200ti from '76. I loved it and still miss it today. Right about the driving position, but it was thumbs together at the top of the wheel ( Just like Dukes of Hazard ), get that throaty roar in the exhaust before changing up and enjoy.
I owned 2 of these back in the late 70’s both 1.2ti’s so had a boot lid instead of a hatchback. Superb little cars to drive but the rust was the killer. I once had a flat tyre and when I went to jack the car up the jack went straight through the sill due to corrosion. Shame as really great cars
Indeed. I had a 1.2Ti as a £50 runner in the 80s. The engineering, finish, design and driving experience were all superb. And as a Ford Escort diehard at the time I also particularly liked the 5-speed box. But every time you shut the door rust dropped underneath like rain. Travesty.
Paul - Thanks. I loved mine and having come from Ford Escort MK1 and MK2's quite amazed at the extent of the ironwork holding the rear in place. All that with front wheel drive as well. Matt.
By 1983 most of the rusr issues had been beaten on the Alfasud and aggressive pricing made one the same price as a Ford Escort. You could buy a 1.5 Ti for the same as an Escort 1.6 GL, but with a vastly better driving experience and a feeling you were driving something more exclusive. My English teacher had two and never went back to other makes.
my mates first car was an alfa sud ti,the engine was superb and very quick,the all round design was yrs ahead of anything else in its day,what let the early alfas down was corrosion,thats why u dont see many of these abt.
Best one was the '78 1.3 Ti with the twin choke carbs: 80 BHP (as opposed to 85 BHP for the 1.5!). I had one in 1984 in a colour known as 'Burnt Umber Earthenware' which was perfect as it was the same colour as rust (and, conveniently, red oxide primer). I replaced it with a 2.0 Alfetta GTV in 1987. Driving the Alfetta like I drove the Alfasud almost damn well got me killed: the GTV was lethal in the rain.
Paul Baumer Very good. I'm sure mine was a 1.2Ti, but might have remembered that wrong. It was green and of course increasingly brown. Lovely car to drive though. Matt.
I had giulietta reg no PGC 315Y from Ki hgams in Croydon, it was covered in waxoyl or similar when I bought it and lasted well into the 90's before any real corrosion took hold! I wonder wether this Sud had the same treatment!
The fuel tank was attached to the body by steel straps that corroded. Just managed to get them changed before the tank dropped! No mention of the front inboard disc brakes. Same configuration as F1 cars at the time. This accentuated the vibration of the gearbox rubber tail mounting bush that wore.
I worked in an Alfa dealer in 1975 we used to sell Sud's Even the basic model with rubber mats used to fly round corners like on rails it was the next stage up from the original mini handling The flat 4 engine had a great sound I seem to recall they had inboard discs too. Sadly the build quality was not good BUT no worse than Leyland ! but the rust was the killer BTH all Italian cars in the 70/80s were fast and good handling cars but Rust Buckets
alex will Leyland comparison fair and yes inboard discs on the front translates into a characterful rock when pulling up to a stop as slack in the driveshafts is taken up. Matt.
i loved my old fiat 128 .it revved like crazy and begged to be thrashed. total respray due to faded paint and rust scabs at four years old.failed its mot at five yrs old due to rust in floorpan and sills.massive weldathon got it through the mot. seven years old it split in half on the motorway ,the front bulkhead and front floorpan fractured and the car bent that badly once you managed to force the door open to get out it wouldnt fit anywhere near the aperture. tragedy. bye bye fiat 128 dof746k. hello scrapyard. italian cars never stood a chance of surviving our soaking wet climate.
I had a 1983 Alfasud ti1.3 hatchback. One observation about the steering: car was very sensitive to front tyre pressure. At the correct pressure steering was fine but if you let the pressures drop steering got very heavy and handling suffered which may be what was happening in this drive.
Family owned 78 Ti, 82 4 door and I owned an 83 twin carb- all great in their own way - 78 was the favourite - 84 had longer gearing and was a relaxed cruiser - steering ride and handling sublime in all - 82 had most reliability issues though with constant reliability niggles until written off in wet road sideways exit with snappy tail and rear disc lock up and mainly poor driving by me. Inboard front discs, flat 4 and just excellent dynamics - closest thing now is my Megane RS265 sans Alfa features and avec turbo boost.
Had one of these new in 1983, in black, where are you now GUM 990Y?! It was actually the first car I bought myself! Until my present Mitsubishi Evo 6, bought new in 1999, the 'sud was the best handling car I've ever owned, also the most rewarding to drive. The thing could just be steered with the throttle like nothing I'd ever driven before, or since, until the Evo. It had grip, poise and accuracy well beyond it's price and status. Sound was superb, in fact the engine was the in car entertainment! There was a £500 cash back promotion in place when I bought mine, so I had Recaro seats and a Momo wheel fitted, still have the Momo! So the driving position was a little better than a standard car. Mine had a problem with excessive front tyre wear form new, it would scrub them out in 3000 miles!! The dealer denied there was a problem, instead prefering to blame my driving and the soft, performance Michelin tyres, backed up by the Alfa regional engineering inspector! So, I complained directly to Michelin who were non too impressed to hear that their metric TRX performance tyre was getting the blame, and invited me to one of their own tyre fitting centre's to have the problem investigated. The visited Michelin tyre technician took one look at the tyres then fitted and said, excessive toe out! They measured the front geometry and discovered that it was miles out compared to the Alfa factory spec and Michelins own data. Armed with this report I complained directly to Alfa UK, as I wanted to cut out the dealers nonsense. They responded immediately, asked me to take the car to my dealer on a specific day to meet up with the UK engineering director and the Michelin technician. Conclusion to this was that the car was returned to Alfa UK to be fully inspected and remedied, and I was reimbursed in full for all the tyres I'd had fitted upto then and supplied with a new set. The car was transformed after that and tyres lasted about 18,000 miles per front set, I am a hard driver! I remember it would start in the depths of winter without choke, just by pumping the throttle a few times! The gearbox needed to warm up before it would change gear properly. I enjoyed it for about 3 years then replaced it with a Vauxhall Astra GTE jelly mould!! That almost killed me when I tried to drive it like the 'sud, it was a bag of s....!! Oh, I still have the stainless tail pipes off the 'sud, salvaged after an exhaust change.
My then GF's dad had a 1.2 ti when I had the 105, he was deeply jealous! After the Sud I had a Guilietta 2.0, lovely twin cam engine, crap car, then a couple of other cars later, a GT Junior 1.6, similar to the GTV. What a superb car that was, handling to die for, just a little underpowered. Obviously I could have chucked a GTV 2.0 engine in, but somehow never managed it. After that Alfa's lost their appeal to me, all front drive euro boxes in a pretty frock. They should get back to their roots with well designed, beautiful looking rear drive cars.
A gang of lads at college all had alfasuds.....2 sud 1.5ti's....1 sprint 1.7 I think and an alfa 33. The 1.5ti sud was one hell of a car......it trounced all the modern hot hatches. Probably about 1989.....the thing went exactly where it was pointed with no drama and on a full throttle.....like it was on rails. I'm struggling to think of a nicer sounding engine too......
Lee Goodwin I don't think Alfa produced a better handling car since the Sud, until maybe this new 4C, although having never driven one I can't be sure.
I actually had an 84 1.5ti, It was a contest car from a classic car mag, was fully restored 6 years before I got it and was already rusted out, great car though. Also had a 205gti 1.9, loved them both, nothing like that now that I'm back home in Canada
@MegaReddevil71 I agree! It was at the rear of the car, around the rear light panel. When I opened the trunk for the first time it just dropped about an inch. I was heartbroken because it looked so good body wise other than that. I don't remember who I sold it to, but I'm not sure it was ever put back on the road. So long ago now.
For goodness sake… it’s called an Alfa Sood-pronounced as in Should. Sud means South in Italian. Alfa Nord’s were made in Northern Italy. The Sud came from Naples in the South…
Thanks for doing this great review. BTW, pronunciation is NOT sud (as in soap suds) but Sud (same as in good). I owned from new all the Ti models, starting with a 1.2L 1978 Ti. The final special edition Sud Ti , the 105 HP twin-carb Quadrifoglio Verde, as reviewed here, should have been my ultimate Sud driving experience--but it was sadly the worst--a very big disappointment! For some unimaginable reason Alfa Romeo 'tinkered' with the steering and suspension and ruined the Sud's superb dynamics and feel. It was NOT in the same league as earlier Ti's. My favorite Ti is definitely the ca.1981, non-hatchback 1.5 L with single Weber and 85 HP. These cars have more power than the earlier 1.2s but retain all their immense dynamic brilliance.
Keyyyyzzzz Damn. I wish someone had corrected me earlier, like 30 years ago. I'll put it down to living in Bristol, UK. Maybe it's an accent thing. Matt.
Keyyyyzzzz I totally agree with what you say, being a motor dealer I owned and drove most of them and I remember the early models 1200/1300,being like go karts to drive.
Yes agree. I owned a 1.2Ti and even in 1.5Ti form like this one that is the only conclusion to draw. VW managed to get their flat four out to 2.0litres, imagine that in a Sood as I understand now is the way its pronounced. Matt.
Agree. I had one and every time you shut the door it became a bit lighter...! Matt. If only they'd got proper steel and even better galvanised the shells like Porsche did with the 911 from '75. The MK1 Golf would have had a proper run for its money.
I owned two of these fantastic cars and I have to disagree with the driver in the vid about the steering. I easily outmanoeuvred a number of mini coopers on twisty roads; no mean feat. Both did rust out under me and at the time I didn't care because they were just a fabulous drive. Would buy another today - if I could aford one!
The best handling hatch of all !fabulous drivers car ,I owned several but unfortunately they had terrible habit of the body melting away as you drove it !..my brother allways said Alpha had perfected the building of the only cars that rotted from the roof down ,he could never work out how they did it!but they hid their secret well from the other manufacturers !!!.
The steel was made in Italy at Tranto steel works - the Russian steel is a myth. The poor rust protection and exposure to elements due to the strikes caused a lot of at corrosion factory. The weather in uk is damp so they suffered particular. But you get a lot more of them in Europe unfortunately LHD but many clean examples I seen
Although you mentioned the steering, you said, was woolly, it should not have been. In 1983 when they moved over to the squared shoulder low profile metric tyres , it upset the feel in the steering , as the original geometry was better with the 70 series profile tyres. The steering on the earlier cars was a revelation whereas you could steer on the throttle with tremendous feedback , no vicious kick or FWD fight etc. I still don’t any FWD car that matches the throttle response, steering feel, powerful brakes , nice gear change , with a firm yet quality ride as the Alfasud had in its day. The engine too, isn’t praised enough , all the accolades going to the V6 or inline twin cam whilst well deserved , the little flat 4 boxer giving that trademark Alfa rasp to the exhaust , yet being refined at cruising at high speeds . The motoring press at the cars launch in the early/ mid 1970s , found it incredible that a little single carburettor 1200cc engine could seem so unstressed even cruising at 90mph plus .❤
When, for the love of God, will 'reviewers' stop saying Suds were made of Russian steel... None of it was imported, it was all Italian steel. Sheesh...
this car is no longer on the road. www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/ add PGC309Y Last MOT in 2017 Reason(s) for failure Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a) Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b) Nearside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f) Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle n/s low (3.7.B.5b) Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (7.3.B.1b) Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7) Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)
I still say my 1982 1.5ti was the best car I ever had, and I've had many. It was the only car I drove with the window open in the winter, just to hear that wonderful sound!!
Yes I can see that, I think it is the raspy exhaust note. Matt.
ClassicCarsDriven I had 2 1.5 Ti's and the sound was just fantastic, a lovely throaty growl. Still one of my all-time favourite cars.
Theagchm you can also get that awesome exhaust note from a first series alfa 33 1.5 (I own one :)
i had a alfasud sprint with a good friend of mine, great drive ! great handling. some issues mechanical ones and of course the body work issues . wish i stil had it difficult to find spare parts for the sprints
My father had a 33 1.3s 1988..... and it was the same for me too, i was born in 1982 and the wonderful boxer's sound still remain in my head. I think there aren't others case like that in utility cars.
Had three of these in a row. You have to sit further back. I have long arms and the driving position is the best I’ve ever had. The gear stick fell into the perfect position and gear changes were incredibly fast. A real drivers car.
Couldn’t agree more. 😄
I love the steering in mine. I would never describe at wooly, but then Ive owned it over 25 years
Brings back memories of my 1984 1.5 Sprint... the squeeky clutch pedal (solved with a thumb smear of grease), the rasp of the engine, the backfire on the over run - the old round clocks and yellow needles whizzing back and forth as the revs rose and fell. Ah yes - good times - thanks for the vid!
I had a 1978 1.3 Ti, most fun car I have owned, steering pin sharp, never wooly !
They varied. Some felt vague around the straight-ahead position, giving the impression that there was play in the steering.
Thanks for this. I'm really pleased our Alfa Sud video ticked so many boxes for you. Matt.
maybe you should have put more air in the front tyres. I had a 1975 4 door 1.2 and ran Pirelli CN36s with 34 psi front and 32psi rear. It made such a difference to the CN54 it came with when new. There was nothing better than thrashing it around the Great Ocean Road.
I had a 1980 1.5SC as my second car (my first was a Datsun Cherry FII) - I spent most of my time at University welding it back together, but still loved it - it would have been about 6 years old at the time.
And there it is. Needed welding after six years.
In terms of performance and agility, this car was the Cassius Clay/Muhammed Ali of its day. Punched well above its weight and had the most skillful footwork A.K.A steering/handling.
Great car, so much fun. I had a Y reg just the same in 1986 (after an alfetta GTV 2000), but the body kit was in matching red with over sills. It was falling to bits when I sold it 2 years later. I bought a 205 Gti.
This is my daily driver, in 2012! Please, please make a video tour of this beautiful car, as I wish I were my age the time this beauty came out to see it brand new :)
I owned an 83 1.5SC in 1990 and later a 1.5ti.
I would so love to drive one again, definitely my fave car ive owned.
Ricco123tube Alfa’s do have a habit of getting under your skin. Matt.
when i had my alfa sudi was riding motocross. I likened driving the sud to a cross between a motocross bike and a go cart. Power at revs and great handling.
If they had only sorted out the rust problem. I had one which was four years old which failed its MOT because the jacking points had rotted away and there was a hole in the floor. I can honestly say that despite the rust it was one of the best cars I have ever owned. I had a 1982 1.5Ti which used to blow off Ford Escort XR3's from the lights and then I would loose them around the bends due to the exceptional road holding. Great fun.
Agree. Also everyone who owned one seems to have been left completely heartbroken with the rust issues that brought the Sud to a premature end. Matt.
still looks amazing now days, best sound car out there. I love the Sud.
Yes, it's stood the test of time well. Fresh.
Always liked the look of the later Alfasud Ti models especially the limited-edition variants with body-coloured bumpers, kind of sad though that while being renowned for its handling it never received the 118 hp 1.7 Boxer engine (found in the later Alfasud Sprints) to became a real hot hatch contender to the Golf GTi, instead of being left behind in the hot hatch wars as was the case with the 105 hp 1.5 Ti.
My first car was an Alfa Sud 1200ti from '76. I loved it and still miss it today. Right about the driving position, but it was thumbs together at the top of the wheel ( Just like Dukes of Hazard ), get that throaty roar in the exhaust before changing up and enjoy.
Yes I had a 1200ti for a spell as well. A car that boxed well above its weight. Matt.
@@ClassicCarsDriven I was still under 21, so all but one insurer I rang laughed when I gave them my details. I went with the insurer who didn't laugh.
I owned 2 of these back in the late 70’s both 1.2ti’s so had a boot lid instead of a hatchback. Superb little cars to drive but the rust was the killer. I once had a flat tyre and when I went to jack the car up the jack went straight through the sill due to corrosion. Shame as really great cars
Indeed. I had a 1.2Ti as a £50 runner in the 80s. The engineering, finish, design and driving experience were all superb. And as a Ford Escort diehard at the time I also particularly liked the 5-speed box. But every time you shut the door rust dropped underneath like rain. Travesty.
Paul - Thanks. I loved mine and having come from Ford Escort MK1 and MK2's quite amazed at the extent of the ironwork holding the rear in place. All that with front wheel drive as well. Matt.
By 1983 most of the rusr issues had been beaten on the Alfasud and aggressive pricing made one the same price as a Ford Escort. You could buy a 1.5 Ti for the same as an Escort 1.6 GL, but with a vastly better driving experience and a feeling you were driving something more exclusive. My English teacher had two and never went back to other makes.
Incredible to think that. It was just our bias towards Ford and Vauxhall at the time that stood in the way. Matt.
Ahh great memories of the sud,that raspy growling noise under acceleration ,and they could shift.
my mates first car was an alfa sud ti,the engine was superb and very quick,the all round design was yrs ahead of anything else in its day,what let the early alfas down was corrosion,thats why u dont see many of these abt.
Best one was the '78 1.3 Ti with the twin choke carbs: 80 BHP (as opposed to 85 BHP for the 1.5!). I had one in 1984 in a colour known as 'Burnt Umber Earthenware' which was perfect as it was the same colour as rust (and, conveniently, red oxide primer).
I replaced it with a 2.0 Alfetta GTV in 1987. Driving the Alfetta like I drove the Alfasud almost damn well got me killed: the GTV was lethal in the rain.
Paul Baumer Very good. I'm sure mine was a 1.2Ti, but might have remembered that wrong. It was green and of course increasingly brown. Lovely car to drive though. Matt.
A super flat engine. Boxer - engine ! Top handlling ! Good sound.
I had giulietta reg no PGC 315Y from Ki hgams in Croydon, it was covered in waxoyl or similar when I bought it and lasted well into the 90's before any real corrosion took hold! I wonder wether this Sud had the same treatment!
I don't know, but it was certainly very clean.
The fuel tank was attached to the body by steel straps that corroded. Just managed to get them changed before the tank dropped!
No mention of the front inboard disc brakes. Same configuration as F1 cars at the time. This accentuated the vibration of the gearbox rubber tail mounting bush that wore.
I worked in an Alfa dealer in 1975 we used to sell Sud's Even the basic model with rubber mats used to fly round corners like on rails it was the next stage up from the original mini handling The flat 4 engine had a great sound I seem to recall they had inboard discs too. Sadly the build quality was not good BUT no worse than Leyland ! but the rust was the killer BTH all Italian cars in the 70/80s were fast and good handling cars but Rust Buckets
alex will Leyland comparison fair and yes inboard discs on the front translates into a characterful rock when pulling up to a stop as slack in the driveshafts is taken up. Matt.
i loved my old fiat 128 .it revved like crazy and begged to be thrashed. total respray due to faded paint and rust scabs at four years old.failed its mot at five yrs old due to rust in floorpan and sills.massive weldathon got it through the mot. seven years old it split in half on the motorway ,the front bulkhead and front floorpan fractured and the car bent that badly once you managed to force the door open to get out it wouldnt fit anywhere near the aperture. tragedy. bye bye fiat 128 dof746k. hello scrapyard. italian cars never stood a chance of surviving our soaking wet climate.
Marvelous machine. I had the same car as featured, Y reg, only the body kit (wing etc) was body colour (the same rosso red).
I had a 1983 Alfasud ti1.3 hatchback. One observation about the steering: car was very sensitive to front tyre pressure. At the correct pressure steering was fine but if you let the pressures drop steering got very heavy and handling suffered which may be what was happening in this drive.
jonquirk Good info. Thanks for sharing. Matt.
Wooly. It got wooly....
Family owned 78 Ti, 82 4 door and I owned an 83 twin carb- all great in their own way - 78 was the favourite - 84 had longer gearing and was a relaxed cruiser - steering ride and handling sublime in all - 82 had most reliability issues though with constant reliability niggles until written off in wet road sideways exit with snappy tail and rear disc lock up and mainly poor driving by me. Inboard front discs, flat 4 and just excellent dynamics - closest thing now is my Megane RS265 sans Alfa features and avec turbo boost.
Had one of these new in 1983, in black, where are you now GUM 990Y?! It was actually the first car I bought myself! Until my present Mitsubishi Evo 6, bought new in 1999, the 'sud was the best handling car I've ever owned, also the most rewarding to drive. The thing could just be steered with the throttle like nothing I'd ever driven before, or since, until the Evo. It had grip, poise and accuracy well beyond it's price and status. Sound was superb, in fact the engine was the in car entertainment! There was a £500 cash back promotion in place when I bought mine, so I had Recaro seats and a Momo wheel fitted, still have the Momo! So the driving position was a little better than a standard car. Mine had a problem with excessive front tyre wear form new, it would scrub them out in 3000 miles!! The dealer denied there was a problem, instead prefering to blame my driving and the soft, performance Michelin tyres, backed up by the Alfa regional engineering inspector! So, I complained directly to Michelin who were non too impressed to hear that their metric TRX performance tyre was getting the blame, and invited me to one of their own tyre fitting centre's to have the problem investigated. The visited Michelin tyre technician took one look at the tyres then fitted and said, excessive toe out! They measured the front geometry and discovered that it was miles out compared to the Alfa factory spec and Michelins own data. Armed with this report I complained directly to Alfa UK, as I wanted to cut out the dealers nonsense.
They responded immediately, asked me to take the car to my dealer on a specific day to meet up with the UK engineering director and the Michelin technician.
Conclusion to this was that the car was returned to Alfa UK to be fully inspected and remedied, and I was reimbursed in full for all the tyres I'd had fitted upto then and supplied with a new set.
The car was transformed after that and tyres lasted about 18,000 miles per front set, I am a hard driver!
I remember it would start in the depths of winter without choke, just by pumping the throttle a few times! The gearbox needed to warm up before it would change gear properly. I enjoyed it for about 3 years then replaced it with a Vauxhall Astra GTE jelly mould!! That almost killed me when I tried to drive it like the 'sud, it was a bag of s....!!
Oh, I still have the stainless tail pipes off the 'sud, salvaged after an exhaust change.
What a terrffic story. I loved my little sud back in the 80s and that was just £50s worth of 1.2Ti. Matt.
My then GF's dad had a 1.2 ti when I had the 105, he was deeply jealous! After the Sud I had a Guilietta 2.0, lovely twin cam engine, crap car, then a couple of other cars later, a GT Junior 1.6, similar to the GTV. What a superb car that was, handling to die for, just a little underpowered. Obviously I could have chucked a GTV 2.0 engine in, but somehow never managed it.
After that Alfa's lost their appeal to me, all front drive euro boxes in a pretty frock. They should get back to their roots with well designed, beautiful looking rear drive cars.
Good work. My last Alfa was a 1999 156 2.0TS which was also a great car for a modern. Matt.
A gang of lads at college all had alfasuds.....2 sud 1.5ti's....1 sprint 1.7 I think and an alfa 33. The 1.5ti sud was one hell of a car......it trounced all the modern hot hatches. Probably about 1989.....the thing went exactly where it was pointed with no drama and on a full throttle.....like it was on rails. I'm struggling to think of a nicer sounding engine too......
Lee Goodwin
I don't think Alfa produced a better handling car since the Sud, until maybe this new 4C, although having never driven one I can't be sure.
I actually had an 84 1.5ti, It was a contest car from a classic car mag, was fully restored 6 years before I got it and was already rusted out, great car though. Also had a 205gti 1.9, loved them both, nothing like that now that I'm back home in Canada
I remember the article a red alfasud ti that was restored by Alfa romeo themselves had a lot of new panels to shouldn't have rusted again that quick
@MegaReddevil71 I agree! It was at the rear of the car, around the rear light panel. When I opened the trunk for the first time it just dropped about an inch. I was heartbroken because it looked so good body wise other than that. I don't remember who I sold it to, but I'm not sure it was ever put back on the road. So long ago now.
@@Ricardo_Pickles sure I have seen something mentioned about the car on Facebook also I have the magazine showing the restoration somewhere
@@MegaReddevil71 awesome! I'll see if I can find it. Thank you.
Best handling car I ever drove. Didn’t need the power with handling like that.
For goodness sake… it’s called an Alfa Sood-pronounced as in Should. Sud means South in Italian. Alfa Nord’s were made in Northern Italy. The Sud came from Naples in the South…
Sorry....
Thanks for doing this great review. BTW, pronunciation is NOT sud (as in soap suds) but Sud (same as in good). I owned from new all the Ti models, starting with a 1.2L 1978 Ti. The final special edition Sud Ti , the 105 HP twin-carb Quadrifoglio Verde, as reviewed here, should have been my ultimate Sud driving experience--but it was sadly the worst--a very big disappointment! For some unimaginable reason Alfa Romeo 'tinkered' with the steering and suspension and ruined the Sud's superb dynamics and feel. It was NOT in the same league as earlier Ti's. My favorite Ti is definitely the ca.1981, non-hatchback 1.5 L with single Weber and 85 HP. These cars have more power than the earlier 1.2s but retain all their immense dynamic brilliance.
Keyyyyzzzz Damn. I wish someone had corrected me earlier, like 30 years ago. I'll put it down to living in Bristol, UK. Maybe it's an accent thing. Matt.
Keyyyyzzzz I totally agree with what you say, being a motor dealer I owned and drove most of them
and I remember the early models 1200/1300,being like go karts to drive.
I watched an episode of Wheeler Dealers where they made the same mistake over and over 🙈
Bella, proprio bella. Quando a Pomigliano facevano macchine.
Do you need a sud to restore as there is one in Woodford green in red
Yes agree. I owned a 1.2Ti and even in 1.5Ti form like this one that is the only conclusion to draw. VW managed to get their flat four out to 2.0litres, imagine that in a Sood as I understand now is the way its pronounced. Matt.
Agree. I had one and every time you shut the door it became a bit lighter...! Matt. If only they'd got proper steel and even better galvanised the shells like Porsche did with the 911 from '75. The MK1 Golf would have had a proper run for its money.
..Italian from the 70s, short legs long arms?!
I think it's the other way around xD
Indeed. A 1.8 or 2.0 Litre would have cut it big time. Matt.
I owned two of these fantastic cars and I have to disagree with the driver in the vid about the steering. I easily outmanoeuvred a number of mini coopers on twisty roads; no mean feat. Both did rust out under me and at the time I didn't care because they were just a fabulous drive. Would buy another today - if I could aford one!
Is there any wooliness in the steering?
werent they famed for their steering ? as well as handling and performance
yes, because of its suspension most new cars have suspension based from it, the first 'copy' from its suspension was from the VW golf
pianoman3214 but it was mainly famed for the bodyworks ability to turn to dust before the paint hit it.
Alex Graham yeah, cause you would notice that before the handling :P
pianoman3214 yes I do, most of these which I rebuild need serious body repairs.
Alex Graham and I've got an alfa 33 (car after it), rust exists sadly, but I the worst of places :/
Rust got it after about 2 years and I bought a 205 GTi, whigh was great but didnt have the character of the Sud.
The best car in 1980.
The best handling hatch of all !fabulous drivers car ,I owned several but unfortunately they had terrible habit of the body melting away as you drove it !..my brother allways said Alpha had perfected the building of the only cars that rotted from the roof down ,he could never work out how they did it!but they hid their secret well from the other manufacturers !!!.
Gerald Swain Yes I had one, engineering brilliance but lost weight every time I shut the door.
Wooly steering,what ya on about .its an Italian. The steering was one of the best parts
Sood...? I didn't know that. Matt.
The steel was made in Italy at Tranto steel works - the Russian steel is a myth. The poor rust protection and exposure to elements due to the strikes caused a lot of at corrosion factory. The weather in uk is damp so they suffered particular. But you get a lot more of them in Europe unfortunately LHD but many clean examples I seen
Nice car, even has the original Pioneer stereo.
Love this car. This guy however, is a woeful driver.
The Alfasud Chassis cried out for more Power.
Although you mentioned the steering, you said, was woolly, it should not have been. In 1983 when they moved over to the squared shoulder low profile metric tyres , it upset the feel in the steering , as the original geometry was better with the 70 series profile tyres. The steering on the earlier cars was a revelation whereas you could steer on the throttle with tremendous feedback , no vicious kick or FWD fight etc. I still don’t any FWD car that matches the throttle response, steering feel, powerful brakes , nice gear change , with a firm yet quality ride as the Alfasud had in its day. The engine too, isn’t praised enough , all the accolades going to the V6 or inline twin cam whilst well deserved , the little flat 4 boxer giving that trademark Alfa rasp to the exhaust , yet being refined at cruising at high speeds . The motoring press at the cars launch in the early/ mid 1970s , found it incredible that a little single carburettor 1200cc engine could seem so unstressed even cruising at 90mph plus .❤
Great insight. Thank you.
E vai se ne stanno andando tutte all estero i nostri gioelli no comment
When, for the love of God, will 'reviewers' stop saying Suds were made of Russian steel... None of it was imported, it was all Italian steel. Sheesh...
this car is no longer on the road.
www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/ add PGC309Y
Last MOT in 2017
Reason(s) for failure
Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)
Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)
Nearside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)
Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle n/s low (3.7.B.5b)
Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (7.3.B.1b)
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)
Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)
Sorry, I have to comment on the pronunciation...
It's not a 'Sud', its a 'Sood'!
Must have had worn track rod ends, there was nothing wooly about the steering in the Alfasaud I had..
Its been mentioned here. My bad. Most likely reason is the tyre pressures were too low.
loose the squeak on the clutch pedal
craig noble Good advice.
gearbox squeak is going to make me kill myself... but other than that :D amazing car
I think that is the clutch......mine used to do the same. Fuck, I had forgotten about that! LOL
...ho il modellino con carrozzeria colore nero ....ALFISTA DOC 72
muy lindo
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