Alfa Romeo Alfasud: All saloon models from 1971 to 1983 & Sprint models from 1976 to 1989

1 Is it the right car for you?

– marriage guidance

Tall and short drivers

The driving position of an Alfasud – in common with similar Italian cars from the period – typically means that drivers with longer arms and shorter legs are more likely to be the most comfortably accommodated!

The steering wheel can be adjusted for height, however, and drivers of all statures may benefit from the simple mechanical modification of unbolting the front seats and swapping the spacers. If you use the thicker rear spacers under the front of the seat runners, and the thinner front ones under the rear (swap the bolts as well), you’ll raise the leading edge of the seat base, making it far more comfortable, and giving you far more support under your knees.

Even the Sprint, although quite low to the ground, allows easy access.

Weight of controls

The Alfasud’s non-assisted steering is light and direct on the move but is relatively heavy at slow speeds, while its all-round disc brake setup will stop the car without drama, as long as the system is well maintained.

Will it fit your garage?

With dimensions of 4.02m (13ft 2in) maximum length and 1.59m (5ft 3in) width, a ’sud or Sprint will fit comfortably into a standard 5.00m (16ft 6in) x 3.00m (9ft 10in) single garage; the 3.00m width allowing the driver’s door to almost fully open.

Interior space

Despite its compact dimensions, spaciousness is one of the areas where the ’sud excels, with its tall cabin and relatively long wheelbase maximising interior space. For a car of such compact dimensions, the Alfasud makes excellent use of what space there is. In fact, four people can be seated in the car with adequate amounts of head and legroom all round.

Luggage space

All ’suds and Sprints feature respectable luggage compartments, with the Sprint in particular having a bigger boot than many other larger family cars of the period. Later Alfasuds gained a hatchback, which improves accessibility and practicality.

Running costs

Depending on engine size, you should expect around 25 to 37mpg (8.8 to 10.6kpl) from your Alfasud or Sprint.

Usability

All Alfasuds can cope with modern traffic conditions. Motorway cruising is perfectly possible, even in early four-speed cars, although later five-speed models – with their better spread of gear ratios – are more relaxing and less noisy at speed. All-round visibility is good, thanks to slim body pillars and large glass areas.

Parts availability

Nearly all mechanical and service parts are available from a good network of specialists. Body parts tend to be expensive, with some – particularly for the Sprint – in very limited supply.

Insurance

Alfasuds and Sprints are not often these days given a group rating but, instead, can be insured on a Classic Car Policy. Agreeing to a limited annual mileage can often reduce premiums, while owners clubs can usually offer competitively priced, everyday cover through accredited insurers.

Investment potential

Prices for ’suds and Sprints have been on the up in recent times. Well-kept and regularly maintained examples will, at the very least, hold their values, with some rising in value considerably.

Foibles

Alfasuds and Sprints all suffer to some degree from fragile electrics (more often than not caused by poor earths), with the earliest cars being the worst for this. Pay particular attention to the column control stalks. Unusually, these two stalks control not only the indicators, lights, horn, windscreen wipers and washers, but also the two-speed heater fan as well!

Apart from very late Sprint models, which inherited the later Alfa Romeo 33’s more conventional front disc/rear drum braking system, even the most basic ’suds have disc brakes all round: the fronts mounted inboard and the handbrake operating on the front wheels. The rear brake callipers can become sticky in operation, or even seize due to the efficiency of the oversize front brakes making the rears semi-redundant, due to their intrinsic under-utilisation in normal operation.

The rear boot (trunk) lid – or hatchback on later models – can only be opened from inside the car by means of cable operation, via a lever beside the front seats.

Plus points

Find a fine Alfasud of any model and you’ll be rewarded with an exceptionally pleasurable and satisfying car to drive. It handles brilliantly, and really enjoys being thrown into the bends. The sound of the flat-four boxer engine at full chat is infectious and, due to the ’sud’s superb refinement, you could use your car as everyday transport should you wish.

Minus points

Early cars had virtually no rust-proofing, which led to severe corrosion. Beware, too, of previous poor bodywork repairs or restoration as rampant rust may well return.

Alternatives

Citroën GS, Ford Fiesta, Honda Accord, Renault 5, Chrysler Sunbeam, Fiat 128 3P, VW Scirocco, Lancia Beta Coupé, Fiat Strada, Opel Kadett, VW Golf.

2 Cost considerations

– affordable, or a money pit?

Note: Labour costs will vary greatly

Minor service cost: 6000 miles (10000 kilometres): lx70-100 approx

Main service cost: 12,000 miles (20,000 kilometres): lx120-150 approx

New clutch: fitted: parts and labour: lx200-250 approx

Rebuilt gearbox: parts and labour: lx1800-2000 approx

Rebuilt engine: parts and labour: lx1800-2300 approx

Unleaded head conversion: most specialists state that these engines can be run on unleaded fuel without modification

Brake discs: lx35-50 each approx

Brake pads: lx25-30 axle set approx

New front wing: lx200-220

New headlight: lx70-plus where available

Left-hand drive to right-hand drive conversion: not recommended

Complete body restoration: lx4000-5000 approx

Full respray including preparation: lx1800-2500 depending on panel condition

New bodyshell: not available

Parts that are easy to find

Service items; most mechanical parts.

Parts that are difficult to find

Headlights, exterior trim and clips, interior trim and fittings, brake callipers (all models). Sprint body panels.

The supply situation changes constantly, however.

Headlights are getting hard to find.

Rebuilding the boxer engine is often cheaper than you might think.

3 Living with an Alfasud

– will you get along together?

Good points

Today, owning and driving a ’sud will give you a grin as wide as the Grand Canyon, so accomplished is the little Alfa Romeo’s dynamic packaging. Even now, not many cars can claim to offer the driver the same levels of enjoyment as does the Alfasud.

The car’s peppy performance from its low-mounted, flat-four ‘boxer’ engine, its telepathy-like steering and sublime handling all conspire to work in sweet perfunctory harmony, leaving you feeling very happy with the world. Very happy indeed, in fact. So, if you’ve never actually driven an Alfasud, put it at the top of your ‘to-do’ list, and prepare to become an addict to family motoring, Italian-style! It’s an absolute blast!

So what’s all the fuss about? Well, even now, the Alfasud remains a perennial favourite for enthusiastic drivers. Throughout its production life the ’sud received praise for its flat, roll-free cornering, tactile steering, and rasping exhaust note: attributes that are appreciated every bit as much now as they were back in the day, and which