Alfa Romeo 75 (1985-1992): The last real Alfa turns 40
Long undervalued, it is now finding more and more fans
In 1985, Alfa Romeo celebrated its 75th anniversary. Just in time for the anniversary, a new model was presented on 17 May of that year, which was given the name 75 (model codes 161 and 162B) to mark the occasion. The mid-sized saloon officially replaced the Giulietta and was technically similar to the Alfetta's successor, the Alfa Romeo 90.
The two four-door models have been positioned very differently in order to avoid any confusion on the part of the customer. While the Alfa Romeo 90 has made a name for itself as a luxurious, prestige touring saloon, the 75, under the direction of Domenico Chirico, is designed to appeal to the more sporty fans of the brand.
Gallery: Alfa Romeo 75 (1985-1992)
Ermanno Cressoni, head of the company's own Centro Stile, opted for a distinctly wedge-shaped, angular body. The flat front is characterised by relatively narrow headlights and the small, inverted trapezoid of the grille with the brand logo. Two longitudinal lights increase their distance towards the rear, giving the side line a visually dynamic appearance.
Design with a kink
The rear line is emphasised by a dark grey plastic strip that runs along the entire side below the side windows and curves upwards at the C-pillar. At the rear, the connection between the two rear lights is emphasised by a transparent plastic strip above the number plate. The 75 is between 4.33 and 4.42 metres long, depending on the model.
Alfa Romeo 75 1.8i Turbo (1986-1988)
The angular design continues in the interior, where the dashboard and centre console form a single block. The unusual bow-shaped handbrake handle matches the design. The Alfa Romeo 75 offers a height-adjustable steering wheel, tinted glass, a digital clock and a heated rear window as standard.
Reading lights and electric windows are controlled from an overhead console. Important vehicle functions and data are monitored by the Alfa Romeo Control diagnostic computer and faults are displayed to the driver on the control panel. The seats offer good lateral support and some models even have Recaro seats for the driver and front passenger. The boot has a generous capacity of 500 litres.
Cockpit des Alfa Romeo 75 (1986)
Sportiness through transaxle
The longitudinally mounted engines transmit their power via a two-part propeller shaft to the transmission, which is locked to the De Dion rear axle and suspended in a vibration-damped subframe, including the clutch - the Alfa Romeo 75 also uses the transaxle principle. This shifts part of the car's weight to the rear axle, bringing the front-to-rear weight distribution closer to the ideal 50:50 ratio, resulting in neutral and easily controllable cornering even at high speeds.
In addition, the rear brake discs are mounted directly inside the differential to reduce unsprung mass. On the front axle, space-saving torsion bars are used as suspension elements. Both axles are fitted with disc brakes - ventilated on the more powerful models - and anti-roll bars, the efficiency of which depends on the engine variant.
The combination of sporty performance and spaciousness also appeals to the authorities. Many carabinieri, firemen, paramedics and special forces are happy to have an Alfa Romeo 75 as their official car. Carrozzeria Rayton-Fissore also introduced an estate version, but this was never produced.
Alfa Romeo 75 der Carabinieri
Five engines are available from the outset. These range from the popular 1.6-litre four-cylinder with 110 PS, of which almost 100,000 units have been built, to the 2.5-litre V6 with 156 PS in the Alfa 75 2.5 V6 Quadrifoglio Verde or with catalytic converter and 154 PS in the US model Milano. Then there is the two-litre turbo diesel - not officially available in Germany - which, thanks to an intercooler, produces 95 PS and a maximum torque of 192 Nm, making it one of the most powerful diesel engines of its time.
In 1986, a 155 PS 1.8-litre turbo petrol engine completed the engine range. A water-cooled Garrett turbocharger, intercooler and oil cooler as well as exhaust valves with chlorine-sodium filling ensured the thermal well-being of the high-tech engine. The Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo is making a career in motorsport in a special version limited to 500 units.
Another racing technology was introduced by Alfa Romeo in 1987 in the two-litre petrol engine of the series. With a second spark plug, as in the legendary Giulia Sprint GTA touring car, and map ignition from Bosch, the engineers optimised the combustion process in the individual cylinders. This allows the power output to be increased without changing the displacement. The new aluminium engine develops 148 PS and the catalytic converter version, which is also available, 145 PS.
The TwinSpark lettering on the rear reveals the twin ignition. The engineers have also integrated a petrol injection system and Alfa Romeo's patented variable control of the valve opening times by means of the camshaft on the intake side, which is rotated by up to seven degrees by an electric motor. This improves the response behaviour at low revs and the power delivery in the upper rev range.
Externally, the Alfa Romeo 75 2.0 TwinSpark presented at the 1987 Geneva Motor Show can be recognised by the modified front spoiler, wind deflectors on the front side windows, low-slung side skirts, rear skirt, a rubber lip on the edge of the boot and subtle wing extensions. This makes it clear from a distance: here comes a particularly sporty contemporary. The interior has also been upgraded with a new design for the steering wheel and main instruments, among other things.
Six-cylinder for the USA
The Alfa Romeo 75 3.0 V6 America, which is being launched at the same time, has the same body modifications. In the new top version, all plastic parts are painted in body colour. The fuel tank is enlarged to 68 litres and moves from the underbody behind the backrest of the rear seat bench in the boot.
Alfa Romeo 75 3.0i V6 America (1987-1988)
But the most important change took place under the bonnet. The displacement of the proven 2.5-litre six-cylinder engine was increased to just under three litres by enlarging the stroke and bore. Now with 185 PS or 182 PS with catalytic converter, the top model reaches a top speed of 137 mph, establishing itself as an ideal long-distance vehicle. Stronger stabilisers and a limited slip differential in the rear axle (25% locking effect) improve handling.
The addition of the name America indicates a new strategy on the part of Alfa Romeo, with the new 75 model increasingly targeting the US market again. On the other side of the pond, the angular Italian was offered from 1986 in three equipment variants under the euphonious names Quadrifoglio Argento (silver, four-leaf clover), Quadrifoglio Oro (the same in gold) and Quadrifoglio Platino for the 2.5-litre variants and, from 1988, the three-litre V6 as the 3.0i Verde. In addition, the Alfa Romeo 75 in the USA always had a "Milano" in its name - a reminiscence of the traditional production site in the Milan suburb of Arese.
In addition to the obligatory catalytic converter, the standard equipment also includes important comfort accessories for Americans such as air conditioning, cruise control, electrically adjustable exterior mirrors, electrically opening side windows, including at the rear, and power steering. In the Quadrifoglio Platino version, anti-lock braking system (ABS) and air conditioning are also standard.
A three-speed automatic transmission from ZF is available as an option. In addition, the doors are reinforced, the bonnet is fitted with additional catch hooks and the bumpers are adapted to US regulations (crash at 5 mph without body deformation). A characteristic feature here are the bellows-like intermediate pieces, under which small impact absorbers are located.
Alfa Romeo 75 2.0i Twin Spark (1987-1988)
In 1988, the fourth year of production, the Alfa Romeo 75 was revised. On the bodywork side, the changes were limited - at least in the basic versions. The radiator grille was smoothed and the lenses of the rear lights and the rear indicators were coloured red. The small rear spoiler, which is now standard on all variants, improves the drag coefficient from 0.36 to 0.33 and significantly reduces petrol consumption. In the interior, the revised dashboard, now in grey, and modified upholstery fabrics mark the generation change. Extras now include air conditioning and a sunroof.
More fuel injection
More is happening on the drive side. The Alfa Romeo 75 1.8 IE has been upgraded with electronic petrol injection - "Iniezione Elettronica" in Italian, abbreviated to IE in the model lettering - from Bosch, variable valve control and a three-way catalytic converter. Engine and driving performance 120 PS, 118 mph top speed) remain the same, but the torque curve is more harmonious. The second turbodiesel in the range is the 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine familiar from the Alfa Romeo 90. Both models were given a rear spoiler and side skirts, while the Alfa Romeo 75 2.4 TD also received the wing extensions of the 2.0 TwinSpark.
At the turn of the year 1989/1990, Alfa Romeo also gave the 1.6-litre entry-level version electronic petrol injection and - for some markets - a catalytic converter. The 2.0 Twin Spark and the three-litre V6 now also had exhaust gas decontamination as standard. In April 1990, Alfa Romeo launches a revised version of the 1.8-litre turbo petrol engine. With an improved intercooler and turbocharger, the 1.8 Turbo Quadrifoglio Verde delivers ten PS more (165) than its predecessor, despite the catalytic converter. This allows it to whizz down the motorway at up to 132 mph.
Fine-tuning (including the Motronic injection system, camshafts, exhaust) boosts the three-litre top version, now called the Alfa Romeo 75 3.0 V6 Quadrifoglio Verde, to 192 PS. It even reaches 138 mph and sprints from zero to 62 mph in 7.5 seconds. The more rigidly tuned suspension ensures even sportier handling in both model versions.
Special series and special models
Alfa Romeo utilises this much potential for a small series of very special vehicles. The futuristic-looking SZ (coupé) and RZ (roadster) sports cars are created by the renowned coachbuilder Zagato on the technical basis of the Alfa Romeo 75 with three-litre V6.
To breathe new life into the slowly ageing model, Alfa Romeo offered a number of special models from 1991. In addition to the "Indy" version (short for Indianapolis) - which is also sold in Spain as the "Le Mans" - with the 1.8-litre engine under the bonnet, a "Limited Edition" is also created. The engines available are the 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol engine - for a total of only 1,000 vehicles - and the two-litre TwinSpark with dual ignition for a further 3,500 units.
Special alloy wheels in the design of the Alfa Romeo SZ coupé and exterior mirrors painted in body colour set them apart from the standard models. In addition, the driver and front passenger sit in close-fitting Recaro seats and a genuine silver badge on the dashboard shows the production number. The designers put the finishing touches to the "Limited Edition" with a new, now also longitudinally adjustable leather steering wheel and a gear knob also made of leather.
Gallery: Alfa Romeo 155 (1992-1998)
In 1992, the lifespan of the Alfa Romeo 75 came to an irrevocable end, with the successor model 155 already on the doorstep. Only the 1.6-litre petrol engine and the two-litre turbodiesel are still to be found in the price lists. Bumpers and exterior mirrors are now painted in body colour, the small rear spoiler is standard.
In total, around 387,000 Alfa Romeo 75s were produced, of which just over 21,000 were fitted with the V6 engine. What nobody realised at the start of production in 1985 was that the Alfa Romeo 75 would be the brand's last production car with transaxle technology for the time being. And it was the Alfa before the brand came under the Fiat umbrella. This gives the Alfa Romeo 75 a very special place in the brand's history.
The Alfa Romeo 75 in motorsport
The Alfa Romeo 75's career in touring car racing is a prime example of skilful handling of homologation regulations. In the mid-1980s, only vehicles in accordance with the so-called Group A regulations were permitted in the international championships. The basic vehicles must be built at least 5,000 times within a year - a not insignificant hurdle if the car is mainly to be sold on the market. In any case, the Alfa Romeo 75 saloon is to replace the successful GTV6 coupé, which has won several European Touring Car Championship titles for Alfa Romeo.
Group A versions of the Alfa Romeo 75 with a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated engine were mainly built for rallying. For circuit racing, however, the signs of the times favoured the turbo. Alfa Romeo therefore developed the production model Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo, which with a moderate 155 PS could easily be sold in the required quantities. However, the homologation rules also allowed the development of an evolutionary version based on a production car built in excess of 5,000 units, with only 500 units to be sold.
Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo Evoluzione (1986-1988)
The motorsport experts gave the Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo Evoluzione, a model that is now coveted among collectors, wide wing extensions, a large front spoiler, a rear spoiler lip, a larger turbocharger from the German manufacturer KKK, including a larger intercooler, and also modified the wheel suspensions. According to Group A regulations, these parts of the vehicle may only be modified to a limited extent or not at all.
The Alfa Corse racing department, headed by Giorgio Pianta, officially specifies 280 PS for the 1.8-litre turbo engine. The cubic capacity is multiplied by a so-called turbo factor. In 1988, the factor is raised from 1.4 to 1.7. The Alfa Romeo engineers therefore reduced the bore of the four-cylinder engine from 80.0 to 79.6 millimetres. With an effective displacement of 1,762 cubic centimetres, the engine remained below the calculated limit of three litres, which meant that the minimum weight of the Alfa Romeo Turbo Evoluzione was 80 kilograms lower than one racing class higher.
Prominence in the touring car
In 1987, the works team competed in the World Touring Car Championship, which only existed for one year. Drivers included Formula 1 drivers Alessandro Nannini, Mario Andretti and Jacques Laffite as well as sports car world champion Jean-Louis Schlesser. After the end of the World Championship, Alfa Romeo focussed on the Italian Championship on the factory side. So-called superturismo vehicles were authorised there from 1990. The technical regulations allowed more freedom than in Group A (e.g. larger spoilers). This increases the power of the Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo to up to 400 PS.
In numerous national championships, the Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo Evoluzione raced for victories and titles in the hands of private drivers, sometimes well into the 1990s. In the German Touring Car Championship (DTM), for example, the Dane Kurt Thiim took on the local works teams.
Alfa Romeo 75 1.8i Turbo TCC (1987-1991)
The Giro d'Italia is a mixture of circuit and rally, covering almost 2,000 kilometres across Italy. For this race, in which two drivers - plus a co-driver for the rally stages - share a car, vehicles according to the American IMSA regulations are also permitted. Alfa Romeo takes advantage of this freedom and builds two very special Tipo 75 Turbo cars. Even wider mudguards allow for 11-inch wheels. All bonnets are made of plastic, all windows except the windscreen are made of lightweight Perspex.
A larger Garrett turbocharger boosts the engine output to over 400 PS. A huge rear spoiler provides plenty of downforce on the rear axle. Four additional headlights are also attached to the front bumper for the night stages. In 1988, Formula 1 driver Riccardo Patrese, who drives the circuits, and the future rally world champions Miki Biasion/Tiziano Siviero win. In 1989, the trio of Giorgio Francia (circuit) and Dario Cerrato/Giuseppe Cerri (rally) came out on top.
More from Alfa Romeo:
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
Alfa Romeo Is Making A New Hatchback With Gas Engines
Audi Says It's 'Evaluating' A Rugged Off-Road SUV
The New Alfa Romeo Giulia And Stelvio Are Coming—Just Not Anytime Soon
Audi CEO: A New R8 Would Be A 'Good Idea'
Alfa Romeo Teases A New Special Car
Woman Goes For A Walk. Then A Toyota SUV Starts Following Her: 'I Accidentally Turned Into One Today'
50 Future Cars Worth Waiting For: 2026-2030