I have a flight booked for Sydney at the end of next week and I sincerely hope I won’t be flying home. It’s car shopping time!
Over the next three posts, I’m going to present three vehicles. I’m pretty sure I know which one I’ll purchase, but I won’t buy it at any price. I’m going to need the seller to meet me in the middle, otherwise I’ll be exploring one of the other two options (and pretty quick, too, before the banks close for the week).
The three cars I’m considering are all for sale in Sydney right now. I will present them here in no particular order of preference. Your thoughts are welcome.
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ALFA ROMEO GTV6
Pro:
- One of the greatest engine sounds ever
- Transaxle for great weight balance and handling
- Gorgeous styling. Just look at it, below
- Getting collectable
- Did I mention the engine noise?
Con:
- Will it survive the trip back home without breaking down?
- Older car, less reliable, parts supply?
Picture: Alfagtv6.com
The Alfetta was one of Alfa’s many great historical successes. It was available as a four cylinder with Alfa’s DOHC 2 litre engine or with a sublime six cylinder symphony orchestra under the hood.
The GTV6 has Alfa’s 2.5 litre V6, producing 160hp. It’s not a lot of power by today’s standards and to be honest, it was only just competitive back in the early 1980s. But the GTV6 driving experience far outweighs the numbers on the stat sheet.
My personal Alfa obsession started in my early 20s. A friend of mine had some early career success just out of school, doing some graphic design work that got picked up by Holden for their performance division. His reward to himself? A silver GTV6 with green trimmings and that absolutely magnificent engine.
I’ve had three Alfas: a Sprint and two 16V Alfa 33’s. I’ve never owned an Alfetta but a GTV6 would be a wonderful way to compete in the occasional event with my local car club, Club Motori Italia.
The hard part about buying an Alfetta today is getting one with a good, straight, rust free body. Alfas from the late 1970s and through to the mid 1980s were renowned for poor rust-proofing and inferior grade sheet metal. Those that have survived in good condition are becoming more collectable and stable prices for cars in sound condition are now starting to reflect this.
Will it be the Alfa? It’d be a very satisfying addition to our home if that’s the way things turn out.
