Alfa Romeo 75

Alfa Romeo 75 / Milano
1988 Alfa Romeo Milano Gold (US model)
Overview
Manufacturer	Alfa Romeo
Also called	Alfa Romeo Milano
Production	1985-1992
Assembly	Arese, Milan, Italy
Designer	Ermanno Cressoni at Centro Stile Alfa Romeo
Body and chassis
Class	Compact executive car (D)
Body style	4-door saloon
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Related	Alfa Romeo Alfetta Alfa Romeo GTV6 Alfa Romeo SZ
Powertrain
Engine	1.6 L I4 (petrol) 1.8 L I4 (petrol) 1.8 L I4 (t/c petrol) 2.0 L I4 (petrol) 2.5 V6 (petrol) 3.0 V6 (petrol) 2.0 L I4 (turbodiesel) 2.4 L I4 (turbodiesel)
Transmission	5-speed manual 3-speed automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,510 mm (98.8 in)
Length	4,331 mm (170.5 in)
Width	1,631 mm (64.2 in)
Height	1,349 mm (53.1 in)
Curb weight	1,100–1,300 kg (2,400–2,900 lb)
Chronology
Predecessor	Alfa Romeo Giulietta
Successor	Alfa Romeo 155

The Alfa Romeo 75 (Tipo 161, 162B), sold in North America as the Milano, is a compact executive car produced by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo between 1985 and 1992. The 75 was commercially quite successful: in only three years, 236,907 cars were produced, and by the end of production in 1992, around 386,767 had been built.

The Alfa Romeo 75 was the last model released before Alfa Romeo was acquired by Fiat. (The Alfa Romeo 164 was the last model developed independently.)

The 75 was introduced in May 1985 to replace the Giulietta (with which it shared many components), and was named to celebrate Alfa's 75th year of production. The body, designed by head of Alfa Romeo Centro Stile Ermanno Cressoni, was styled in a striking wedge shape, tapering at the front with square headlights and a matching grille (similar features were applied to the Cressoni-designed 33).

At the 1986 Turin Auto Salon, a prototype 75 estate was to be seen, an attractive forerunner of the later 156 Sportwagon. This version was, however, never listed for sale, being cancelled after Fiat took control of Alfa Romeo. The car, dubbed the 75 Turbo Wagon, was made by Italian coachbuilder Rayton Fissore using a 75 Turbo as the basis. Two estate versions were to be found at the later 1987 Geneva Motor Show; one was this Turbo Wagon and the other was a 2.0-litre version named the Sportwagon.

The 75 featured some unusual technical features, most notably the fact that it was almost perfectly balanced from front to rear. This was achieved by using transaxle schema — mounting the standard five-speed gearbox in the rear connected to the rear differential (rear-wheel drive). The front suspension was a torsion bar and shock absorber combination and the rear an expensive de Dion tube assembled with shock absorbers; these designs were intended to optimize the car's handling; moreover the rear brake discs were fitted at the centre of the rear axle, near the gearbox-differential group. The engine crankshaft was bolted directly to the two-segment driveshaft, which ran the length of the underside from the engine block to the gearbox and rotated at the speed of the engine. The shaft segments were joined with elastomeric 'doughnuts' to prevent vibration and engine/gearbox damage. The 2.0 L Twin Spark and the 3.0 Litre V6 were equipped with limited slip differential.