Alfa Romeo Alfasud
| Alfa Romeo Alfasud | |
|---|---|
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1974 Alfa Romeo Alfasud 4-door saloon
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| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Alfa Romeo |
| Also called | Alfa Romeo Export GTA (South Africa) |
| Production | 1971–1983 (berlina) 1976–1989 (Sprint) |
| Assembly |
Pomigliano d'Arco, Italy Brits, South Africa Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Marsa, Malta (Car Assembly Ltd) |
| Designer | Giorgetto Giugiaro (Italdesign) |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Small family car (C) |
| Body style | |
| Layout | Front-engine, front-wheel-drive |
| Related | Alfa Romeo Sprint |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | |
| Transmission | 4-speed manual 5-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,455 mm (96.7 in) |
| Length | 3,890 mm (153 in) 3,935–3,975 mm (154.9–156.5 in) (Giardinetta) |
| Width | 1,590 mm (63 in) |
| Height | 1,370 mm (54 in) |
| Kerb weight | 810–865 kg (1,786–1,907 lb) (approx.) |
| Chronology | |
| Successor |
Alfa Romeo 33 Alfa Romeo Arna |
The Alfa Romeo Alfasud (Type 901, 902 and 904) was a small family car, manufactured from 1971 to 1989 by Industria Napoletana Costruzioni Autoveicoli Alfa Romeo-Alfasud S.p.A of Italy, a new company owned by Alfa Romeo and Finmeccanica. The company was based in the poor southern region of Italy as a part of the labour policy of the government.
It is considered one of Alfa Romeo's most successful models, with 893,719 examples sold between 1972 and 1983, plus 121,434 Sprint coupé versions between 1976 and 1989. A common nickname for the car is ’Sud. The car went through two facelifts, the first in 1977 and the second one in 1980.
Alfa Romeo had explored building a smaller front wheel drive car in the 1950s but it was not until 1967 that firm plans were laid down for an all-new model to fit in below the existing Alfa Romeo range. It was developed by Austrian Rudolf Hruska, who created a unique engineering package, clothed in a body styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro of ItalDesign.
The car was built at a new factory at Pomigliano d'Arco in southern Italy, hence the car's name, Alfa Sud (Alfa South). January 18, 1968, saw the registration at Naples of a new company named "Industria Napoletana Costruzioni Autoveicoli Alfa Romeo-Alfasud S.p.A.". 90% of the share capital was subscribed by Alfa Romeo and 10% by Finmeccanica, at that time the financial arm of the government controlled IRI. Construction work on the company's new state-sponsored plant at nearby Pomigliano d'Arco began in April 1968, on the site of an aircraft engine factory used by Alfa Romeo during the Second World War.
The Alfasud was shown at the Turin Motor Show three years later in 1971 and was immediately praised by journalists for its styling. The four-door saloon featured an 1,186 cc Boxer water-cooled engine with a belt-driven overhead camshaft on each cylinder head. It also featured an elaborate suspension setup for a car in its class: (MacPherson struts at the front and a beam axle with Watt's linkage at the rear). Other unusual features for this size of car were four-wheel disc brakes (with the front ones being inboard), and rack and pinion steering. The engine design allowed the Alfasud to have a low bonnet line, making it very aerodynamic for its day, also giving it a low centre of gravity. As a result of these design features, the car had excellent performance for its engine size, and levels of road-holding and handling that would not be equalled in its class for another ten years. Despite its two-box shape, a hatchback was not initially part of the range. Some of the controls were unorthodox, the lights, turn indicators, horn, wipers and heater fan all being operated by pulling, turning or pushing the two column stalks.
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