Why The 75 Was A Sales Success But Still Part of ALFA's Decline

I’ve had a lot of cars in my time , including an M3 CSL and 911 Porsche’s of various vintages, however the most memorable car I’ve ever owned was an Alfa 75 3.0V6. I came across it in a specialist official Alfa garage , sitting inside in the corner , just after being insurance accessed after being stolen to be used in a professional bank robbery , not the usual unrepairable destroyed joyriders car , which was the more normal thing here in Dublin in the mid 1990’s. Estimate per insurance assessment was Damage to The front bumper torn off , exhaust torn off , ignition burst off , special heat resistant battery was goosed too, and some bodywork scratches from where during the getaway it was driven through a wire fence . Anyway the repair estimate was for about £8 k at the time, and the car would have being worth in perfect condition about £7500 in original condition. I couldn’t believe my luck to land it for lot less than £1 k , The garage was stuck for space. I had a wedding to go to in the west of Ireland a week later and I was determined to bring this V6. So the pressure was on big time to get it on the road. Got it delivered, Straight up to my exhaust man , for a custom made exhaust, (genuine one was unobtainable and stupid dear in 1995) My genius exhaust man made up a much more free flowing unit than the £1500 plus vat for an Alfa one , and a great bonus was we let it under the rear axle rather than squashed over, and used a Jaguar back box , which made for an unbelievable sound and I reckon a lot more power. this and fitting a standard non insulated battery saved me about £1800. I cable tied on the front bumper temporarily , which was cosmetically quiet successful, and I made up a push button starter and detachable ignition switch to replace the burst key ignition, and off with me to the wedding for the weekend. My wife still slags me almost 30 years later , for reaching up to the switches beside the rear view mirror to let down the windows to hear that magical busso sound , every Single time we exited a small town heading for the west of Ireland on our pre motorway pre Celtic tiger back B roads. To this day she can recognise a busso V6 on YouTube!!! Sight unseen. We had a fantastic weekend in the car for the wedding weekend and a week afterwards. Sideways around Sligo. When I returned home a young mechanic got wind of this super machine bought it from me “as is “ for an offer I couldn’t refuse. The profit payed my mortgage for at least a year on our newly acquired house with a new baby. So happy days in every way , and totally logical to part with it. But I will have another.

Boy that 75 sounds magnificent! A V6 with optional leather trim, the peak of the 75 range but also a version that was rarely seen on Italian roads in period, due to our notoriously punitive taxation on anything above two liters. Great review Jack, by the way!

I was living in Dubai and my daily was a 2.0TFSI. Awesome car, fast, DSG, everything automated, no complaints whatsoever. Went back home for vacation after a year. My dad has one since new and I asked for the keys to go for a quick run. I started yelling out of excitement in the first minute, from the house to the garden gate. Just starting it up, hearing the roar, putting 1st gear, and enjoying the burble from the exhaust. People that drive new cars cannot realise the difference between how much these older cars (pure machines with no computers, no matter their shape or number of doors) speak to you and make you feel, how alive and playful they are, despite the "flaws", which anyway anything that gets old will have versus the advanced new, so it's an odd argument for me.

As the owner of a 2.5 V6 156, and having previously owned a 164, 166 and 90s GTV all with the 24V V6, I must say I think that these early busso 12v v6s in the 75 and GTV6 etc sound even better than the ones that came after. There is something very "trumpety" in the sound of them.

What's not to.love about the last of the real Alfa Romeos RWD. I've owned 3 of them in Australia, all 2.5ltr ( 1 auto and 2 5 speed) and now chasing the 3 ltr. In Oz its called Potenziata and are very hard to come by now commanding upwards of $25k AUD but worth every penny. I miss my 75's and would love to get my hands on one again soon. Best driving car let alone the awesome sound of that V6 Busso 💪🇬🇸

I had both the Twinspark and the 3.0V6 Veloce back in the day. Jano at Autodelta did work on both, but at the time we both had v6’s, his had Koni and mine had Bilstein. I had the torsion bars, springs and anti roll bars uprated drilled and groves discs front and rear, plus Autodelta’s exhaust and lots of subtle engine mods. I wish I had never sold that car, it had so much dry road traction that while BMWs and 944s were struggling to get off the line, I was gone. Changing direction was so precise and it could be abused with predictable results. There’s a reason they kept them as training cars at the Nurburgring until very recently and still have a few apparently. Magnificent car and makes me hanker for another one! Thanks for making me smile, with a tear in my eye for the most fun car and I’ve ever owned! I’ve driven lots of great cars since and currently drive an RS6, but nothing put a smile on my face like the last real Alfa, my never forgotten and much missed 75! It’s been long overdue that you did a video on one and I can tell by the look on your face just how much you enjoyed it! Thanks Jack!

If you can get past the boxy wedge look (which I happen to like ) the 75 is a mechanical masterpiece. Rear transaxle, de Dion suspension, inboard brakes for lower un sprung weight. It’s definitely on my want list

Loved the 164 from back in the 80s. Always thought the 75 was too boxy. That Busso engine though is a true masterpiece. I remember getting overtaken by a GTV 2.5 V6 when I was in my XR3i in 1988. It sounded amazing as it flashed past. I've always loved Alfa's.👍👍

The De Dion transaxle was introduced back in 1972 on the Alfa Romeo Alfetta, a brilliant car. I drove a 1979 Alfetta 1800 for ±6 years and it never gave me any problems, always fun to drive and quite advanced for its time. This was a South African built car, assembled at the Brits factory not far from Pretoria. This plant was unfortunately closed down in 1985 due to poor economies of scale.

Conversely to most people , I absolutely adore the styling , especially in the UK Cloverleaf spec as your driving. When Alfa replaced the 75 with the 155 , in the early 1990’s, the head of Alfa was asked why they went to FWD , he replied the handling characteristics would suit more people. Whilst that was understandable for mainstream drivers , it’s quite surprising how many owners were not so happy with the 75 replacement. The truth , of course, was the 155 was so much more economical to produce -it takes , on average one third of the time to produce a FWD car than a rear drive due to the engine /gearbox/ axle / front suspension assembly can be installed in one manoeuvre, on a subframe thanks also to macpherson strut suspension. I have owner 2 Alfa 75 models , one Twin Spark and one 3 litre V6. The TS is more fun to drive with even better balance due to the lighter engine and the fact it revs higher, just like you imagine an Italian car to be, whereas the V6 in 12 valve form leaves you wanting for more top end ( the Rev range increased with the 4 valve per cylinder cars) , and the gear ratios are stepped up to mate with the extra torque. Road holding was still up to modern standards , being very advanced when the transaxle layout was introduced with the Alfetta saloon in 1972. The gearbox took some getting used to, 2nd being obtrusive til warm, a built in Italian car trait to warn you not to trash them from cold, same on Ferraris , Alfa’s and even various RWD Fiats of old , remembered same on my 132! Great car the 75, remember chasing and passing a Toyota Supra turbo , at a far unmentionable speed on the Stourbridge -Kidderminster road in my twin spark , and showing up some “wise -guys “ in a BMW 3 series. Different times, less policing , less cameras , great times. I could go on but really great cars , pity so few around now.

I lived in Germany from 1987 to 1994, and had two 75s as company cars, the first at 1 year old, was destroyed in an accident, and the second lasted for the next few years. Both 3 litres, and both red with black trim. 180 horsepower. Most memorable drive was from Koeln to the dolomites for a ski trip, and in Austria, the roads were covered with snow. The car's tyres were Pirelli P6s or P6000s, and the car was the most stable vehicle I have driven on such conditions. I hated the styling at the time, but really like it now. Can't argue with the sound of the Buso engine.

That sound is superb. The smile on your face driving it says it all. I can't see any modern equivalent delivering that kind of smiles per mile. Great video as usual jack.

Sound out of last corner is fantastic. Not yet F1 but but the spirit is there!

A balanced car makes up for a lot on a fun road. I took my 944 out today and it always impresses me.

I drove rally’s in a 75 3.0 V6 in the Netherlands for 2,5 years before i bought my siërra cosworth 4x4!! The ford ia by far the better rallycar but i had the most fun in the Alfa!!! Only the syncromesch from the second gear was bad, every 1,5 rally it was gone but the engine , that busso V6………oef what a engine and then that sound!!!! Very Nice car, greats from the Netherlands , ramon

I had a 2.5 Milano in Canada. definitely the most fun to drive car I've ever owned. I looked for any excuse to go for a drive. And it wasn't the fastest car in the numbers. but, because of its engine and confidence-inspiring handling, I often made it the fastest car on the road.

Thaks for showing the Alfa 75! I had the Milano version when I was in my 20's & loved it. I probably would still have, but it had a nasty collision with an 80kg deer in the woods of northern Wisconsin. Even great weight distribution won't save that!

And the 2.0 Twin Spark was even better balanced due to a slightly lighter engine. Loved my 75 and it was a great place to drive 30,000 miles in a year back in the 1990s!

I had a 75 twin spark in 1992 I bought it in an auction for peanuts ,ran it for a year , never missed a beat ,put it back in the auction and got my money back . I loved it.

I'm an old italian Alfa's lover. The 75 was basically a facelifted Alfetta. Great car, great mechanic. Old good times. That v6 is one of the best engine ever regardless the power and specs. It has a soul, just a few engine in the world ever had a soul. This is one of the very few, it's incredible and it speaks to you.