I saw this neo-classic Alfa Romeo 164L sitting on Central Ave NE in North East Minneapolis. In its lack-luster condition, i dont see anyone buying it right away, but who knows? I sure wouldn't. Although it's fairly recent, i thought I would send it in and see if the you liked it. I took the liberty of blurring out the guys phone number, to avoid any prank calls.

Looking up the Wikipedia entry for this car, I learned a really cool Alfa fact: in Chinese, "164" sounds like "all the way to death." For that reason, the 164 was badged as a 168 in Hong Kong. Of course, Alfa Romeo's profits from North America still went all the way to death by 1995, so this car is one of the last Alfas you could buy here.


In 1991, you could buy a brand new 164L for $27,500. That was about 7 grand cheaper than the least expensive BMW 5 series that year, but 5 grand more than a new '91 Cressida. The Cressida was probably faster, more comfortable, 4000% easier to service, and had an expected lifespan approximately 50 times longer than that of the 164, but who cares? Look at how pretty the Pininfarina car is! Come on, life's too short! Yes, such were the thoughts that doubtless went through the mind of the car shopper who purchased this car back in the days of Gulf War I. And look- it's still running 18 years later!

We all thought it was a pretty good score when Seatbelt123 picked up two Alfa Romeo Milanos for his 24 Hours Of LeMons team for just $299. No doubt many an Alfa lover started eyeballing that empty spot in the garage and began a search for similar deals. Guess what? We've found what (at first glance appears to be) an even better Alfa deal, and it will not only fill up your garage but the driveway and maybe front yard as well! Would you believe an '87 Milano, a '78 Alfetta, and a '69 Duetto (go here if the ad disappears) for the incredible price of $750? No, and we didn't, either; of course it's really a classic Craigslist bait-and-switch arrangement hiding a $9,850 price tag. But still, with the economy melting down and the value of project Alfas melting like reserves in a bank run, we're pretty sure the actual selling price will be much, much lower. There is no information about running condition or any problems these cars might have (other than the ominous statement "Needs a little attention" applied to the Alfetta), but you can count on decades months of Alfa torture fun when you take on these projects! Thanks to Narf, BZR, and UDMan for the tip.

You like those Alfa Romeos but the scam-esque nature of the phony price has you refusing to do business with the seller for ethical reasons? We understand. Besides, Italian cars are so obvious, what with all their histrionics and castor-oil-down-the-throat machismo. French cars! That's what you need! In fact, forget about those Renaults and Peugeots and even Simcas and go straight for the clear-quill, 200-proof goods: Citroën. Normally, even a pretty rough, hasn't-run-in-years Citroën goes for at least two grand, but magical things happen to project-car prices during a Financiapocalypse- how about four 1960-66 Citroën ID19s (go here if the ad disappears) for just one thin grand? The seller doesn't bother to provide any real description, other than "Between the 4 there are 3 engines. You could probably make 2 complete cars or make 1 with lots of spare parts," but who cares? You could make one quasi-nice runner with all this stuff and the first-ever 24 Hours Of LeMons Citroën with whatever's left over! Please, one of you Oregon readers needs to buy these cars!

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Before you go and scope out the galleries below, take a look at Bring A Trailer's excellent Melee coverage here. Then watch their in-Porsche video, shot in my favorite place for camping in California: the Trinity Alps.

1)You get in your Alfa in the morning and it doesn’t start, you,
A)Hop in one of your other cars and look forward to an evening of tinkering on the Spider.
B)Call AAA to tow the car to Bob’s and curse “that damn Alfa”.

2)You notice an oil spot on the driveway under the Alfa, you,
A)Put a drip tray under it
B)Call AAA to tow the car to Bob’s and curse “that damn Alfa”.

3)A clip breaks on the top boot, you,
A)Hit #1 on your speed dial and order another one from International.
B)Call AAA to tow the car to Bob’s and curse “that damn Alfa”.
C)Who needs a stinkin top boot?

If you answered B to any of the questions, don't call, you need a Miata. If you answered A, you’ll like this car.

Ahhh, the Triumph Stag. It may well be the king of British Hell Projects, combining British Leyland build quality, Prince Of Darkness electricals, and a half-baked SOHC V8 engine that was flaky even by Triumph's incredibly generous standards. Shockingly, the last one we saw in the Hell Garage was beaten by a Porsche, so today we're giving the Stag a chance to redeem itself. First thing you need to ask yourself is: when a British car sits for 25 years, what does that mean to you? If your answer isn't "RUN AWAY!" then you're qualified to buy this 1971 Triumph Stag (go here if the ad disappears), which has a like-new 71,000 miles on the clock. Sure, it will need some work- note the disconcerting statement "mice chewed through wire harness so not currently running"- but the "motor isn't froze," so you're practically driving it already! In a masterpiece of understatement, the seller admits it "needs full restoration," but look at the price: $2,000. You could drop another grand on this Nissan VH45DE and stay true to the OHC V8 spirit while ditching the 27-foot-long Triumph timing chains. What could possibly go wrong?

A V8-powered British sports car would be great, but how can you resist the appeal of a high-strung 60s Italian sedan? Say, one with a wailing 1570cc engine and factory Webers? Well, head on out to the middle of nowhere in California's Central Valley and check out this 1967 Alfa Romeo Giulia Super (go here if the ad disappears). You won't find the owner there, because he's in Arizona, nor will you find a price. That's right, it's one of those $1 Craigslist ads we love so much, but don't think the seller's going to fall for your lowball bid- he or she has included a postscript that speaks volumes about how negotiations are likely to go: "P.S. I know this car is worth in excess $20k restored. So please be respectful." We've never seen the "be respectful" line before, but we suspect it means the car will be available for quite a while. It's been sitting for at least ten years, in an area with 100-plus-degree summers and icy howling storms in the winter, so there will be plenty for you to do. It does come with the cool yellow-on-black California plates and a spare limited-slip rear end, the glass seems to be intact, and it appears that rust isn't a major problem. Come on, how hard could it be? You could even ditch the original engine and put this here SR20DET in its place! Thanks to A Benz Apart for the tip!

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One of the great things about vintage racing is that you'll see some truly historic, special cars. This is one of them. Conservatively estimated at being worth 2 - 5 million dollars, owned and raced by Jon Shirley. This is THE car that Tazio Nuvolari won the 1935 German Grand Prix in. Here's a link as well... Some interesting details - if you look inside the cockpit you can see that the driveshaft splits just in front of the driver. Each rear wheel is driven by a separate shaft. There is an "axle" that connects each side, but they are driven individually.The fuel is a mix of 85% ethanol, 12.5% petroleum (didn't get that detail exactly), and 2.5% acetone. It sounds amazing at full throttle, and was driven enthusiastically all weekend long (well, except when it rained in its heat).

Only one of these cars is located in Weed, California, but when you get a chance to use an Of Mice And Men reference in a headline, you take it. This particular Bad Thing in Weed (go here if the ad disappears) is a project car with "basket case" right in the title… followed by a price that must be a typo, right? Right? Come on now, when a nicely restored TR3A goes for a princely 15-20 grand, $3,000 is a steal! This one has been sitting for at least 30 years, casting a pall over the seller's visions of a happy retirement, but don't think it's hopeless- hey, "Most parts are complete" according to the seller, who helpfully adds that "those that are missing like the windshield are available from other collectors." It's a California car, but it's clearly been sitting outside for decades, which means there will be rust in the areas rainwater collects. But damn, it would be a blast to have a TR3 to call your own, especially if you upgraded from the original 100-horse engine to something Japanese with lots of cams and boost.

Wouldn't it be great to have an example of the last car Battista 'Pinin' Farina designed? Yes, the Alfa Romeo Spider Duetto, a car so heartbreakingly beautiful that you've always assumed you could never afford one. But wait! What about this 1969 Alfa Romeo Spider (go here if the ad disappears), priced at a totally reasonable $3,450? The seller's statement "Parts in the trunk!" pretty much sums it up, though some weaker souls might find the statement "some rust here and there, mostly on trunk, hood, lower doors, and some underneath, and inside floor pans" disquieting, but how bad could it be? More importantly, what kind of insane engine could you fit in it? Don't try any funny stuff with the seller, though, because he or she has included the very effective "Scammers Stay Away" magic spell in the listing (we especially like the clever circumventing of CL's anti-keyword-spam rules via the use of the word "not" followed by a bunch of other car makes in the title).

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The Ecurie Ecrappe/Autodenta 1971 Alfa Romeo Spider returned to the Concorso Italiano in 2008 sporting red livery, Autodenta hood logo, and 750-series Giulietta front clip. This configuration was historically correct for Altamont 2008, though show judges did point out that while the car was accurate, fully documented, and competition-verified, it still totally sucks.

Also in attendance was the California Mille/Sid Conklin Memorial Alfetta GT, which is significantly less terrible but still awful in its own right. The AMC Pacer of Billetproof owner and Concours d'Ignorance head honcho Alan Galbraith was spotted near the Kruse auction tent, which was an area of the event that would have been totally frickin' boring if it weren't for the sweet Pacer. And the Torino.

Other highlights included a numbers-matching Trabant, and some old-ass planes.

This motive force behind the car is BAT aficionado Dr. Gary Kaberle. Dr. Kaberle began his love of the series when he purchased one of the concepts at the tender age of 17. His original was sold to help pay for treatment for his wife when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After she passed away, he decided to build another one in honor of her. He's actually working on a book about his passion for the cars and the process of building this one, and much of the proceeds from his works will go to breast cancer research.

It's not that BMW needs help on the engineering front, but by partnering up, the companies gain economies of scale they'll be able to leverage against their suppliers for a better price. Guess all's fair in love and the battle against rising material costs. [Auto News Europe]

When was the last time you saw a Renault R17 on the street? How about an R17 Gordini? Best of all, an R17 Gordini convertible? Sure, you only got 65 horses from that Franco-Malaise engine, but that's nothing that a firehose-like torrent of money few performance upgrades can't remedy. Head on down to Anaheim and pick up this 1974 Renault R17 Gordini; the auction will be over by the time you're reading this, but we suspect the reserve price won't be reached. This one's got it all- it's been sitting for nearly 15 years, the seller comes right out and says the brake and fuel systems are hopeless, and the finicky-looking pseudo-convertible top (which seems similar in concept to- yet far more complex than- the old Beetle ragtop roof) alone should be good for an eternity of pain. Yet get everything working right and this car would be an object of worship!

If you're going to strip all the skin off your knuckles and ten years off your lifespan over a sports car, shouldn't it be an Italian sports car? Sure, when the conversation turns to you, everyone's sentences will begin with "Let's face it..." but you'll have that soulful Italian beauty waiting for you in your Garage Of Doom! Say, this 1963 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint, which has a totally affordable Buy It Now of $4,599. Oh, it needs some work; the seller has done a fine job of detailing the quagmire challenge that threatens awaits this car's next victim owner. It's been sitting for 23 years. There's rust. There are missing parts. The interior is completely trashed. You get an incorrect- and probably dead- engine and transmission as part of the deal. But look on the bright side: the original windshield-washer reservoir and air-cleaner clamp are still there!

Have you ever heard of a Bond Equipe? Neither had we, until UDMan and SOS10 hipped us to this 1964 Bond Equipe GTS4. Since this car has been on eBay before and no bidder met the reserve, we figure the same thing will happen here; that means you'll be able to swoop in and make an offer the seller won't refuse! The Equipe GTS4 was built on a Triumph Herald chassis (which means that parts are an easy phone call to Britain away), and this example actually runs. It doesn't stop, but you'll deal with that. It appears that most of the original components are still there, and check out the real wood!

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Well, at least that's what the car appears to think. Yes, much like a teen girl with shaky self-esteem, the Mi.To must think that it looks best when it's taking its own picture, holding a camera out in front of itself just so. The shots were taken in Milan at what we're told was some kind of marketing photo shoot, but if anyone out there finds them posted on the little Alfa's MySpace profile, we won't be surprised.

Hat tip to Domenic!

We've seen an '89 Graduate already in this series, but the 1985 was the first year for the "entry-level" version of the Alfa Romeo Spider and that makes this example seem more significant.


You didn't get alloy wheels or luxury goodies when you bought a Graduate in '85, but you did get a real Italian sports car for just $14,395 (two grand more than the V6-powered Fiero GT). Which would you buy?


It's in pretty decent shape for a street-parked 23-year-old Italian commuter car. Good enough shape to win our first-ever Favorite Italian DOTS car poll? Let's find out! I thought of including the Pininfarina-styled Datsun 411 and MGB-GT in the choices, but decided against it.

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We've just discovered that our server hamsters now refuse to run on their wheels when a gallery has more than 50 images, so here's the complete set of photos in the old format:

ALFA BRERA S - DEVELOPED FOR UK ROADS

Few sports cars are developed specifically for Britain's roads. Those that have been tend to become true 'driver's cars'. Alfa Romeo is planning for the new, limited edition Alfa Brera S to join those ranks.
After a year of intensive suspension and chassis development at Prodrive, the world-leading motorsport specialist, the result is a sports coupe that subtly enhances all that is good about the original Alfa Brera, while bestowing it with outstanding driver feedback and handling.
Distinctly different from the rest of the line-up, this unique addition to Alfa Romeo's UK range includes refined styling changes, inside and out. And to ensure ultimate exclusivity, production of the Alfa Brera S will be limited to just 500 individually numbered models.
Power comes from a choice of two existing direct injection petrol engines - the 185 bhp 2.2 JTS and the 260 bhp 3.2 V6 JTS.
Marketing director at Alfa Romeo UK, Nicholas Bernard, says: "Significantly, the Alfa Brera S isn't simply about brute force, it's about how the available power is transferred to the road and how the road surface is communicated back to the driver to bring new levels of sports handling and driver-focused confidence and involvement."
Briefed to make the Alfa Brera S less of a long-distance tourer and more sporty on UK roads, the engineering team at Prodrive developed a unique suspension set-up. Prodrive engineers meticulously experimented with spring rates and ride heights to match the reduced weights of the 2008 model year Alfa Breras. Then followed an extensive damper tuning exercise to achieve the desired ride/handling balance and steering response required by driving enthusiasts in the UK.
According to Prodrive Project Leader, Peter Cambridge, the result is "a car that 'shrinks' around the driver and delivers all the fun and engagement of a sports car driving experience on A and B-roads. Yet, on motorways, offers a compliant and composed ride."
The sports car driving experience is achieved by reducing roll and pitch, flattening the cornering attitude, and subsequently instilling confidence-inspiring steering.
Peter Cambridge comments: "Our painstaking work with the spring set-up controls exactly how much the car pitches and rolls with every lump, bump, camber and pothole on our roads. Then we developed the dampers to control the rate at which the springs respond. Once we were satisfied with that, we set about really affecting the feel and response of the steering to inspire confidence."
To reduce roll and pitch and achieve an even flatter cornering attitude, Prodrive commissioned bespoke Eibach coil springs and Bilstein dampers.
Spring rates are increased by over 50 per cent compared to the standard Alfa Brera, giving the car a more nimble and agile feel, while the specially tuned gas-filled mono-tube dampers give tighter body control. A careful balance has been created to maintain good compliance over ridges and bumps in the road.
At the same time, the suspension static geometry has also been revised to optimise steering and handling. These changes, together with new 19" alloy wheels and Pirelli PZero Nero tyres, have created a more responsive turn-in to corners, with increased driver feedback, allowing the driver to explore the dynamic limits of the car.
To further enhance suspension geometry, the cars have been lowered by 10 mm front and rear. This lower centre of gravity helps reduce roll and improve cornering and braking performance. In addition, the lowered suspension gives the Alfa Brera S a more purposeful stance.
At each corner of the Alfa Brera S, unique Alfa 8C Competizione-inspired, lightweight 19" alloy wheels have been fitted. Although the wheels are eye-catching, the all-new design was commissioned by Prodrive primarily for performance, rather than just cosmetic appeal. The reason is unsprung weight - the weight carried by the car on the 'road side' of the spring and shock absorber. This plays a significant role in the way the car steers, handles and transmits feedback to the driver.
The lighter the wheel, the better it tracks undulations in the road surface without requiring heavy damping to control it. The unsprung weight has been further reduced by the adoption of hollow anti-roll bars and aluminium suspension components from the Factory.
As a result, the weight of both Alfa Brera S models is lower than the rest of the range. The front-wheel drive 3.2 V6 JTS is almost 100 kg lighter than the Q4 version and the 2.2 JTS version weighs 35 kg less.
The Alfa Brera S also sounds different from the standard range. The original characteristic growl of the V6 has been enhanced by careful redesign of the rear silencers. Thanks to a Holmholtz resonator connected in tandem with each silencer, the 2.2 JTS model now emits a sportier yet refined burble.
The exhaust has been altered to mirror the shape of the rear lights. Finished with chrome embellishers, they feature a Prodrive logo on the tailpipe exterior. This is just one of several subtle exterior enhancements to the award-winning Alfa Brera, including Prodrive branded front stone deflectors, and a bespoke red 'S' or 'SV6' on the C-pillar.
Inside the 3.2 V6 JTS Alfa Brera S, changes are more obvious. Not only are the supportive sports seats upholstered in soft black Frau® leather with red stitching, so are the dashboard fascia, door panels, steering wheel and gearlever. The centre console and instruments are faced in a dark finish. This interior can also be specified on the 2.2 JTS version.
Foot pedals are fashioned from drilled aluminium and the headrest recess houses a limited edition Brera S aluminium plate, featuring the flags of Italy and Britain.
For the record, the 2.2 JTS and 3.2 V6 JTS Alfa Brera S can reach 62 mph from rest in 8.6 and 7.0 seconds respectively, on the way to maximum speeds of 139 and 155 mph.
The transition from Alfa Brera to Brera S takes place at Alfa Romeo UK's dedicated import centre, near Bristol, and is overseen by Prodrive.
Nicholas Bernard says: "The standard Brera is well loved and delivers a great all-round driving experience. But the Alfa Brera S is deliberately honed, tuned and
fettled for British roads and aimed directly at a dedicated audience of driving enthusiasts."

[Source: Alfa Romeo]

What we're trying to say is, it doesn't take a genius to appreciate a Ferrari Enzo. But for that cash you could buy all the cars listed above with money left over for a house, garage and vintage racing fees. We've merely skimmed the surface here: what's your favorite atypical, non-super Italian car?

[Photo Autovandaag.nl]

While the styling of the 147 is clearly Brera-inspired, the 149 is expected to draw more from the 8C Competizione, though we're guessing that the 8C's cues won't work quite as well on this 5-door hatch. Right now, we can't be too sure whether or not this car will be available in the 'merican market, so we'll have to wait and see. [AutoWeek.nl]

If you think about it, such a deal would be a marriage made in convenience heaven, especially given the current value of the US Dollar against the Euro. We're also fairly certain the US automakers would be eager to part ways with the cash black hole of unused auto plants. So putting the two together would be a profit-making proposal we could easily see happening. We're only hoping the UAW labor won't balk at the idea of having to meet those legendary high Italian quality levels. [FT.com]

Alfa Mi.To: World Premiere

With the Mi.To, Alfa Romeo wishes to offer a new generation of Alfa aficionados the most compact sports car ever.
An up-to-date and innovative car, a name redolent of history. The name Mi.To has great evocative resonance for Alfa Romeo, since it was chosen as a sign of a deep-seated link between the past and future of the brand: between Milan, the city of design that brought the car's style into being, and Turin, which will be responsible for its industrial production. A decision that highlights the brand's strong desire to consolidate its Milanese roots.
The Mi.To is the first car to be built since the 8C Competizione, Alfa Romeo's icon of style and technology, from which it borrows certain characteristic traits: the particular shape of the unframed side windows, the three-lobed motif that distinguishes the front bumper, the shape of the headlights and the LED tail lights. The headlights and tail lights represent a distinctive personalised feature: a frame featuring different forms of material processing and colours to create an ultra-stylish eye-liner effect that underscores the car's style and aggression.
The highly personal dashboard and seats ensure that the interior represents the ultimate expression of Italian style, welcoming yet sporty, with top-quality materials and the closest attention to detail.
The greatest thought has also gone into defining the dimensions, which add up to a compact and dynamic shape: the Mi.To is 4.06 metres long, 1.44 metres high and 1.72 metres wide.
Style, design, and more: performance and technology must always be top-of-the-range in an Alfa Romeo. As all the brand's models, the Mi.To is able to appeal to the most demanding customers with its exciting driveability, determined partly to the Alfa DNA system. This control acts on the engine, brakes, steering, suspension and gearbox, allowing three different vehicle behaviour modes based on the driving style best suited to the situation or the customer's wishes: supersporting (Dynamic), town driving (Normal), maximum safety even in difficult grip conditions (All-Weather). Mi.To is the first car in its segment to offer such innovative technological content.
Great performances are guaranteed by a range of 4 engines, all Turbo (petrol and diesel), that currently range from 90 hp up to 155 hp, with the range due to be extended by even higher power ratings.
Performance and handling have been developed and optimised to offer maximum driving satisfaction in complete safety. The Mi.To offers true Alfa Romeo sporting ride, featuring contractive suspensions - standard on all specifications and engines - that considerably reduce roll and maximum active, passive and preventive safety: VDC stability system as standard and a vehicle structure that is already designed to obtain the top EuroNCAP rating in the future.
The Alfa Mi.To will be introduced to the international press during June and will then be gradually introduced from July in all the major markets.

[Alfa Romeo via WCF]

Benson1275 says about the La Forza:

I ran across this extrememly rare Laforza italian luxury SUV from the eighties. Actually I thought it was some kind of russian vehicle because the panel gaps were so big. It'sfor sale.