ALFA ROMEO Alfetta Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

Alfa Romeo considered upgrading the Alfetta sedan in 1979 since its German competitors started to get stronger and stronger, and the French cars that became better.

The Italian brand was now in good shape, and it could afford to produce very good fast nimble family sedans, and the Alfetta was a fine example of it. For the record: it was the only car on the market, from its segment, which featured only over 100 hp gasoline engines. In the late '70s, that was something important. Moreover, the design stepped into a new era.

While most carmakers were still stuck with the round headlights design, Alfa Romeo dared more and installed horizontal rectangular units. To emphasize the new headlamp unit's advantage, the carmaker offered wipers for them as an option. Its overall design wasn't that much changed, but the new front fascia with rubber strips along the chromed bumper that integrated the turn signals was important. Alfa Romeo kept the vents from the C-pillar for the new facelifted version since most people considered them cool.

The interior was quite roomy for a car of its size, but since the transmission tunnel was big, it was suitable only for four people. Its dashboard was completely changed and featured a new instrument cluster, with a panel that showed barrel-type gauges for coolant temperature, oil pressure, and fuel level. The tachometer and the speedometer kept their position but with a new design.

Under the hood, Alfa Romeo tried to offer a better fuel-efficiency vehicle and proposed a 2.0-liter turbo-diesel engine, which was not that successful. That version filled around five percent of the total Alfetta lineup sales, including the 1973-1979 generation.

After two years on the market, the Alfetta GTV received an update that didn't change it significantly but made it a better car and more appealing to those looking for a sporty coupe with four seats.

After the oil crisis that ended in 1974, the automakers understood that customers needed fuel-efficient vehicles. Apart from a few supercars, limousines, and executive sedans, the rest of the cars were designed with that fuel-sipping aptitude in mind. Alfa Romeo followed the trend and, in 1976, offered the Alfetta GTV with new engines that pleased the customers. In addition, the car's exterior got a few updates.

When Ital Design penned the Alfetta GTV, it created a timeless design. It was difficult to alter the exterior and not spoil it. That's why the 1976 model was not that different. Depending on the version, it sported rubber protections on the chromed metallic bumper. In addition, the grille received two chromed trims on the lower side, flanking the Alfa shield. Moreover, at the back, the automaker adorned the C-pillars with GTV badges.

Inside, the dashboard received an update, and all versions were fitted with two large dials for the speedometer and tachometer. A short center stack hosted the ventilation controls. There was no option for an AC unit. In addition, the gear stick was placed on a center console and did not peak out from the floor.

Under the hood, Alfa Romeo installed a small, 1.6-liter inline-four engine that powered the base model, but that version was mainly built for the Italian market. Most other countries received the 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated engines.

Alfa Romeo introduced the Alfetta in 1972 and, two years later, the carmaker introduced the fastback coupe version for it, the GT. It was the beginning of a beautiful motorsports page.

The name came from a Formula 1 car from the '50s, and Alfa Romeo tried, and succeeded, to make a successful sports-car. Its main improvements were the transaxle system, with the engine at the front and the gearbox in the rear for better weight distribution. It moved the rear disc brakes up on the gearbox, not on the wheels like any other car on the market, to reduce unsprung masses.

To create the car, Alfa Romeo employed Ital Design Studio, which made a timeless design. Its double headlights front were mounted slightly behind the hood's front edge while the black grille sported the big Alfa Romeo shield in the middle. The slim, chromed metallic front bumper featured a rubber strip and, right above it, Giugiaro installed the turn-signals and the stationary lamps. From its sides, the flush door handles showed the carmaker's effort to improve the aerodynamic. The carmaker installed wide rear windows on the sides, with a split design and a vertical slat.

Inside, the Alfetta GT featured a very unusual design for the dashboard. The carmaker installed only the tachometer into a square cluster in front of the driver, while the rest of the dials and gauges were mounted on a separate instrument panel in the middle of the dashboard. Its sport bucket seats at the front featured high-bolstering to provide better side support and wide headrests. In the back, the bench was deep-profiled for two adult passengers.

Under the hood, Alfa Romeo installed a 1.6-liter engine. Later on, in 1976, it introduced a new, 2.0-liter engine for the Alfetta GTV version.

Alfa Romeo introduced the Alfetta range in 1972, evoking the name of its former Formula 1 racer, the Alfetta 159.

The Italian carmaker had vast experience in motorsport and tried to use it on its regular, production vehicles. Its mid-size sedan Alfetta was living proof. Alfa Romeo built it as a sports sedan on a unique platform with the engine at the front and the gearbox in the back to get a better weight distribution. Moreover, the motorsport-inspired solutions went further, with the in-board disc brakes from the rear axle mounted on the upper side of the driveshafts, not at the wheels, to reduce the unsprung masses.

At the front, the Alfetta featured dual headlights of equal size. The black grille sported the Alfa Romeo shield in the middle that stretched between the hood and the chromed metallic bumper. To comply with newer safety regulations, the carmaker added two rubber blocks. Underneath, on the apron, the carmaker placed the parking lights. The Alfetta's profile showed a sloped trunk offering a better view to the rear.

Inside, the carmaker tried to make an upmarket interior, with a flat dashboard and an instrument cluster raised in front of the driver. Alfa Romeo placed two large dials for the speedometer and tachometer and two gauges for the fuel level and coolant temperature inside it. An analog clock took center stage between them. Back in the '70s, the center console was not a common feature for a car, but the Italian engineers installed one to hide the tall transmission tunnel.

Under the hood, the carmaker installed three gasoline engines, depending on the market. The most powerful version was the 2.0-liter twin-cam engine fed by a pair of Weber 40DCOE carburetors. A five-speed manual was standard for the entire range.