When I was young, Alfa Romeo was the reward for winning Wheel of Fortune. It represented everything that was 90’s, tacky and more of a giveaway than a prize.
Thankfully, before their decades-long lull, they produced an incredible fleet of classic cars – including the stylish 105/115 Series Coupes.
When I say stylish, I mean they ooze understated, timeless style. It’s the tuxedo, the Eames Lounge, the Apple iPod Classic.
It’s also quintessentially Italian automotive design (for better or for worse). Bertone’s Giorgetto Giugiaro has his fingerprints all over – with the swooping rear deck, perfect wheel size to car ratio, clean creases and to be honest, just immaculate proportions overall. On the other side of the coin, it has hilarious wiper controls, scalloped headroom in the rear seats and a little badge of a four-leaf clover (for good luck).
Featuring the larger (almost 2L) 1962 cc engine, this Guilia successor has a respectable 130 hp in a frame that weighs just over 1,000 kgs. The 2000 GT Veloce is a responsive drive not just for its pep, but also due to its manual steering rack, it’s aural delights from engine and exhaust, and its un-cushy ride and handling.
This Alfa almost says my name. Not in a “I am Lord Voldemort” kind of way, but in a subtle realisation that I resonate with this car and what it stands for. It doesn’t have a huge spoiler or a lumpy V8, and it’s not in Lime Essence Yellow or Fast and the Furious orange. Instead, it’s blue. French Navy Blue. And, it’s a four cylinder. To say it in another way, it’s ‘balanced’ – and I respect that.