I'm disappointed that you picked on the Lancia Beta and repeated the old Russian steel story. The real reason for rust in the early Betas was down to Italian industrial relations, which resulted in several months delay in building work, resulting in completed bodyshells standing unpainted outside waiting for a bridge to the new painting line being completed. Even so Betas were no worse at rusting than many of their competitors at the time (especially Japanese, which were often rusted before they even arrived in the UK), but Lancia's policy of buying-back affected cars backfired when the company engaged to destroy the cars left them in a field and the Daily Mirror and Esther Rantzen got to hear about it. There are still surviving early Betas with no rust problems at all, it was just a lottery whether you got a good ne or a bad one. If you really wanted to pick on Italian rust-buckets, you should have chosen anything with a Zagato body, including Lancias. Zagato's rust-proofing was non-existent, and anything out of eyesight didn't even get any paint!
@bjarneanmarkrud81873 жыл бұрын
i immediately paused and scrolled down to the comments when the old Russian steel story came up - glad someone had already mentioned it! Zagato also used thinner steel panels for weight saving, so the rust could quickly eat through it.
@Rammstein563 жыл бұрын
I.once read a story that in the late sixties the French and Italians agreed to allow more scrap iron being used in steel production. In a way it makes sense, early Renault 16's, Peugeot 404's and Alfa Giulias made till 67/ 68 were much tougher. My 75 Giulia Nuova was a rust bucket as was my 73 R16. While I had a 404 from 68 for over 20 years, this car was garaged but hardly rusted
@timhancock66263 жыл бұрын
@@Rammstein56 oh come on, I love Peugeots to death but the 403,404 and 204 rusted pretty badly in the UK. We must have had 20 Peugeots through the family in the 1960s and 70s.
@petervan13533 жыл бұрын
First time I heard about the Russian steel. But bodies sitting outside in fields waiting for paint etc I thought that was the Alfa Sud and not the Lancia Beta?
@peterstokes86313 жыл бұрын
Glad there are some sticking up for the Beta. Early cars were pretty bad, a lot due to lack of paint and no factory rust proofing. Later cars were better, Witness that there are many more later cars still around than the the early up to 78 cars. Jack I think it was unfair to single out the Beta re rust. Plenty of earlier Lancia’s had issues and probably the top one was the AlfaSud, how many of those do you see?
@2Truth2you3 жыл бұрын
Had two Lancia Betas. 1600 coupe and 1800 saloon. Both brilliant, well balanced handling and strong engines.
@Jack-tx2ve3 жыл бұрын
Lancia Beta's were very good cars, infact I would say light years ahead of many competitors. The handling was exceptional compared to many others. The camuffo designed rear suspension went on to be a staple of many successful japanese cars. The fiat twin cam was a masterpiece and the styling of the betas was great.
@radman32063 жыл бұрын
Loved the Beta HPE, one of many Italian car designs that have withstood the test of time.
@MrHobbit603 жыл бұрын
I totally agree about the handling. We had a 2000 back when we were young and poor. We lived in the Tasmanian (look it up) countryside at the time - before speed cameras - and drove everywhere fast. Often too fast. I came around a blind bend one day on a road I knew very well, and thus travelling too fast, to find a dog crossing the road in front of me. Stomped on the brakes, which would have been a death sentence in any of the cars that we had previously owned. The tail came out, but it was totally controllable. A little bit of opposite lock and away we went, having missed the dog. Great car, but ours rusted away very quickly.
@studiocalder8183 жыл бұрын
I totally agree. I like Alfas and at that time I loved the Alfetta but the Beta was a good contender. My girlfriend had an HPE in late eighties and we travelled all around Europe with great satisfacton in that beautiful car.
@stephenbrookes72683 жыл бұрын
@@radman3206 I loved my Beta until the passenger seat fell through the floor. That girl never did come on another date.
@radman32063 жыл бұрын
@@stephenbrookes7268 Handy option if the date went badly.
@rossocorsahf3 жыл бұрын
Too much repeat of inaccurate barstool chat about the Beta, a truly great driving car, years ahead. Can't agree that the Berlina is ugly, and it's not a hatch by the way. The rust issue got out of hand due to media interference, Lancia simply tried to do the right thing about a small number of early cars that had an issue with the subframe mounts in the floor, some of those cars were up to 6 years old at the time. I don't think that's any real evidence of Russian steel being the culprit, it's just a theory, the cause of the rot in the mountings was poor water drainage which was cured by redesign. The Beta platform is the heritage of many great Italian cars, Delta, Thema,164 etc. and the suspension design was copied world wide by other manufacturers.
@raymondlonghurst46553 жыл бұрын
The beta was a fine car ,it had bad steel at first after 78 they were extremely well rust proofed.Ford suffered with rust much worse at that time,but not a thing was said
@RacerGRE3 жыл бұрын
I can confirm this, i have tested it myself. I bought a tired 1982 Trevi in 2006 and have since left it in a mountain field. It is still in one piece, not as rotten as one would think.
@jfv653 жыл бұрын
Italian car that was insanely rust prone: Alfa Sud But it is true that many European car brands rusted fast and badly: Peugeot 204 and 304. They rusted badly but on top of that had serious head gasket problems. Japwnese as well: Datsun 100A and 120Y: oh dear... lots of rust. Basically all cars had poor rust protection back then. It was an optional extra so when you bought a new car you immediately had the car undercoated and cavity sealed (Tectyl, Dinitrol, WaxOil, etc)
@radman32063 жыл бұрын
I remember my shock at discovering a heap of rust in the rear of my four year old Honda Accord in the early eighties. I live in a dry climate area of Australia. Not excusing Italian cars for rusting, but they were hardly orphans in that respect.
@geraldswain32593 жыл бұрын
I totally agree .ref the rust issue ford have always been bad ,ask any MOT tester who is the worst for rust ,most will reply Ford , other manufacturers have virtually eliminated it .
@TheEurostyler3 жыл бұрын
Pretty agreeable analysis but as an Italian in the UK I would have a couple of pointers. 1- With today's eyes, it is easier to laugh at a 77hp diesel Argenta however, by then many saloon makers were just experiencing diesel options whilst Fiat was quite ahead in the game. The Argenta was indeed an ugly copy-paste of the old 132 but in terms of engines not really behind after all. 2- In the earlier 70s many carmakers were going for the fastback body design; one can think of Citroen GS and CX, VW Passat, Talbot Alpine and in '72, the Beta I think was rather beautiful and as you mentioned well kitted. I would add that felt quite sporty and with a torquier engine than comparable Alfas of the era (we had it as a family car). Obviously, the use of cheap steel tarnished the brand beyond any possibility. I testify that my late father had to rivet stainless steel plates on the front suspension mount to make up for the flimsy rusty attachments. Some of the most horrible choices were actually made in the late 90s and early nouties both in terms of design and in engine reliability. Ciao
@benzinapaul74163 жыл бұрын
Indeed the Merc 190D had 60bhp! My old man must have been lucky with his Beta. He bought a new one in 1979 and kept it till 1983 doing around 50k miles in north west england through many snowy winters with no subframe corrosion. It was wayoyled from new so maybe that helped, he sold it to a friend who had another 3 trouble free years with it.
@filiannuzzi58713 жыл бұрын
Just a thought. Fiat 131 is very over looked would love to see someone test one now days. Especially 2.0 twin cam. My dad had one in 1983 and had a 5 speed box too.
@TheEurostyler3 жыл бұрын
@@benzinapaul7416 Dad used to say that the Beta on Pirelli P3 was the best car he drove on skying resort trips in terms of grip and handling. He had some 20 different cars from Italian, german and french brands
@studiocalder8183 жыл бұрын
@@benzinapaul7416 My father had an Opel Rekord 1900 sh coupé, I liked the car a lot but it was rather embarrassing to see us slip off the Beta and Giulia 1.6, not to mention the road holding. ..Later he bought a Merc 240 D, 72 hp 😀
@ebahapo Жыл бұрын
Indeed, the might Mercedes 300D of the time had measly 88HP. It really took Mercedes to start the turbo diesel trend with the same 300D, rated at 125HP, to make diesel a viable alternative to non taxi drivers.
@bombakdik3 жыл бұрын
I always liked the larger Fiat saloons that seem to have disappeared. The 130 with its v6, and then the 124 and its 131 successor as well as the 125 and the 132. That would make very nice content! Also certainly the Argenta! Very underestimated cars in my opinion. I think the unexceptional cars that now have the classic status, all seem to be forgotten to much really. And that is a shame I think. The sedans and saloons and family cars from back in the days should deserve more attention and love in the entire community. Too bad you never see them, never loved, never restored, and for always gone… the channel HubNut did a wonderful review of the Arna and in fact it is a cool car honestly! He tells about the joint development and how Nissan tried to introduce a hothatch in Europe. I like the channel a lot because it is all about cars that no one, or, should I say the majority, doesn’t care about. ! The Lancia Gamma is once again a story of what could have been if it wasn’t such a rust bucket. It has some neat features that were really impressive for its time! That was the first car I thought of when seeing the notification yesterday on my phone from this video. Cheers from Belgium!
@grolfe32102 жыл бұрын
Yes I think it was simply that Fiat was not a brand you would buy a large car from. Years ago big cars could be a good workhorse, the old Peugeot estates for example. Over time it changed to big cars needing to be an expensive "prestige" brand. The likes of Ford, Renault and Fiat that did not carry a prestige brand lost out as a result and gave up on big cars. I had a Fiat Croma which was probably seen as the poor relation in the Lancia Thema/Alfa 164/Saab 9000 joint venture. It was a cracking good car, in the UK they were all sold with top spec and it was really great to drive. Now it seems your big car needs to be German to cut it at the golf club.
@ashleyd61802 жыл бұрын
I too loved the look of the larger Fiat sedans! I've never driven one or even been in one as they were rare as hen's teeth in Australia, but from what I've seen, I loved the styling. I must say, I absolutely loved the Argenta dash in the video! I could just sit in the car and look at that all day.
@gazzafloss3 жыл бұрын
I really liked my Italian cars, but from an earlier era, the 1960's, I had a 1961 Fiat 1800, a 1962 2300, a 1964 1500, and after that a 124 Sport, they were all great drivers cars and not boring cars like our local Australian offerings of the day. But in the main they were not broadly popular with the motoring public and were classed as "orphans", once you owned one you were stuck with it. Good content Jack.
@andrewgurney60193 жыл бұрын
Great video, so sad it all went wrong for Lancia, they made beautiful cars back in the day.
@westmus3 жыл бұрын
But the cars didn't sell well enough to make the brand profitable. I read somewere that Lancia actually already started it's economic decline with the Aurelia in the 50s. The brand used more money on development and production, that it was able to earn on sold cars.
@timshelby23243 жыл бұрын
That Lancia dashboard is interesting .
@sotirisbakaimis32763 жыл бұрын
It happens to every good "family" ...there are some bad examples, but that does not alter the general positive feeling about italian cars. At least I haven't regret it....after owning a 33 (for 18 years), a seicento sporting (21 years until now), a147 (18 years until now also), a Mito (10 years) & a 166 2.5 V6 24v (6 years until now)....
@alexbiro2623 жыл бұрын
Great video Jack, you should consider making similar videos for German, French, British, Japanese and a entire slew of videos on the worst American cars!
@Number273 жыл бұрын
Yes.. if this does ok I will!!
@MLC...3 жыл бұрын
Old American rubbish that handle like a bowl of soup. Certainly the Arna or the Argenta would be much better!
@emiliomoncher1543 жыл бұрын
I totally agree. How many german or englis cars of te 70 - 80 are still running today? they were junk too
@fasthracing3 жыл бұрын
One of the best cars we have had was 2000 Fiat Marea 1.8. It went up and down the motorway for 95000 miles only thing that ever went wrong was the exhaust falling off at 80000 miles. Great car
@malcolmhardwick42583 жыл бұрын
Was it the original engine ?
@saxon-mt5by3 жыл бұрын
@@malcolmhardwick4258 Why not? My Marea had done 180,000 when I sold it and was still going strong on the original engine. It wasn't the best car I've ever owned, but it was pretty good.
@brianwood99133 жыл бұрын
Yes, great car, I had a Marea Weekend SE 2 litre diesel. Had a split tailgate which was very useful. Sold at 190000 still going strong after towing my Lancia Fulvia race/rally car, plus loads of kit all over UK and most of Europe. Still averaged over 40mpg.
@ricbrook70593 жыл бұрын
I bet the tape deck lid broke on it, they all did ...
@malcolmhardwick42583 жыл бұрын
@Per Eldh Just I worked for Fiat once and remember changing many engines at around 10k miles. They would put engines that had been rebuilt in UK. Then they would run for the rest of their lives.
@brendanpells9123 жыл бұрын
I had a Fiat Uno 45 with the FIRE engine and it was great fun. Non-interference engine, cambelt broke on way to work, towed to garage, picked it up after work with new belt fitted, cost me about £40. When I changed the oil, the old oil looked as clean as the new stuff. Replaced it with a Rover metro, huge mistake.
@juliestonelake76063 жыл бұрын
I had a 45 for my first car that engine was a little gem
@themessenger58683 жыл бұрын
The Ferrari 400i and the 365 are much better looking in the flesh. I saw a Electric blue example with a white interior and frankly it was quite stunning. The design and auto transmission was satisfying a US market demand. They are going up in value currently and some examples are fetching a tidy sum. Great video nevertheless. Cheers.
@marklee75453 жыл бұрын
Totally agree about the 365/400/412. Love those sharp lines and the big V12. These GTs do now seem to be more desirable. Relatively rare too.
@OpiceSF3 жыл бұрын
The irony being that they never were officially imported to the US. If you wanted one in period, you had to individually import and Federalize them yourself (same with the 512BB).
@themessenger58683 жыл бұрын
@@OpiceSF Interesting...Nothing can be considered normal when dealing with the machines from Maranello.
@JustARandomFio3 жыл бұрын
The 400i was a truly beautiful coupé, one of Pininfarina's masterpieces IMO. If I could've afforded it, I would've bought one in a heartbeat. I myself drove an 82 Lancia Gamma Coupé 2500 for more than 16 years, it was my big love. Same sharp, timeless elegance as the 400i, a masterpiece of art made by the master of car design.
@themessenger58683 жыл бұрын
@@JustARandomFio I have a 85'Mondial QV myself...many hate on them (who have know idea) but I've loved it for 13 years now. Skyrocketing in value now. Lancia...what great cars ! Forza Automobili Italia !
@Eddieboote3 жыл бұрын
My dad was a big Italian car fan. He had many cars including a Fiat 131 Mirafiori, also a Fiat 128 3p Berlineta. The car I most remember though was the rust bucket Lancia Beta hatchback. I remember a report about the rust issue featured on ‘That’s Life’, that program with Esther Rantzen, remember? Anyway after watching it the next day we went out and opened the bonnet and looked down at the area of rust concern. It was completely fine, no rust at all. However within a few months the rust appeared first a small spot, but it grew bigger, almost live in front of your eyes and it got bad after that very quickly. Only about 6months later looking like a complete disaster. I can’t remember what happened to the car. He got rid of it though…
@LOTPOR04023 жыл бұрын
People take the Micky out of Italian cars and have done for years .What the Brits were making was no better had less style and used older tech .Most cars years ago were rot boxes
@aureliojaneiro3 жыл бұрын
Ashamed of being italian? Can't believe someone can be ashamed of his country for any reason. Shame on you!
@winstonjunior3 жыл бұрын
I agree....
@MrNikodemus53 жыл бұрын
Lancia Beta 2000, 1977 - I had one which I bought second hand in 1981, I had it for one year. Apart for the rust, it was a very good, and quick car in it's time. Good road hold, I'm living in Norway, and at the time served as a young officer in our Northern parts - so I got to drive it in severe winter conditions a lot. It is actually one of my favorites of all the cars I have owned (Audi's, BMW's, Mercedes's, Range Rover, Volvo+++)
@WizzardPrang3 жыл бұрын
A long time ago, I came back from the motor show raving about the Lancia Montecarlo. My father immediately traded in his Morris Marina TC for a pastel green Beta. Not what I was hoping for at all. Having said that, it never rusted.
@jonathanberglind45893 жыл бұрын
I always liked Lancia, and it’s always been associated with rust just like a lot of 70s, 80s Italian cars but were they any more rust prone than domestic Australian Ford Falcons and Holden’s? You would get rust right in the middle of a bonnet on a Ford Falcon despite our non rust promoting conditions unless you were near a beach, but Lancia being a more international car and subject to more rust promoting conditions
@TheChill0012 жыл бұрын
in reality everything in the 60's to 80's rusted like crazy, not even porsche was spared of this. The issue mainly with the italian cars at that time, was that just like the UK car brands, italy was buckled under severe strikes and union actions, crippling the quality of the cars alongside the horrendous steel...the latter being rather funny, given the soviet built lada's were actually a lot less rustprone despite also being built out of soviet steel, so I think the union actions had more of an impact on the overal quality.
@Aussiemarco2 жыл бұрын
Way back in the day I owned a 1978 Corolla that I bought in 1984 (when a teenager!!). Mechanically amazing, but it ended up costing $1,000 a year to get a pink slip .... $1,000 in the ‘80s!!!! I lived on the coast in Sydney so rust was bad, but my Corolla was a rust-nightmare. My brother’s Datsun went the same way. All 80s cars were rust buckets 😂
@gerardclarke8096 Жыл бұрын
The Russian steel myth is.... a myth!
@andrewwallace11133 жыл бұрын
Great Video and photos of the worst cars, I would say that the 127 Sport or Strada I once owned were quite bad, not tell us your top 5 best Italian cars Jack, my favourite would be Lancia Gamma Coupe
@JustARandomFio3 жыл бұрын
The Lancia Gamma Coupé was a timeless classic Pininfarina masterpiece of art and an excellent and pretty fast cruiser at that time. Owned the 82 2500 iE variant from 85 to 2001, when I finally had to let it go with a broken heart, this after over 260k km (probably world record with that car, considering how delicate the engine was). The maintenance cost me a fortune and finding spare parts was a nightmare, but the joy I had driving it was worth every cent spent. Despite I had usually a separate, "official" daily car in my garage, next to a sports car or a classic US muscle car for the occasional fun ride, the Gamma was the one I drove most. It was my only true love, and still can't forget it.
@samshuttlewood86003 жыл бұрын
Agreed that the 512M looks absolutely dreadful. It’s a crime really. The 400 though, even if it’s a bad car underneath (I have no idea), looks superb to my eyes. Understated elegance and such a pure design. It’s not shouty but I love the lines on it.
@Truth-Liberator2 жыл бұрын
I also think the 400 is a handsome car and can't understand the criticism it gets. All I can think of is that it's more a grand tourer than a sports car and perhaps they just don't understand its virtues. Isn't it really a update on the daytona?
@Torqyboi2 жыл бұрын
this right here. i see so many people saying the 400 is a bad car but just look at it. i think it looks fantastic and as a person who can only look at it and not drive it, i think its a brilliant car
@Mike-rk8px2 жыл бұрын
I’m a mechanic who specializes in European cars in Connecticut. I’ve worked on many Ferrari’s (I’ve owned a 1984 308gtb and now own a 1988 328gts). The Ferrari 400 started life as the stunning 365 GT4 2+2 and then became the 400, then the 412 until 1989. They’re really beautiful cars: very long, very low, very wide. The sound of the V-12 is unbelievable. The front seats are great, and they’re very comfortable (unless you’re stuck in the beautiful back seats), and despite their large size, they’re easy to drive. NOW the bad news: they’re ridiculously complex cars to work on, and the electrics are shit. Ferrari’s do require a TON of maintenance, but these cars are known as the lemons of the Ferrari tree for a reason. Even if you could afford one, don’t make the mistake of buying one. It’s like marrying the most gorgeous woman you’ve ever seen, only to find out that she’s a murderous psychopath.
@danielweavers25353 жыл бұрын
I did wonder why your Italian pronunciation was so good 👍 always look forward to your uploads, Jack. Great as always, I've never had an alfa but I'm tempted I must admit. Just as a second car and with premium AA membership 😄
@johnandrews35683 жыл бұрын
Totally agree on that Testa Rossa update. I hated it from the time I saw it in magazines. Just awful hodgepodge of a reboot. That said, I think Ferrari has kind of lost the plot in modern days. Too much tech to the point that they can't be daily driven or even every weekend driven without spending lots of time in the shop. Plus all the super cars these days look the same to me. FWIW my all time fave Ferrari is the 250 Lusso. Mmmm yes indeed!
@markkerry58403 жыл бұрын
Great content, very interesting, thank you Jack
@russellclark19783 жыл бұрын
I actually love the looks of the 512M! 😍😂
@mikestang6793 жыл бұрын
It reminds me of that very olde joke, FIAT actually is an acronym for "FIXED IT, AGAIN TONY".......🦍
@doctorbohr15853 жыл бұрын
Or FIX IT AGAIN, TONY, as a command.
@timhancock66263 жыл бұрын
The Beta saloon was a rather nice car. I drove a couple of them. Yes it was the rust that killed them, but in those days Renault wings were rusting through in three years so they were not alone.
@dutchyjhome5 ай бұрын
The Ferrari 400 I personally think is a very beautiful car, in fact many other Ferraris I would not want to own, well maybe but only to sell them ride away. I also like the Ferrari F40, which in the end has more or less very much the typical 80s looks like the looks of a third gen Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z28 (1982-1992).
@jcobbett19583 жыл бұрын
I worked as a car salesman at a Vauxhall garage in 1978. The dealership next door was Lancia. I watched in horror as Beta's were returned for a refund. The dealer principal of the Lancia dealership was Italian. There were tens of Beta's rusting away at the rear of the garage. Not long after this debacle, it changed to a Honda dealership. All very sad.
@Number273 жыл бұрын
Indeed.. what a shame
@stevealexR12 жыл бұрын
The Beta had a bad reputation because the mainstream media pushed the story particularly hard mainly because the Beta suffered rust on the engine mounts. However, many many other cars from the period rusted terribly too. Think about Vauxhalls, Fords, VWs (especially the early Sciroccos), BMWs (6-Series!!), Renaults etc etc. They all rotted terribly. Conversely, I owned a 1984 Alfa Romeo GTV6 2.5 that was already 6 years old when I owned it and it had no rot and original paintwork plus it was a very reliable car (I admit that trim quality was not good though!).
@stevealexR12 жыл бұрын
Italian cars and the Lancia Beta in particular had a bad reputation because the mainstream media pushed the story particularly hard mainly because the Beta suffered rust on the engine mounts. However, many many other cars from the period rusted terribly too. Think about Vauxhalls, Fords, VWs (especially the early Sciroccos), BMWs (6-Series!!), Renaults etc etc. They all rotted terribly. Conversely, I owned a 1984 Alfa Romeo GTV6 2.5 that was already 6 years old when I owned it and it had no rot and original paintwork plus it was a very reliable car (I admit that trim quality was not good though!).
@joseluisherrera46692 жыл бұрын
ok but BL Marinas Allegros and Princesses hadn't a better luck
@tarikwildman3 жыл бұрын
MX5 NA Happened. Alfa meets Mazda. The best of all the worst of none (as a man who has since 1979 had 4 Duettos, 3 Giulietta Sprints, 3 Giulietta Spiders, 1 Giulietta Ti, 1 Giulia Super, and 1 Giulia SS... and 2 MX5's. ) The Mazda is as good as any except it is under the radar without the badge
@numbersix83363 жыл бұрын
I must defend the Alfa Arna if only from my experience. A flat 4 1500cc with twin downdraughts and lift off oversteer for under £450 in the day. Nothing looked that shite but provided so many smiles per mile. The only car I didn’t get pulled over in and never had a producer. I’d have one tomorrow 😁
@BubuBarong3 жыл бұрын
Bravo Jack, bel video. Was waiting for the Duna, though... Ciao!
@Number273 жыл бұрын
You’re right.. I totally forgot about the Duna
@1240enzo3 жыл бұрын
From my perspective out here in Oz, we never received the Arna (thankfully), we did receive a small number of Argentas and yes they weren’t good. However, i take issue with your comment that Fiat havn’t made decent large cars. Not so i say, go back in time to the 20s and 30s and you will find that they made a range of decent large saloons for the time. Come forwards to the 60s and even into the ‘70s and both the 2300 and 130 were excellent large cars by European standards. As to the Beta, both the coupe and HPE were actually very good cars and attractive at that. Rust sure was an issue but so many cars in the ‘70s rusted away. As to your comment on the Ferrari 400, actually it’s a very good car by both Ferrari standards let alone as a GT. That V12 upfront, it’s svelte styling both externally and in the interior just oozes class. Fiat’s 130 coupe followed in the same mould as the 400 and was universally praised for its elegance. Which is not something you could say re the fat Testarossa and variants of that model., I would have added the Alfa 2600 sedan and later the Alfa 6 as Italian styling misfits to your list, and perhaps the Fiat Regatta etc.
@TheChill0012 жыл бұрын
the alfa 6, now that's a good choice...it had the blandest, most un-alfa styling ever, which when taking in account the alfetta says a lot, considering the latter at least had a charm and crisp image at the time of its launch, where the 6 just looked like a boring, clinically designed car. As for Fiat's rep with big sedans... remember the 80's Croma, that was a very decent and seriously underrated big saloon as well.
@lot61293 жыл бұрын
Australians seem to ignore that the S1 QP Maserati was indeed the fastest 4 door sedan in the early 70[s
@GentilsGarage3 жыл бұрын
Great video with very interesting facts. It’s a shame that Lancia has almost disappeared… unbelievable after a very successful rallying career and a portfolio of historical and iconic models.
@jacohauptfleisch9353 жыл бұрын
Marchione is to blame for that. He drove Lancia in the ground trying to safe Alfa-Romeo
@GentilsGarage3 жыл бұрын
@@jacohauptfleisch935 I completely agree
@Number273 жыл бұрын
Thanks! And yes such a shame!
@dlevi672 жыл бұрын
@@jacohauptfleisch935 The problem started way before Marchionne (who joined Fiat in 2004). Lancia's rally successes were deliberately interrupted in the 1970s to leave space for the main brand with the 131 Abarth.
@martinrichardhorrocks98692 жыл бұрын
@@dlevi67 But then what about the subsequent Lancia 037, S4 and Delta Integrale? True, all these were Abarth skunk works projects but the badge and marketing were Lancia.
@anthonydeas21732 жыл бұрын
I live watching your videos Jack :) so enthusiastic.. Makes me smile every rime I see a notification.. Keep up the great work... :)
@Number272 жыл бұрын
Thank you Anthony!
@daveshongkongchinachannel3 жыл бұрын
That was a pretty good rundown. I have never been an out and out Ferrari man but do love the 308 and older cars like the Daytona, Dino etc. I was therefore racking my brains as to which Ferrari could be so terrible but you really hit the nail on the head with your choice.
@dalerowley60393 жыл бұрын
Didn’t realise you were Italian. I just thought you were just an italophile like me 🙂. Good list. I think I agree with you on the 512m Ferrari. With their resources they should have known better! You should do a top 5 favourites too. Bet that will be a harder list to put together. 😀
@Number273 жыл бұрын
Good idea!
@reyrob3 жыл бұрын
Interesting review and I finally learned where the Arna name came from. One observation: I really appreciate that even if you speak perfect English with British accent, you still pronounce the name of the cars with an Italian pronunciation but LANCIA??? It’s “Lancha” 😉 I know you know it….
@Number273 жыл бұрын
I know… can’t help it for some reason.. only Italian maker I pronounce in an English way!!
@thedelaminator3 жыл бұрын
The real problem with the Lancia Beta was the rusting of the area around the engine mounts. For obvious reasons these cars were not safe and Lancia bought back the cars and in most cases offered money against a newer version. This is what happened with our original 1300. Lancia took it back and we then bought a newer and facelifted 1600. They were a brilliant car with fantastic engines and performance. The gearboxes were not great though and in cold weather it could be impossible to get it into second gear. I actually broke the steel gear stick while trying to engage second one evening. Another cold weather incident saw the nylon carburettor linkage snapping on Christmas morning while I was on the top of the Pennines, in snow. I ended up jamming some old rag into the carb linkage which held the carburettor open and got the engine running at about 3000rpm. I limped home controlling the speed only by brakes and gears! - Happy Days!!!
@simonhodgetts65303 жыл бұрын
A fun list - I’d personally put the ARNA at number 1 myself! I’d also add the uninspiring FIAT Stilo in there, the awful 500x, the Lancia Dedra, and the car that seemingly no-one, not even the Italian government wanted, the Alfa 6. I personally like the mad Mario Bellini designed dash from the Trevi myself!
@saxon-mt5by3 жыл бұрын
I wonder why you add the Dedra to your list? From my experience, I've owned three of them, they are amongst the best cars I've ever owned (perhaps that says something about all the others!).
@MOSSFEEN3 жыл бұрын
@@saxon-mt5by I have a 1993 Dedra Turbo Brilliant car
@simonhodgetts65303 жыл бұрын
There’s nothing particularly wrong with the Dedra - I think it’s a decent car. I included it in the list though because it was, by Lancia’s standards a bit dull, and failed to set the UK market alight, hence it being the last Lancia offered for sale on the UK market. Had it been been a more interesting car, with less frumpy styling, and more to differentiate it from the FIAT it was based on, we might still have Lancia in the UK now. Similarly, the later Lancias also failed to stamp their mark in the same way that the great Lancias had, and so the Dedra to me marks the beginning of the end of this great marque.
@jjjdynamo43622 жыл бұрын
This is the best KZbin channel ever! Keep up the great work 👍
@Number272 жыл бұрын
Wow, thank you!! 🙏
@mickmcc21583 жыл бұрын
Great video, as always. I remember my dad had a brown Fiat Regata which was handy as it camouflaged the rust. Keep up the great work, Jack
@chilternsroamer8723 жыл бұрын
Rust was pretty common in the era before the '90s. BL had their problem with "Friday cars" - they were stripped for painting at the end of the week, and sat around for a day or two until the "line" was restarted on a Monday morning. Only cars of any make I owned that were not rustbuckets were made in the mid-90s and later (excluding two with glass-fibre body shells - GRP doesn't rust). I am currently driving a 15 year old, rust-free car with 90K on the mileage (74K of that is "my" mileage). Every car I have ever owned has sat out in all weathers, driven with salt on the roads, and never been garaged. Of course, if you only drive on dry days, and park up a car in a garage all winter, then ANY car will suffer a lot less from rust.
@autoavids3 жыл бұрын
Agreed on that last one, definitely a mishmash. Now that you mention it, the 512M does look like a 3000gt/gto 😂
@Number273 жыл бұрын
It does doesn’t it!!
@EpicB3 жыл бұрын
I guess Ferrari mistook the Mitsubishi GTO for their own and copied their homework badly.
@cornishrider3 жыл бұрын
Your garage makes a great studio, that Texaco sign looks fantastic!
@dbx31973 жыл бұрын
Interesting video Jack. I still think the Beta was a great car on the wrong side of history. Looking forward to the next instalment on the 308.
@beatglauser94443 жыл бұрын
For me, being a old fart Swiss with Italian roots and coming from a family who drove Alfa Romeos and even Maserati, I was very much in love with Italian cars. My Italian friends of my early childhood were extreme Lancia enthusiasts. Alfa Romeo versus Lancia, can it get more Italian than that? I could afford only FIATs as a young man. I was really hurt by the quality problems of Italian cars of the Sixties and Seventies. Most Italian cars were mechanically great vehcles with beautiful or playful designs but with terrrible qualtiy problems when it came to rusty bodies and very questional electrical systems. Rustbuckets like the Alfasud and Lancia Betas were at least very much fun to drive before they crumbled to pieces. To me the Arna was one of the worst Italian cars ever. A nightmare for any Alfista! When discussing with a former Alfa Romeo mechanic I recall asking: What was the name of this horrible mixture of Alfa Romeo and Nissan? I am so oldschool that I regarded the Testa Rossa a terrible design falldown from the beauty of the 512BB. Talking about rust problems of Italian cars. Those problems started a long time before the collaboration with Russia: the more exclusive the vehicles, the more thy seemed to be victims of rust. I remember the Iso Rivoltas. They were gorgeous but unfortunately also terrible rust buckets. To me the first Iso Grifos are probably the prettiest cars ever made. A friend used to have his Dino restored about 30 years ago. When the restorer worked on the body, he discovered a tiny plate riveted on a hidden steel panel . it read: "ferro FIAT terza qualità". Meaning: FIAT third class steel.
@psevenson3 жыл бұрын
I had totally forgotten about the 512 M but yes it's a really bad face lift. Especially, as you point out, the mix of new soft round lines and old sharp straigth lines. And the wheels are hideous.
@EpicB3 жыл бұрын
Yeah, not a great design. 512TR looks pretty nice though.
@okgo83153 жыл бұрын
Bravo Jack nice video thanks👍🇬🇧
@sappernz3 жыл бұрын
I had a Lancia Beta 2000 coupe.. and loved it. went like a bat out of hell. l lived in Tasmania at the time. The rust worm hadn't got into then. The only thing I really hated was the indicator stalk was on the left meaning I was always switching the wipers on when doing a turn. I reluctantly swapped it for a series XJ one. The main thing I regret most of all was that I never photographed the little bugger.
@tumslucks97812 жыл бұрын
Which accelerated faster? You or the roo? 🦘💨🏁
@VINTTRO3 жыл бұрын
A great video Jack. Brilliant! and all the best. Vint-tro ✌🏼
@gerrym43773 жыл бұрын
Your Italian accent is wonderful Jack! Italy is my favourite country to visit, been to many places but keep going back to the Amalfi coast 🇮🇹
@jamesrobert41063 жыл бұрын
Likewise. Sorrento and the Bay of Naples area is the my favourite place on Earth.
@gerrym43772 жыл бұрын
@@IU3EVR the amount of times a Lancia’s failed it’s probably being said like that on purpose 😂👍
@thatcheapguy525 Жыл бұрын
great video, I think you enjoyed making it. the Nissan Cherry N12 was a very efficient unexciting car (my mum had 1), the Alfasud (I owned 2) was a masterpiece but the Arna was the sort of car an accountant with no idea about cars cocktailed into existence. considering what Bertone started with the Maserati Quattroporte 2 is actually a very decent looking car; I've never found the SM at all pleasing to the eye. the Lancia Beta range were gorgeous cars. I remember the saloon car (Berlina) you discuss in this video, as a child. it was a real head turner and light-years ahead of what BL Ford Vauxhall and Chrysler-Rootes were producing here in the UK. it seemed to be in the same market segment as sports-executives like the Triumph 2500 and Rover P6 but they were far less sophisticated mechanically and less efficient designs. thanks to an apprenticeship in the motortrade I worked on a drove a few Berlinas and Coupes (they'd been Waxoyled from new lol) and was really taken with how technically advanced and refined the Betas were. in my humble view, Italy produced many of the best designed and engineered mass market cars of the 60s and 70s and could have cleaned-up if only they'd considered rust in cold countries, used better electronics and bothered to build the cars better.
@elioboezio71073 жыл бұрын
I've read that the story about the substandard Russian steel (in some variations, Poland is blamed) is apocryphal and that the rust problems were entirely due to dodgy Italian production processes: bare metal shells were reputedly exposed to the elements for long periods and then simply put onto the line. Also, it would be extremely odd for international trade to be conducted by what would be - essentially - "barter" at the level of an individual company. All Italian cars of the period suffered from the "tin worm" in those days: I had a Fiat 124 Sport Coupe that crumbled to dust before my eyes!
@FFM05943 жыл бұрын
Not true about barter, it was a common practice back then. Ireland swapped fish for Nigerian oil, Ford swapped cars for Brazilian cow hides and there are plenty of other instances if you look into it.
@elioboezio71073 жыл бұрын
@@FFM0594, I didn't say it didn't happen - just that it would be "extremely odd" at the company, rather than national, level. Of course, I could be wrong!
@studiocalder8183 жыл бұрын
the barter arises from the fact that FIAT had built and organized the Russian production of automobiles. The Italian state was the guarantor. The agreement provided that in the face of the HUGE Russian investment (which also included a new city for workers) FIAT and the State (Alfa) would import at least steel.
@gerardclarke8096 Жыл бұрын
The Russian steel story is untrue.
@allseeing3573 жыл бұрын
Haha this is quality! I grew up in the 80's and 90's in a house that loved italian cars......says it all that a Lancia Y10 was my first car 😅 I particularly resonate with the Arna, I remember at the time we had a 33 Green Cloverleaf and my Dad was really not diplomatic about the Arna at all....even to the point where Arna owners (on the rare occasions they appeared) would beep and wave at us (it happened between Alfa owners back in the day) and they'd be firmly ignored haha
@scottishcontentcreators3 жыл бұрын
The final nail in the head might have been more appropriate lol. The 132 has a hint of bmw in its styling, the twin lights and hockey stick window line. I remember my grandmother had a 128 3P in the 70s, she's 95 now but still remembers it as the most unreliable car she ever had. The Italians also gave us some of my favourite cars of all time, the Stratos, the Delta, the Countach and my particular favourite Italian car when it comes to styling, the Cisitalia 202 from the 1940s.
@scottishcontentcreators3 жыл бұрын
@Per Eldh I'd never heard of an Argenta until I watched this video and I thought I knew about cars too ! I've owned a few Italian cars, some hilarious stuff like the marea with the 20v 5 cylinder engine, it was gold with a towbar and roof box and could humiliate lots of stuff from the lights, it even managed to keep up with an old whaletail cosworth once but it was one of those cars where things could just start operating out of the blue, your windscreen wipers and washers could just suddenly start operating as you were humiliating some audi doody from the lights. I had an alfa gtv spider and that was a beautiful car but was never right and I got sick of chasing it so swapped it for something.
@scottishcontentcreators3 жыл бұрын
@Per Eldh those coupe turbos are a hoot, I've had a shot of one before and I remember it being mental fast. Was it not one of Chris Bangles first full car designs with those slash lines, actually a nice looking car, in red it looks like a ferrari, before he went on to ruin the bmw brand design with things like the dame Edna 5 series. Did you lose the car in the fire? Do you upload stuff about cars? Paul
@scottishcontentcreators3 жыл бұрын
@Per Eldh if it's of any interest I'm preparing to film the restoration of my friends E30 M3. I'm finishing sorting out the lockup and trying to find a way to do it. I'm partially deaf and am not very listenable, especially with my Scottish accent but I'm getting ready to film it anyway. I hope it can evolve into something as good as this channel eventually. I've subscribed and watched some of your videos. That video of Ferrari 250 gto s must be one of the most expensive queues of traffic I've ever seen.
@scottishcontentcreators3 жыл бұрын
@Per Eldh I'll bet, I would have been stopped in my tracks too if I saw that collection of Ferraris. Thanks for the sub, I appreciate that.
@tjittekamminga51703 жыл бұрын
italian cars are like the italian debt...i drove long ago a fiat 850 coupe, fiat 124 sport coupe (2x), fiat dino and lancia beta coup: all the cars rotted away. nice packaging but 'junk'
@paulmisencik3 жыл бұрын
It's a shame you keep hanging the same old, tired boat anchor around the neck of the poor Lancia Beta. As others have mentioned, the "Russian steel" chestnut is a popular, but largely unfounded legend. While true that very early Beta saloons had rust issues (albeit primarily experienced in the UK), the problem was almost immediately corrected and any Coupe or HPE or later saloon is as solid as any other vehicle of the period. (I rarely hear this criticism leveled against, say... the contemporary MGB or Alfa Romeo Alfetta, both of which were more rust prone than the Beta.) Most people who castigate the Beta, in any of its body styles, have probably never driven one, because if they do they will find it lively, stylish, and very well put together. Compared to a Toyota Celica or MGB GT or early Porsche 924, the Beta feels refined and quick and beautifully balanced. Not only is the Beta not one of the worst cars ever to come out of Italy, it might be one of the most overlooked and underrated. Until now, that is. Prices for good cars are still low, but rising as the model finds favor with people who don't buy into all the old hate.
@gerardclarke8096 Жыл бұрын
Well said.
@johnireland16293 жыл бұрын
Love your choices. Poor Maserati, the child who got passed from one foster home to another, but never found real love. I'm so glad the Maserati Biturbo wasn't on your list. As flawed as they can be, I really liked mine. If you can give us some clues as to the future of Fiat, Lancia, and Alfa under the new Stellantis ownership, that would be great.
@vsanti833 жыл бұрын
I'm of Italian heritage too. and my dad had a miriafiori. but he always favoured the citroens of the 70s.
@williamwinkes83952 жыл бұрын
I owned a 1975 Lancia Beta Coupe in the Detroit, MI. It was my favorite car, and I’ve owned 21. It was one of those cars that just fit perfectly. The engine was torquey, the transmission precise, and it handled beautifully, in the dry. Owning it was, however, not without issues. In three years it consumed two front wheel bearings, the front strut inserts, two sets of brake pads, and the headlight/ turn signal multi-function switch. The parking brake cables rusted solid every winter, eventually I just ignored that. Nevertheless, despite a complicated twin point ignition system and two stage carburetor, it never failed to start and run beautifully, even in -10 F temperatures. A fond memory.
@derekskinner86823 жыл бұрын
Had a few betas in early 80's , only ever had 1 fail it's mot on corrosion . The boys in Ford offerings of the day at the local haunts couldn't get close to the 2 litre twin cams with front wheel drive and all round disc brakes. Went on to run delta GT ie after that . Just to correct you the beta saloons weren't a hatchback they were a boot that looked like a hatch so god only knows why they made the trevi. ?.
@davidsherley26523 жыл бұрын
Well done Jack!! Your knowledge and research are outstanding. May I humbly suggest that this and the car review directions are excellent ways to keep #27 moving forward.
@gunston9993 жыл бұрын
Most countries don’t even have a car brand to be proud of 😕 Im proud of all Italian cars 🇮🇹
@mrbeancounter903 жыл бұрын
haha "It's a new Mitsubishi" Thats a great line
@Apexjuha3 жыл бұрын
I have driver or owned 124, 125S, 126, 127, 128, 131, 132, 238, Ritmo, Regata, Uno and a recent 500 XL. The absolutely worst of the bad bunch were Ritmo and Regata. Everything in those were bad: engines, gearboxes, bodyshell, electrics - absolutely everything. The best ones have been 128, 131 and the fairly new 500 XL which was a really pleasant surprise. 132 was horrible. 125 (and later many Fiats and Lancias) had the DOHC-engine (originally 1608 ccm) and that was a great engine. Also the 1300 engine of 128/Uno was a great engine with a super short stroke 55.5/86 (Stroke/Bore) and you could tune it way beyond 10 000 rpm. But the bodies of all the old Fiats - pure junk, criminal shit in fact. Mind you the worst electrics Ive had in a car was - surprise surprise a Volvo 960. You’d never expect to have problems like that in a car designed for the Nordic countries. The plastics in the electricity just became brittle in time. I also had a Lancia Prisma 1.6 (that very same DOHC engine) for a while and it was actually quite an ok car but not enough suspension range - too stiff for winter and a the worst ISA standard seating position. As contrast I will list the best cars Ive owned: Nissan Primera 2.0, Audi S8 and - of course a 911 - which is quality-wise the absolutely best car Ive owned. Ive also owned a couple of Toyotas and a HOnda - no soul, but very reliable, almost maintenance free. The DOCH 1600 Corolla engine and the 1400 Honda engines were fabulous. You could really rev them like a race car. Never missed a beat. The Civic was a crap car otherwise. The best Italian car Ive ever driven … probably the Fiat 500 XL. It was actually really good, practical, low consumption, good handling. Never driven a Ferrari, sat in a couple. But, in all honesty, Italy is the country of style. No other nation comes even close. da Vinci, Michelangelo, Caravagio, Bertone, Gandini, Scaglietti, Pininfarina, Giugiaro, Zagato, Forghieri, Gucci, Armani, Laura Pausini, Italian coffee and kitchen, ice cream, Tiramisu, Montalbano, Caterina Murino, Sofia Loren - all style and aesthetics.
@TheEurostyler3 жыл бұрын
The Prisma was a stylish unassuming four doors. Loved it in the last trims with Alcantara, tinted windows and alloy wheels. Unfortunately, they used the Ritmo/ Strada suspension set up which was under dimensioned for the type of car was aspiring to be
@bobplyler80573 жыл бұрын
The original Lampredi DOHC was 1438 cc, and was in the 1966 Fiat Sport Coupe/Spider. I have a one-owner 1979 Spider, with about 260000 miles/420000 km.
@Apexjuha3 жыл бұрын
@@bobplyler8057 Ok. That one I missed. But now that you mention Lambredi, that rings a bell. My father’s 125 S was the car that I really learned to drive with when I was about 9-10 years old. Besides the engine it had a nice 5 speed box with a precise short throw.
@trevizese3 жыл бұрын
The still for the ARNA interior is from a Alfa Sprint QV. ARNA had the nissan dashboard with a SUD steering column.
@t5jerry3 жыл бұрын
i had a nice little alfasud with a nice sounding xorst on it (standard) lovely car , but became more biodegradeable by the day, eventually i had me feet thru the driver`s floor.............YABBA DABBA DOO !!!!!!
@Lot76CARS3 жыл бұрын
My mum bought an Alfrasud 5M new in 1977, despite a Ziebart treatment the front doors had split from their frames in 12 months. Apparently it was a riot to drive but sadly didn’t last without family… what a pity, even a box of scrap Alfasud would be worth a fortune these days …
@t5jerry3 жыл бұрын
@@Lot76CARS tell me about it, all those mk1 escorts i had in the 80`s (1300e/1300xl/1300 estate with 1600 xflow engine and 1300 gearbox, very nippy, blew it up on the motorway) and a lot more , worth a fortune now 😪😪😪😪
@martinhogg53372 жыл бұрын
Great video Jack. Your various videos have changed my view of Italian cars, pity about rust and reliability issues but the likes of that Busso engine is just fantastic!
@drink47113 жыл бұрын
As a kid I quite liked the look of the Argenta. My friend's dad worked at Fiat, and I remember a sense of excitement when the Argenta was launched. I'm sure it was rubbish though.
@Number273 жыл бұрын
😄😄😄😄 - yes it was truly awful!! But marketing can drum up excitement initially.. Webb for the worst cars!
@paulburrows50223 жыл бұрын
I have a low km Argenta and its a great car to drive. ive Citroen CX Jag Xj a Saab 900 all of the same era. and the Argenta is as great to drive as any of those i have that were deemed very desirable at the time.
@stevenjoy35373 жыл бұрын
And I reckon the 2007 onward Punto has aged really well. Much better than a Fiesta or Corsa
@simonelliott59563 жыл бұрын
Bang on the money with the 512M! I thought the same when I first saw it, that a Japanese manufacturer had copied the side strakes! A truly awful design from a manufacturer who shouldn’t be doing anything like that! I have a soft spot for the 132 2000 of the plastic bumper era, as my dad had one, they were much improved in handling by then, but they rusted too, as did many cars of the day. The Argenta though, what a mess, horrible and awkward looking! The Arna, well, yes it should have been drowned at birth, and the Maserati too! As for the Beta, I don’t mind the styling, especially when you compare it to the competition, we had the Austin Princess for gods sake! It’s a shame it rusted so badly as it ruined this market for them, with only cars like the integrale keeping them here at all. A good assessment overall I’d say.
@coopers44913 жыл бұрын
Italy have the gorgeous cars but not the reliability, England had the rust and British Leyland!!!! Great content jack
@f.d.robben1593 жыл бұрын
In the late 80's, I was a realy proud and very young ( German ) owner of a Fiat Agenta 2.0 ie. Central lock, power windows, head rests in the back, check panel, five speed and an engine which realy likes to reve. It was easely able to keep up with any hot hatch of that time. One of the best features nobody had ever copied till today: dark tinted sun visors manualy gliding out of the headliner at the front and side window. The biggest problem: rust
@gixerloon3 жыл бұрын
You are spot on about Lancia vanishing here in the UK, but I lived in Italy for a while a few years ago, and Lancia is still sold there (you probably know this) but they produce that hideous Ypsilon, which is their 'only' car oddly which tbh, I find an affront to the heritage of the Lancia name, and maybe just as well it's the only car they produce now, sad days indeed.
@raggedrascal54633 жыл бұрын
Couldn't agree more about the 512M. It ditched so much that was amazing in the TR for a messy, fussy design. The wheels, in particular, are truly vile. Not a shred of delicate elegance. There have been other less glamorous Ferraris, like the Mondial, but at least its shape was a product of packaging necessity and the detailing was neat.
@SuperCommando603 жыл бұрын
omg that dashboard...like a family of woodpeckers attacked a picnic table that had blown over in a windstorm
@jncg23116 ай бұрын
That's what happens when you get an architect to design a dashboard! Sounds like a good idea but perhaps in that case it was just a little too heavy on the design side...
@playtimehulot73833 жыл бұрын
9:20 I must contradict: There were even the miss constructed 2.5 Boxer from the Gamma and the pedal problems from the Beta Montecarlo....
@jncg23116 ай бұрын
The interior shot shown when discussing the ARNA is not of an ARNA, but a later Alfa Romeo Sprint QV. The ARNA dash in unmistakable for the use of the AlfaSud type steering wheel/ column with the Nissan dashboard and instruments which had oval dial faces and an unmistakably Nissan heater control set.
@juppzmuda9725 Жыл бұрын
My uncle and aunt had a Trevi when I was a kid. I just loved it, especially the interior with all the exotic warning lights 😍 When we went on vacation to scotland in the early 80s my mom didn't react fast enough and crashed her Renault 11 into the Trevi. That totaled the back end, and my uncle decided to not repair it after the vacation, and got himself an Opel Ascona 😪
@derin1113 жыл бұрын
In 1985 aged 22, I bought a 1982 Lancia 2.0 Beta Coupe as my second car ever, the first having been a BMW 2002tii. I bought it at three years old with only 23K miles on the clock. It had cost the original owner £11, 000 and I paid……£1100! In such tatters was Lancia’s reputation in the UK that they used to go for a song! AND, mine genuinely had no rust on it because by then they’d made improvements. It made no difference to public opinion though. Unfortunately, at the time I was a poor student with neither the money to pay for nor the awareness of the need to service cars…..and at about 33K miles, I broke it…terminally! In hindsight, I think what had happened was the timing belt had slipped/stretched and smashed up the valves etc. I ended up giving that car away to a friend who did actually fix it……until it caught fire one day at a petrol station! 😱🤣😱 I went back to BMWs again after that and have owned over 70 of them since! But, that Lancia was such a good looking little car! 🙂👍🏽
@olivers.64203 жыл бұрын
Great video Jack!!! I agree with you but I would have shared the first place with the Ferrari Mondial.
@TheHomeExpert52 жыл бұрын
You are right, when they redesigned the Testarossa into the 512 they absolutely ruined the styling of a car.
@nieko30383 жыл бұрын
That blue Fiat with the round headlight looks nice. My first car was a Fiat Panda from early 90’s. Had loads of fun in it. Didn’t know about the Japanese Alfa Romeo.
@rudydehaan53133 жыл бұрын
Really enjoyed this video. Although i dont agree with your choises. I love the 512 TR, the Beta Berlina, the Argenta and even the Arna. They are not perfect, and sure the Arna is really not a good car in any way. But they all have character, a certain charm that other cars dont have. I do agree about the Quattroporte 2, that is really bad. If i had to make a top 5 I would really struggle.
@alanthomson12273 жыл бұрын
Loved the beta coupe and HPE , especially the volumex.
@grahamariss21113 жыл бұрын
The Lancia Beta was what Chrysler / Simca bench marked the Chrysler Alpine against, planning to return Roots/Simca brands back to the premium volume car sector of the market. However Chrysler's cost cutting philosophy meant the 5 speed gearbox and Twin cam engines were all dropped ending up via several twists and turns, such as a version for the UK fleet market using Avenger running gear to what was just to use the minimally warmed over oily bits of the Simca 1100. The result was the only thing they got close to matching the Beta with, was the Alpines ability to rust, as Chrysler also cut the rust proofing to the minimal levels they thought the market woukd stand.
@patricksmodels7 ай бұрын
The company my mum worked for here in Padua ,Italy in the 80s had an Argenta diesel company car for the CEO. She drove it on more than one occasion and really enjoyed it tanking down the motorway to Bologna for trade fair.
@johnfalcini63663 жыл бұрын
You could add the Alfa 6 to your list!
@paulqueripel34933 жыл бұрын
Said the Alfa boxer engine was an old design , compare it to the Mini's A series, Alfa twin cam, Ford Kent, BMW M10, Simca Poissy , Rover (Buick) V8, Jaguar XK, Rolls V8, many American V8s, VW flat 4. It wasn't old at all, only about 12 years since it's introduction.
@alfasudoro3 жыл бұрын
Nice video. Unfortunatly in the Arna section You added a Alfasud Sprint dashboard. It' s a detail, i know. 😀
@Number273 жыл бұрын
Really??? So sorry, must see what happened
@scalecrawlnl3 жыл бұрын
Fun video idea and a nice conversation starter! Really like the Arna lookswise. To balance, I recently met a Gen1 Quattroporte fully restored for the first time, a real suave car👍
@petercampbell38283 жыл бұрын
At least, with those tail lights, the 512M would look like a Ferrari driving away from you in the dark.
@chedhead32783 жыл бұрын
Cheers Jack, persuasive video, can't really argue with your choices. Passed my test in a Nissan Cherry, wasn't asked to do a hill start which was a relief as it couldn't pull the whotsit off a chocolate mouse.
@paulie-Gualtieri.3 жыл бұрын
I would love an Alfa Romeo 6 very last of the line model so around 1986, Gorgeous looking saloon car.
@clauspedersen63573 жыл бұрын
I watch pretty much all of your videos, and this one is definitely at the top.
@Number273 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@paulmisencik3 жыл бұрын
ONE QUICK NOTE: The Beta saloon is not a "hatchback." Admittedly, the fastback styling makes it look like one, but it has a proper boot.