Why The Best Car In Its Class Failed - Alfa Romeo Alfasud Sprint

The Alfasud Sprint was the best small coupe around when it was launched, it was pretty, vastly outhandled the competition and was a deight to drive. Alfa Romeo made a class winner, It should have influenced cars so all future desesign followed the flat 4, front engine design.. why did it fail to do that?
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[@ajax700]

The Alfasud Sprint is such an elegant, honest, no nonsense, simple, small design by Giugiaro. Like a mini GTV. Couldn't expect less from the Alfa "Bertone" coupe designer. The racing versions of this car look great took. It's a shame what happened to Alfa in the 1970/80s, they were so underrated. Best wishes.

[@stevie-ray2020]

What killed them was the severe problem with rust!

[@packtech]

I owned a Sprint Veloce for Years and drove a 2.0 and 2.5 GTV and much preferred the Sprint for it's almost Lotus like feel.

[@noelsalisbury7448]

The smaller Italian cars of the 70's & 80's had brilliant designs: Lancia Beta, Alfa Romeo Alfasud / Sprint , Fiat 124 /126 - but were all rustbuckets. If they had been manufactured in Germany instead, they would have been unstoppable.

[@chrisenright7003]

Nicer than a GTV because it doesn't suffer the clumsy rear side window treatment.

[@noelsalisbury7448]

Somewhere on KZbin there's a Sprint with an Alfa ( theirs, not the Holden-derived engine ) that's been squeezed in there. Epic, and WTF they didn't develop this thing, Lord knows 😭

[@JallyTee]

In 1999 on the way home looking out the school bus widow, I saw a yellow Alfa Romeo sprint veloce for sale for $1500. I had never seen one in my life but I new it had to be mine, I instantly fell in love with its styling. After a few weeks I had enough money to buy it with my part time job and with the help of my parents. lucky enough for me it was still for sale and bought it. it was pretty rusty but I learnt to weld and paint it, fix mechanical issues then finally got to drive it to school. You are right, the handling was great but even more was the sound of the twin carb boxer engine. I wish I never sold it but this little car has given me so may great memories.

[@carlwoodman5044]

When I was a teenage schoolboy, I absolutely adored the looks of the Alfasud Sprint and it remains such a pretty little car to this day.

[@E15tony]

I had the exact same car in the late 80s and absolutely loved it. That interior is immaculate. It still has a brown gear knob, a rarity in Alfas of that era!

[@simonhodgetts6530]

Gosh! I remember those from the Alfa dealer I used to frequently stop at on my way home from school in the late 70s!

[@ramspace]

As a kid, I dreamt of this car.

[@Axelfl6161]

I had one of these as well and you could hear it rust in the rain and the hot start issue was embarrassing.It was a good drive though.

[@ramspace]

I had a 1973 British Racing Green Triumph Spitfire in Nova Scotia. I always travelled with a can of WD40 to assist starts when raining. Still, an amazingly good looking car.

[@bunter6]

When I was growing up my dad bought a series of magazines called 'on the road' and every issue had a car overview on the back page. I always loved it when small quick cars were there. This introduced me to the small Alfa's and I couldn't believe how delicate and clean the design looked. No alloys, no massive spoilers, just a gorgeous looking miniature sports car.

[@johni9073]

There were very nice factory alloys as an option however.

[@dandare1001]

The main reason that the Scirroco outsold it, is that most people don't have good taste.

[@stanleybuchan4610]

That and "safety first" boring b'stards.

[@per-hakansvahn8044]

Agree. I had a Scirocco back in the early 80:s.😊 I drive a latest gen Alfa Giulia these days, though.

[@stevenfernando1842]

Enjoyed Jack. This is one of my favorite Alfas. No, it’s one of my favorite cars period! I’m so blessed to own the only runner in Sri Lanka. It’s 1980 Sprint Veloce with a 1.7 twin carb transplant. The torque on that means there is torque steer if you’re not gentle with feeding in the throttle. The handling is a revelation. I am yet to drive a car that’s more fun, old or new. A few more points that contribute to this is the very stiff front end that has two firewalls, the front brakes are in-board for reducing unsprung weight and the rear suspension has passive rear steer. The engineering is the work of a genius as is the styling. Shame about build quality of course. I also own a Alfetta GTV and a 105 series Coupe as amazing as they are to drive they can’t touch the Sud for fun and inducing grins 😅

[@studiocalder818]

Congratulations I know there are a few good Alfisti in Sri Lanka

[@geoffwardle]

I bought a new Alfasud Sprint Veloce (1.5 liter, twin Weber) in 1981. It was all the things that you say in your great video and of the many interesting drivers' cars that I have owned, remains one of my more treasured automotive memories. I can still feel that thrummy flat-four and the shiny, palm shaped gear knob as I threaded it up and down through the gears and sublimely around the twisties. Several years later, living in Switzerland, I bought, used, one of the very last Alfa Romeo Sprints (as it was called by then) which had the 1.7 liter injected engine along with outboard front discs and rear drums and rather clumsy plastic bumpers. It was still a very satisfying car because as an ex-car designer, I still think that it was one of the prettiest production cars ever (along with the Alfa 105 coupes) but was not quite as alive as my original Sprint Veloce.

[@damienh4357]

I had one too, I remember the buzzing rasp of the engine not only through the exhaust but through the vibration in your right foot when you pressed it to the metal throttle stop in the footwell. Unfortunately, the beautiful body was made out of Disprin and Ireland is not Italy.

[@geoffwardle]

@@damienh4357 Hey Damien - I had forgotten about the buzz through the throttle stop! And yes, although I looked after mine and used Waxoil, mine eventually started to decay faster than I could deal with it. My later, 1989 version was much better in that regard - but not quite as raspy!

[@Markdmarque]

I think they might have been twin delortos

[@jamesrichardson8417]

Iv'e owned many Alfa's and in particular a 1981 model 1.5 Sprint Veloce and still to this day can't forget how nice that engine was. It ran on twin 45 Webers and the pops and bangs on over-run just kept me smiling, it never gave me any grief whatsoever. I would have another "Veloce" anyday to relive those glory days.

[@warrenpearson7907]

This car is now for sale

[@williamgordon2919]

Had exactly the same still dream about how good that car was. So smooth and sounded fantastic. I thought it was well quick, so not sure why he says they were slow.

[@kevinoconnor7684]

Hi Jack, you're so lucky to get a chance to drive a Sprint.. and such a fantastic example.. they're so rare now.. definitely I think one of the most beautiful cars ever.. not to mention the sound.. childhood dreams..😊😊

[@patrickhostler5939]

Wow, that is beautiful and in time warp condition. Just adore the clean lines and elegant simplicity of the design

[@janvandijk2961]

A lovely car. I had the chance to drive in a Sprint Veloce 1.7 Quadrifoglio Verde at the time. What a joy!! The flat four engine really liked to rev. I think due to the relatively short stroke. The handling, the looks, the sound, it could have been a succes for Alfa Romeo. Thanks for your review Jack!

[@DouweBuruma]

I think the 105bhp twin carb is the ‘sweet spot’, the most enjoyable front wheel drive car I’ve ever driven. Thank you Jack!

[@jujuUK68]

Mind you, back then, if you debadged an Alfa, you always think you're driving the next engine size up. We couldn't believe my mates 1.3sc Alfasud. And my 1.5 Green Cloverleaf twin caarb, felt quicker than any other 1.5 I'd driven up til then. Great little engine, the boxer, in it's time - loved to rev...... Mind you, when the throttle cable on my Alfa 33 got stuck open on the A303....... *shakes head*

[@jobsmi4]

I agree. I grew up with these cars. My father loved them. The twin carb versions were very different ball game!!

[@amrs1960]

Agree I had one for 5 years absolutely loved it

[@k9killer221]

Yeah, the twin carb (dual throttle each!) engine at 105 BhP was the peach. Our car cruised at 100 Mph with such smoothness and quietness. It was a Bahnstormer. But the handling was the standout feature, so precise and flat.

[@salehmustafa366]

For me I love fiat 130 tc

[@MarkRS6]

I used to own an Alfsud Sprint Veloce 1.5 registration OTT 298W the same colour as your review car I seem to recall it had 105bhp it was great fun but the bodywork slowly dissolved.

[@fecundloin2780]

Can't remember my sud and sprints reg's but my 33's Hell Yeah! D 415 GVN (the one that had the engine work on) and E339 OMP the chassis that everything got transferred to after a BX wrecked my black beauty

[@promerops]

As regards the mechanical layout of the Alfasud family, two things: a) The Citroen GS, of the same period, had FWD and a longitudinally mounted boxer four. Incidentally, it was also a very enjoyable car both to drive and to ride in. b) Back in the late 1940s, had Lord Nuffield allowed Alec Issigonis to have his way, the Morris Mosquito (re-named the Minor) would have had FWD and a North-South flat four engine. Let's not bring in the Jowett Javelin (my grandfather's favourite car), because that was, of course, RWD.

[@peterlorimer4865]

Agree with you about the GS. I had a 1,220 estate. Terrific, confidence inspiring steering. Just a bit softer than the Alfasuds.

[@neilbucknell9564]

Hi Jack Thanks for another great video. Those Sprints and the GTVs of the late 1970s were some of the most beautiful cars ever built. But - there’s a number of reasons I think that Sud Sprints did not set the template for FWD cars in Europe. Firstly, I read many years ago that flat fours were never going to replace in-line fours because they cost considerably more to make. A flat four needs at least two separate castings for the cylinders either side of the crank case, and the wider engine is not so easy to slot into the bodyshell on the production line. So there was no chance that manufacturers would adopt them instead of in-line fours. Secondly, for most of us in the UK, we are not fond of engines that only perform at high revs. If you had been brought up with slogging flexible A-series engines, that could pull well from low revs, having to put your foot to the floor to wring out the performance does not seem like a natural way of getting enjoyment out of your car. Then there’s the rust problem. I hope as someone of Italian extraction you don’t mind me saying so, but a lot of Italian steel in the 70s and 80s was of poor quality. My brother was working in manufacturing in the early 1980s when British Steel had a protracted strike, and the company he worked for decided to but steel from Italy to replace the UK supply that could not be relied on. They were shocked at its poor quality - the rolls arrived full of rust. Finally, for drivers who a few years before had to choose between cart-sprung Capris or rear-engined cars like Fiat 850 coupes and Renault Caravelles for a coupe, the Sirocco was a revelation, so faced with a smart apparently well-built VW, it is not surprising that they sold in droves throughout Europe, even if an Alfa Sud Sprint was a better drive.

[@eternalextrapolations]

Great points. Yes, Fiats, Lancias and Alfas were known to be rusting even before they left the showroom, and with a more exotic boxer engine with inherent additional costs to manufacture and install, it could never be a replacement for standard 4-cylinder engines.

[@paulgibson1040]

sprint same shape as sciroco

[@CosmicSeeker69]

Brand image. End of. Let's not get romantic - back then anything Italian was viewed as rusting as fast if not faster than it drove while the Germans had a (deserved) reputation for solidity and reliability.

[@anthonypetty9288]

A fabulous, fun track car with the 1.7. Great handling, and people always love to see it as they are becoming rarer. Love my 81 Sprint. 🍀❤

[@dbx3197]

When I was at school in the early 80s one of the six formers had a 1.5 Sprint Veloce Cloverleaf. It was beautiful. The end of term wheel spins down the road left a real mark in my 13 year old mind. Have loved these cars ever since. Such a cleverly designed and engineered car. Fantastic. Keep them coming, Jack.

[@БранимирПетров]

Hi Jack! You've found a lovely example. I think I can add a few points on it's lackluster success (as an owner of two 33s with a similar setup): 1. Some important components were never developed enough to be reliable. For example the gearbox - usually they feel horrible well before 100 000 km, after the syncros for 1st ans 2nd are done, and the bushings deteriorate. The grounding of the electrical systems was always abysimal. The engines are quite solid, but most owners drove them like a base Golf - without any warming up and with the cheapest oil possible. Thus, the oil pumps went out, and the cam lobes would get worn. The inboard breakes were great when they worked, but oil seeping from the gearbox seals would contaminate them, and would reguire major teardown. I won't even mention the rust, even in the 90s the 33s on this platform rusted really bad. 2. They weren't as practical. For example, the low oil pan (made of pressed steel) would get hit on speed bumps, thus pushing it to the oil pump feed, and destroying the engine. Parts supply was awful even back then, and there isn't a great aftermarket support today. In fact, from 10+ years you can't buy a new thermostat. I love this platform, and would only replace my 33 for another, but I still think Alfa have missed a great opportunity by not fixing their issues.

[@thatcheapguy525]

I had a Scirocco GTX and thanks to the oil intercooler positioning between the block and oil filter + low ground clearance it was easy to rupture. if you really want rubbish synchros, try the Simca 1100/Talbot Horizon/Talbot Alpine/Peugeot 309 (how did that gearbox ever stay in production so long?) which is in trouble from about 15000 miles!!!

[@dutchsailor6620]

In general the grounding problems occurred because of the rust that developed around the earth screws.

[@БранимирПетров]

@@dutchsailor6620 True that. Also by using self tapping screws for such places.

[@dutchsailor6620]

@@БранимирПетров Biggest problem is different metals and a small electrical current coming together near a moist spot. Galvanic corrosion guaranteed.

[@peterlorimer4865]

I also had the transmission problem in two successive Suds. Just got stiffer and stiffer to change gear until they seized up.

[@mattbettany1174]

Been waiting for this one . Pause ready for when I’m home from work 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@rhannay39]

A friend's father had one of these when we were 18-19. We went almost everywhere at 10/10s. What a fantastic car.

[@dough740]

Had an X reg Sprint Veloce - 2 tone - dark blue and an increasing amount of brown. For all it was so light, mine got a little faster every day, as something else would fall off it. Atrocious electrics (eventually controlled the beam by switch on the dashboard), and the self-adjusting onboard brakes were a nightmare to change. However, it was a delight to drive - stunning looks, fabulous suspension, wonderful 3rd gear, and a glorious sound, especially echoing around the tenements in Glasgow. It remains one of my favourite cars. Edit: Forgot about the choke - why was it there? If you even looked at it before starting, you flooded the engine..... When I drove it from Aberdeen to Fishers in Edinburgh to trade it in against a 33, I had to tie both doors shut as the hinges on both had failed (they didn't sell it on)

[@alister_grigg]

My car friends in California look at me weird when I rave about Suds; I'm going to share this video with them. The joy on your face as you drive it says it all. Marvelous cars.

[@Apollodoros76]

Grande Jack! La Sprint mi faceva battere il cuore da bambino, e ancora oggi!

[@steveberridge4648]

Literally my dream classic car. Came so close to owning one as a young man but it never happened and I haven't see one in years. Well done on being one of the only you tube channels I can recall to feature this car !!

[@timgosling6189]

I had a '79 Sprint Veloce, so the twin carb 95 bhp version, and drove it from 1980 to '84. It was so pretty, white with dark brown velour inside, sounded great and went reasonably well. 0-60 was around 11 seconds. But, there were a few buts! There was a bit of understeer courtesy of the engine being well in front of the axle but not really enough grunt for torque steer to be a problem. But at a year old the dampers were shot, in fact they were probably that way from new. Replacements were no better so I had to go non-standard to get rid of those heart-in-the-mouth moments with rapid changes of direction. Then there were the brakes. The front inboard discs were manually adjustable and needed to be tweeked about every 2 weeks. Sometimes there would just suddenly be no brakes. What's more, the adjusters were almost but not entirely impossible to get at unless you were ET. But what ended our relationship was the rust. At 3 years old it was starting to come out of the seams between panels, then around the rear glass, and at 5 it was effectively scrap. I sold it to a London dealer who likely broke it for spares. Still loved it....

[@Number27]

This one didn’t seem to have much understeer… thank for the memories!!

[@timgosling6189]

@@Number27 tyre technology is much better now!

[@kalleklp7291]

I had one back then in 89. It handled like a go-cart around the corners and had a nice sound to it. Really an enjoyable quirky little car. However, the ever-persistent problem with rust was beginning to be an issue. I should have kept it though. :)

[@MINIMOTOMADNESS]

tried to handbrake turn one in the 80"s,it did not end well,

[@JK061996]

It locks the front wheels, right?

[@rallycrosscraig]

Only works in reverse with Clutch in!

[@simonhodgetts6530]

Such a lovely car! The styling still looks amazing, even today - and the earlier slim chrome bumpers suit it much better than the later examples. Sweet sounding engine too - that low down thrum and slight growl as you pull away was still there in the later iterations - sadly I’ve only driven a 146 with the flat four, and by then it was decidedly down on power, and strangled by catalysts - but I remember what a little screamer the engine was in the ‘Sud. Pity that the usual Italian gremlins let such a fine car down 😔

[@peterjennings8258]

I always find it amusing how opinions differ on the black bumper cars, I first saw a chrome bumper sprint around 1990, I was 15... my sisters boyfriend had one.... fell in love with the shape... studied the Haynes manual....which featured pictures of the later restyled cars... Black bumpers, more modern inside, bigger badges, the cast alloy cam covers proclaiming Alfa romeo... the net headrests... for me the 1500 green cloverleaf was so much nicer than the classic chrome bumper cars... 105hp... I got mine late in 1992 when I was 17, its still in my garage , and infact was registered 40yrs ago today.. each to their own, but I love my black bumpers!

[@drink4711]

That old boxer sound is so lovely... takes me back to my youth!

[@Lightw81]

Ironically the Scirocco was a rustbucket, too.

[@riccapucho]

Me again. Had one of these in the mid-1980s. Quick, gorgeous, a bit… flimsy. Loved it.

[@oliverlondon5246]

Love this. Exactly how an Alfa should sound and handle. How about testing a GTV 2.5 one day?

[@grantpiper6358]

I used to drive a Sud 1.5ti - what a blast in the corners and revved like a sewing machine. Pity so few have survived.

[@johang7498]

04:17: Sweet memories, I've had the 1.6 boxer-engine in a 146, one of the very last ones to have one. No other engine quite has the same character. On the scirocco vs. sud sprint-comparison: I always found both cars looked strikingly similar down to the B-pillars. Both were designed by Giugiaro, as was the initial alfasud saloon btw - it was Italdesigns first major design if I recall right during their startup-phase. Something that sometimes annoys me with reviews on alfasud is the ever present mention of rust ... I know it's something like the elephant in the room regarding this car, but it's clear that the surviving examples of now 40 to 50 years old haven't suffered too much from it, whether it is thanks to a caring owner or not. Many other cars of the 1970s and 1980s tended to rust quite quickly as well, regardless of their origin. That being said, though - nice to see this little sprint drive by!

[@studiocalder818]

👍🏻 Big problems of the first series then overcome, no problems in the following 75 and 90, but the vulgate remained. Like the one that Bmws don't hold the road in the rain 😁

[@paulqueripel3493]

​@@studiocalder818 the Suds and Sprints were made in the Naples plant, everything else was Arese (Milan). One factory knew what they were doing, the other would leave steel or unpainted bodyshells out in the rain. They were starting to rust before they were painted.

[@DanielCurti]

For me the most beautiful Alfa of the 70's. Even more than the GTV. A design balanced, elegant and sporty at the same time. Amazing. A car to have on my hypothetical collection.

[@mrdrains2088]

Agree, body lines are nicer that a GTV so there is minimal overhang - in fact the Sprint actually has a longer wheelbase (almost identical to a Countach) than the GTV.

[@ianmcshane9728]

I passed my test in one almost exactly that - a red 1979 1.5. It was a fantastic car. My father owned 5 ‘suds. Never been brave enough since - they all showed signs of the brown devil in 2 years. I think the main reason the configuration didn’t take off was cost. The design was superlative (Hruska was ex-Porsche), but production cost of a flat 4 is much higher than a straight 4. 2 heads, 2 or 4 cams all come at their cost. Shame, only Subaru and Porsche keep flying the flag.

[@Bamsebrakar2011]

I agree boxer engines are superb for their low centre of gravity. I’ve owned both 2,4, and 6 cyl boxer engines - Ciroën Dyane, VW Beetle and Porsche 911s.

[@shelbygtsoo]

I had a 1983 Black Alfasud Ti QV 105 hp with the wonderful red ti over black interior and I loved every bit of it and used to talk to her and kiss the steering when I come back from a long trip ❤❤❤ I remember the advertisement said it have torque that brings out the devil in anyone’s soul

[@dan3092]

What a gem that car is, the series 1 was always the looker in a simple way I had a Sud in the late 80's handling was outstanding for the time and it was 10 years old then and the smile on your face in 2023 says it all nice one Jack.

[@Mexzot]

My second car was a 3yo Alfa Sud Sprint veloce with the twin webber 45mm carbs…tuned to 120BHP. My life goal is to make enough money to open a factory to remake that car! No other vehicle made me smile like you were in that video EVERY time I drove it…loose a job, girlfriend…take the Sprint for a drive and life was good again! I would trade my current Golf-R in a heartbeat for a new Sprint!!!

[@1240enzo]

Over the years I have driven Suds including the delightful Sprint, as well as the 33, and all you say is correct re these cars. Well done, it is such a pity that Italian cars from this era suffered from the rust debarcle. Just a little side note, out here in Australia, a small car company took the Sprint and totally re-engineered it to have a mid engine layout using a worked Holden 5.0L V8 with a matching 5 spd box and totally reworked suspension. Much of the engineering behind this project was done by an ex Lamborghini engineer.The car, is called the Giacottolo Group B. 13 cars were built and they were totally incredible. They were basically a mini supercar with a very high price at the time of around $90k. These days if one comes up for sale (rarely), your talking multiple $100ks.

[@Apollodoros76]

Wow....

[@StephenYates-w4v]

A 1979 Sprint Veloce in dark blue started a life long affection for me with Alfa Romeo. Still driving them today 35 years later. Oh and the B4437 is a nice road too, you must be fairly local to me.

[@alexmcwhirter6611]

Thanks for bringing back old memories. In 1983 I bought one of the last series 1 models. Sprint 1.5 Veloce 95 hp. Rosso and the interior (sunroof excepted) was exactly the same as the example you drove. Of course it was a great car but after eight years, and with low mileage (probably not more than 30,000 on the clock) it was showing old age. The only volume car which was competitive in terms of handling (but of course little engine character) was a mark 1 Focus Zetec 1.6. Registered new in 2005. I bought it used in 2007 with 32,000 miles and drove it to 48,000 miles until 2016 and it yet was still almost like new ! In all that time the Focus never let me down but the Sprint was unreliable and almost left me stranded several times.

[@historymythslegends]

I had one of tese, a 1.3 Junior, I also bought a 33 1.7 clove leaf (that was the deal, 2 for 1) in bad shape and placed its engine in the Sprint along with brakes, it was awesome, I miss it, my first contact with Alfa Romeo. thank you for bringing back memories. Mostly because of much less traffic back in the day, but it still holds my record from Lisbon to my house 60km away.

[@Roger_Ramjet]

In a KZbin world of gimmicks and garbage, your knowledge, personality, and genuine automotive passion are a breath of fresh air. Keep on keeping on number 27....love the Alfa!

[@simonjohnson2103]

The smile on your face said it all! They are wonderful things to drive on a twist road...

[@andicog]

I had both the Mk2 3.0S Capri and a Sprint Veloce 1.5 . The Alfa did handle well but rotted like crazy and wasn't as easy to work on as the Capri, I remember having an Alfa dealer fit new front pads to the sprint and grinding to a halt with the front discs glowing red hot on the way home, then the clutch slave went. We had 3 Alfa suds, 1x 1.5 sprint and 2x 1.5ti's, the inner wings rotted through on one TI, we only realised because the bonnet was moving on the scuttle panel when going on and off throttle, the engine was literally the only thing holding the front on. Happy days though 👍

[@My-Opinion-Doesnt-Matter]

Ah, the great British dealers, lol...

[@marksulloway5669]

Still have fond memories of this exact model in bright yellow while living in Germany.

[@christopping5876]

I had a Alfa sud gairdinetta 1.5 in South Africa at University. Brilliant handling, happy to cruise at 140 kph all day. 14 hours from Pietermaritzburg to Cape Town (1500km). Shirtened gear stick made it feel like a switch between gears. Loved it, and I do not think I have owned a more fun to drive car since BUT a Rust bucket.

[@jonathaneves]

Thanks for the fun review. I had the 1.2 in South Africa and let my brother drive it in a game farm. A large elephant we were watching unexpectedly turned and charged us. The low power at low revs caught my brother off guard and he stalled the engine and lost his voice in panic as we sat helplessly in the low car. The elephant stormed through the bush like a chieftain tank attacking "invaders". Thank God, the huge beast swerved just before trampling us. It took a few moments for my brother to get his voice back as we watched the elephant disappear with a profound sense of relief. 😮

[@davyboy888]

Great vid. The Suds and Sprints are such fantastic cars. They were very popular in Ireland [where I grew up]... there used to be tons of them over there. We liked our FIATs, Lancias and Alfas in Ireland during the 1970s.

[@studiocalder818]

That's interesting, I didn't know about it!

[@barrypearson3741]

Loved your review of the Sprint Jack and your enthusiasm about the driving of the car brought back lots of happy memories of my own. I bought one of the first Suds into the country in Jan ‘74, then had a Sprint which I sold when children arrived buying a Sud 5 door Hatchback. The original Sud did suffer with rust but neither the latter 2 showed signs during my ownership. The mechanicals on all of them gave no trouble at all. I loved all of them for their driving enjoyment, engineering design, and their looks, and would kill to have my Sprint back in my garage now.

[@haydenisaac3030]

I had the Veloce version and the throttle response was great. It had a really nice induction sound too. Seeing this car brings back a lot of good memories plus a few of it rusting...

[@MatthewSmith-j1l]

I've heard a similar thing about rust from an old boy who used to work for Leyland. He said it was common to see car bodies stacked up and left outside before being painted. Sometimes to the point that they'd have to angle grind some of the rust off first.

[@gerrymccarthy9568]

Had a ‘79 Sprint Veloce. 105 bhp. Magnificent is the only way to describe it. But sills rusted after two years. Still, I loved it. The handling was amazing, easily on par with a later Peugeot 205GTI. I loved that car too. As I’ve just had my ‘68 280SL Pagoda restored, I might go looking for a new project 🤔

[@warrenpearson7907]

It's now for sale ...

[@streetsj]

ABK 471V - can't believe it just popped back into my head like that. My first ever car - 1982. A 1.5ti Alfasud. Loved it to pieces. And sadly it did rust to pieces. I sold it to a friend for £50 with the provision that he would give me a £100 if ti passed its MOT. The garage wouldn't give him the car back, they said it was too dangerous to drive, that the engine was no longer attached to anything - it had all rusted away - and the next time he braked hard it would come through the windscreen! I now have an Alfa Spider and a Giulietta sitting in the drive - that's how much I loved it.

[@stevenscott7572]

I have one of the last ones - a 1988 1.7 Cloverleaf. I adore this little car and can't stop smiling when driving. Usable performance while keeping to sensible - often legal - limits, and that sound ❤❤❤❤

[@jasongomez5344]

I had an ''88 Sprint 1.7 Green Cloverleaf. What a stunning car it was. But the floorpan was welded around 3mm too far to the left, so the nearside sill drain holes couldn't drain water. Rear valance was also a big mud-trap.

[@EnglishSpitfire]

I had a white one of these back in 1983, it was 5 years old and was my first car, I was just 21. I absolutely loved it. It was a beautiful looking car, like a small exotic and fantastic to drive. However after I'd had it a few months the top of the left wing suddenly developed a big hole. As was done in those days, someone had filled it full of newspaper and filler and sprayed over it! After 4 years I scrapped it and during that time I'd had both sills welded because of rust. It felt really special compared to what other people were driving back then. I originally wanted a Jensen Healey. However, when I went to see a Healey that was for sale there's no way I could buy it as it was a complete rust bucket!! I was absolutely shocked how rusty that Jensen was - so it wasn't just the Alfa that rusted!!!!!! (Lot's of cars rusted back then). I feel very lucky that back then as a 21 year old I was able to buy and be insured on such wonderful sports cars. Youngsters today have to wait until at least their mid 20s before insurance companies will even consider them, and a comparable sports car will cost an arm and a leg to buy and insure today. Great times to drive cars back in the 80s, not least loads of open space on the roads, without any speed cameras.. a great decade!! I replaced it with a brand new Peugeot 1.6 205 GTi !!

[@pauldavid6114]

" Good evening officer...I'm afraid it's very difficult to drive this car slowly"...is my abiding memory of Sprint Veloce ownwership....

[@nomebear]

The college kid next door owned one. He had performed major tuning on the car's engine, and it was a performer.

[@markcompton6750]

Wow Jack. I had a pale green one, I must have been 25. Such great memories, most good 👍

[@paulmorris67]

I’ve owned 2 sprints in the past a ‘V’ reg 1980 Alfasud Sprint 1.5 Veloce and a later ‘F’ Reg 1.7 Sprint Cloverleaf. MLW823V was my first ever car bought for £500 in 1989 as ‘sold for spares’ it was a burnt orange colour with dark yellow velour seats and I absolutely loved it. Handling was second to none, the engine was so sweet and revvy. I remember having to replace the front brake callipers which on inboard discs wasn’t easy. The Haynes manual instructed to first remove engine, I ignored that advice and the work took twice as long to complete 😂 Unfortunately there was more filler than steel in most of the panels and I sold it on to fund a trip to the States a year later. The F reg 1.7 was in much better nick body wise but the gearbox gave up on me after doing about 10,000 miles in it. I keep looking at those that come up for sale and thinking should I go for it….. For all the faults (mainly horrific rust) the whole package was brilliant and I consider myself very lucky to have owned 2 of them

[@alfanovanta]

When I was very young, 6 years or so, when we went to my parents holiday home, there would often be that yellow Alfa Stud Sprint with the chrome and black elements and green cloverleaf badges. It was a thing of beauty! I was always looking through the windows looking at that beautiful interior. It was like a mini Ferrari to me. Kinda still is, but more rare 😂

[@PheasantPluckersMate]

Jack’s smile says it all. I had a beautiful AF Beta 1.6 coupe for a couple of years and adored it.

[@G58]

As someone who has worked on my own bikes and cars from day one: Honda C50, CD175, CB250G5…; Bond Bug, Vauxhall Viva (x2), SAAB 99, Triumph Dolomite… I can still recall what many of the routine jobs entailed on each one, despite the 35-45 year passage of time since I owned them. I also remember the few occasions I went potholing in my late teens and early 20s. But at no time did I consider combining potholing with car maintenance. Perhaps that’s why I never owned an Alfasud or a Sprint. 👀🧐😎😜 Seriously, excellent idea from a weight distribution perspective, and vastly superior to Porsche’s idea of hanging a flat six out behind the gearbox of the 911. But just changing the plugs would be a bugger of a job. Thank you for sharing this one Jack. Very Italian indeed.

[@DrivenFloored]

aaahhh, it takes me back. 17 and my first car, a red sprint veloce! falling apart and the very tolerant girl sat next to me would hold the door closed when we went around a roundabout :) ...she was a keeper and we've been married 30 years - shame the sprint found a sticky end when I wasn't paying attention. I decided to re-live my youth about 8 years ago and got another - so much about it was great, but I sold it on in the end. Thanks Jack, enjoyed this very much.

[@paulcarter3271]

Thanks for a great video. My wife and I had 3 Sud tis, 1.2, 1.3 and 1.5 plus a 1.5 Super and a 1.5 Sprint Veloce. To this day the Sprint remains one of the best cars I've ever owned. The throttle response was described by CAR magazine as "hair trigger" who rated it as a miniature Ferrari. Mine was silver with choclate velour but my best friend was a Golf GTi fan and I traded it for an early GTi only to find the Golf was a sledgehammer rather than kid gloves and was neither as fast nor intoxicating to drive but it was more practical and less hassle. After two more Golf GTis and a 205 GTi (interspersed with a Scirocco and a 1.5 Sprint like the one you've tested), I bought an Alfa 75 V6 and have driven Alfa V6s (plus a Mito Cloverleaf 170) ever since. None were perfect but I wouldn't have wanted anything else. My Alfa journey has culminated in a Giulia Quadrifoglio and for the first time Alfa Romeo have produced a car that ranks as not only class leading but needs no excuses. Nevertheless I still maintain it is more fun to drive a slow car quickly tnan a fast car slowly and yearn to experience a Sprint 1.5 Veloce again. As for looks, the Sprint and Giulia QV look sublime with no excess frippery. 🍀💯🇮🇹😊

[@gionncaomhinmorpheagh4791]

I owned and drove an Alfasud Sprint in 1977. It was an absolutely immacualte jam-jar and worlds apart from the vehicles I'd driven up to then! I'd beg to differ on the gear-change, though, because getting into third was a bit of a snicky affair, until you got used to it. I lived in West Berlin (as it was called at the time) and the Sprint didn't take kindly to the winters there. Fortunatley, it had a choke, so the early-morning starts went off well most of the time. What really impressed me was when I drove it in West Germany. The steering and roadholding were absolutely out of this world! Driving at a fair whack from Freiburg i. Br. to Villingen-Schweniggen in South Baden (for those who know the route) through the "Teufelsschlucht" even had a Merc 300D (who was trying her/his very best to overtake me the whole way) spin off the road at one of the hairpin bends. Very satisfying indeed! Rusting Alfas - a myth that's not true! By 1977, Alfa Romeo followed Porsche and became the second car manufacturer in the world to internally galvanise all interior surfaces to prevent that. But myths linger on ... All in all, the Alfasud Sprint was one of the nicest and best set-up cars I've ever owned and driven. What I especially liked very much about it was that it was really easy to heel-and-toe in tight corners and it answered the throttle without hesitation. Alfa Romeo definitely produced a brilliant car in the Sprint. If I had the choice today, I'd own one again in a heartbeat. MsG

[@spdaltid]

I spent a decade or so as an Alfaholic and had quite a number of different models. I had a 2dr 'sud ti which was just wonderful - but it dissolved rapidly. Slow to learn, I later bought a Sprint 1.7 Quadrifoglio. Being black, it was easier to hide the inevitable rust. Wonderful memories - thanks.

[@biffjones2601]

I drove one in the 80's and it was great. Looked like a mini GTV. good handling, braking and performance. You sat low, so it had that sports car feel. Thanks for the memories.

[@andrewdawson5281]

I had a test drive in a Sprint, which led me to buying a Sud in 1987. I've owned an early Mini, a Pug 205 gti and a BMW E39. All great cars but it's memories of driving the Sud that make my heart melt.

[@pd4165]

On the rust issue..... I lived in Italy in the 70's. Italian car buying, in that era, was intensely patriotic - I'd say that about 50% of all cars were FIATs and maybe 15% were not of Italian origin. The car market was so strong that exports were almost an afterthought - a lot of Italy is 'rust free' (cars died when they were uneconomic to repair, not rusted out like in the UK) so not only were panel gaps etc appalling but they didn't really bother to design out rust traps. With bad paint jobs, on underprepared surfaces, it's no surprise Italian cars (Alfasuds in particular) rusted horrendously in rusty countries. And they were expensive! The Capri S retailed for a lot less (I had one, it was a decent package - and I liked being tail out on every corner) and you could buy spares in any junkyard or cornershop car factors - I could walk to my nearest one - dirt cheap. Italian spares? Expensive and quite often had to be specially imported, which was a complete PITA (I've had FIATs - customer service was DIRE). So you're talking about an aspirational working man's coupe - no wonder they didn't sell. Expensive to buy in a market where £ is important, expensive to insure and maintain and with a poor reputation for rust, when everyone lived in fear of rust. It's a no brainer - you'd have to be very brave to buy Italian in those days. But getting out of a Capri and driving any Sud - it was a revelation. As long as it was someone else's.

[@iansteel5569]

I loved my Sprint back in 1982, many happy memories.

[@philhawley1219]

What a true assessment of Alfa's first front wheel drive cars, I used to drive a two door Sud. I loved it. But your comments about Guigario designing the Scirocco, Golf , Alfa 105 series and many other great cars overlooks the fact he wasn't very good at motor bikes. I own a Ducati 860GT which had rather shall we say an angular shape. Almost like a Sprint going flat out in reverse. A previous owner remedied mine by fitting it with handmade bodywork. Now she looks like Gina Lolobridgida in a silk negligee.

[@peterlorimer4865]

Another great Alfa video. After my 105 Series, I had two Suds. Brilliant front drive handling. Rust was actually no worse than on the 105 GT Junior. The problem with both of my Suds was failing gearboxes. Also the flat fours meant the plugs and HT leads were fairly close to the road surface and prone to damp in the winter, which took some of the fun away. Both of my Suds came with full length Webasto type sunroofs, which wasn't a great idea because the holes in the tops destroyed their structural rigidity and could put the front alignment out just changing a wheel.

[@zahimiibrahim3602]

In '86 I bought an '82 Sprint with 36,000 miles on the clock, it was my first ever car. I had to decide between a Canary Yellow '76 VW Beetle in lovely condition (the practical choice) or a slightly rusted Sprint in Dutch Blue that felt great on the test drive and my heart won over my mind. Rusted front wings and rear wheel arches had to be replaced but otherwise the car was perfect. Fond memories of the sharp steering, instant throttle response and that raspy boxer exhaust note.

[@michaelbacon561]

I can remember riding in one owned by a friend's father back in the late 70s. I was blown away by its mechanical refinement; how it cruised almost silently until the accelerator was pushed nearer to the floor. What a contrast to the wheezing and whining Allegro and RWD Fords with their vibrating propshafts.

[@willmac5642]

Dad bought one around 1978 (not he veloce). I remember he gearbox broke within two weeks, but after that it ran pretty well. Loved the noise of engine, even tho it wasn't that fast. Lovely steering wheel and wacky way to open the rear windows

[@jimhutton4352]

Absolutely cracking cars!! I once saw one in a scrapyard, it was black with black seats with green diamonds in with red carpets! It was fantastic and in fact in better condition than the car I went there in, unfortunately they wouldn’t sell it as a whole car 😢

[@eze8970]

Should have bought the passenger seat one day, then gone back for the rest the next?!

[@nige_breaks_bikes9782]

A mate had a veloce in the late eighties… you could literally watch it dissolve over the weeks … plus no folding rear seat … but a sweet light coupe ❤

[@robertsanders9068]

Back in the day, my local mechanic had a 'sud in for a new clutch - swore blind he would never touch another due to complexity. Compare that with the fact that a reasonably competent owner could replace a Capri/Scirocco clutch on their drive on a Saturday afternoon! - Really enjoying your channel.................

[@stephenlee4596]

I owned 3 Alfasuds in the 70s, and also worked at an Alfa dealership so drove all Alfa models. The person who owned the dealership was responsible for the first developments of twin Dellortos on the Sud, Peter West. A beautiful car, great in snow, but as you say let down by rust, which no amount of Zeibart could prevent.

[@neilwalsh4058]

Great coverage of a stunning looking car. That brought back some happy memories from 1989 when i bought my one an only real Alfa, a chocolate brown metallic 1.5 Sud Sprint Veloce. It was a 81-W reg, absolutely solid as a rock and cost me £375. Always struggled with tuning the twin carbs , and sold it a few months later, but was mesmerised by the interior. Same colour velour as the one here , deep set dials ,that quirky heater fan arrangement and the great noise is made on full tilt, all made for a short but very memorable ownership. I'm a FIAT man through and through, not a big Alfa fan, always thought most were vastly overrated and although FIAT is the reason they still exist after the 80's bail out , Alfa always took the limelight away from their savours in some superb looking FIAT's, like the Dino, 130 Coupe, Strada Abarth , 850 Coupe, 128 3p. But for looks, driveability and overall wow factor the Sud Sprint takes some beating 👍🇮🇹

[@emty9668]

I owned a T-reg four door 1.5 Single carb Alfasud with a boot, a 1.3 X reg two door with hatchback, a Y-reg 1.5 four door Gold Cloverleaf with twin carbs, K&N air filters either side of the flat four and finally an A or C -reg Green Cloverleaf 1.5 complete with net headrests. The downside was rust, while the Gold Cloverleaf was ziebarted it didn't stop the rust. Inner and outer wings, sills and windscreen surround not to mention the wheel arches. In fact everything rusted. Other downsides were the inboard brake disks which were almost inaccessible unless you dropped the engine and gear box out. Don't get me started on trying to find second gear which was usually because the plastic shims/spacer at the base of the gear stick wore quickly. I loved the way the cars handled and pulled through corners where lesser cars had to brake the Alfasud just went faster and faster. They rusted so badly I had shares in a filler and fibreglass company.

[@meofnz2320]

My flatmate had one in the 1980s. I drove it a couple of times and I still remember what a delight it was. Kind of like putting your dancing shoes on. I bought an RX7…

[@laurencecorbett4290]

Jack I have been following your channel for a few years now and I thoroughly enjoy your content. Your passion and positive energy sets you apart. Always look forward to your content. Keep up the good work

[@Number27]

Thank you Laurence, really glad you’ve stuck with me for so long!

[@michaelopere5424]

This car makes me feel nostalgic.The Alfa Romeo Sprint was my first car,mine had a glorious stock exhaust note,it would even pop occasionally.

[@wouterkolkman]

Thanks Jack for the video. When I lived with my parents I persuaded them to buy a Sprint - bright orange. Absolutely great to drive! It also happened to be similar to the first Alfa I bought - 1.3 B-reg in 1990. This was a complete rust bucket, but great to drive once again. I am now on Alfa number 6:-)

[@Steedonline]

I've always loved the Sprint Veloce's design. I owned a 33 sportswagon and you couldn't but fall in love with the Alfa flat-4. A gem, really.

[@TheMrFishnDucks]

Awesome car. Love the looks of this. That heater controls are astoundingly bad ergonomics at first I thought your were taking the piss. Thank you for showcasing older cars. Keep up the good work.

[@theadventuresofred19]

I had two of these in the 80s. As you said, amazing, good, looking cars with so many good features and terrific handling of that brilliant engine, but mine absolutely disintegrated into rust. It was almost criminal. Meanwhile, my son's alfa is eight years old and in rude health with no visible rust yet.

[@Number27]

So sad to hear that..

[@tedburnard841]

Even the other Alfas were just as poorly built at the time. I bought a new Alfetta 1.8 sedan in 1976. I was dismayed at the build quality, as there was none. Every door made a different sound when closing which did not inspire confidence in body stability. It rusted through around the windscreen and rear window in four years, despite being well looked after and garaged every night. The carpet in the front passenger side was crumpled up near the door and there was a gap between the end of the carpet and the door on the driver’s side. I lived in Adelaide, South Australia at the time. Despite all that, I loved that little car and kept it for over four years. A few years afterwards I bought a second hand late 81 2.0 GTV and the build quality was light years ahead.

[@richarddoig]

My first car, a 1979 Sprint 1.5. Still sets my standard for good handling. Took me a while to figure out the mark that kept appearing on the inside leg of my jeans. Eventually figured out it was where the steering wheel rubbed, the car not being made for a 6'1" person!

[@joaquinazpiroz9906]

I owned a 10 year old alfa sud sprint when I lived in France. I did not wash it for the last year I had it because pieces of rust were falling off. I really loved it

[@Number27]

😁 glad you still loved it!!

[@Omegaman1969]

My first Alfa was a Silver 1978 1.5 ti sprint, loved that car.

[@Tracertme]

I loved this car as a young boy I had a friend who owned one and just to drive it for 5 minutes each way I would take it for him and wash it. Later once I was older my first ever car was a 82 Alfa GTV6 in gunmetal grey… and I loved it… ❤😂

[@stefanomacchi1977]

Rust was the real alfasud problem, i got a 33 1.5 and that boxer was amazing, sold with 230k km done, all with a very aggressive speed, never got a single problem, an amazing handling, good old days... I was young.

[@theatheistmonk4385]

Dad had a 1984 Alfa Romeo Alfasud Sprint 1.5 Green Cloverleaf. I absolutely adored it. Unfortunately, it didn't agree with the Cornish weather, and it rusted away to nothing.

[@fredkaak5572]

What a shame they didn't build it right, the handling was incredible, why build something so beautiful and not taking care of rust. In winter it had start-problems, but when it started, it drove incredible, and overhauling was so simple, from 80 to 120, (in Km) it had so much left. I wish they would make them again, I loved the sound of the boxer engine, never had a radio on, just listening to the sound, fabulous, later on I had an 33, much the same, but when they ditched the boxer, I was out. The smile on the face of the presenter says it all, I had a smile like that.