Alfa Romeo Alfasud Sprint

The project that gave rise to the Alfa Romeo Alfasud Sprint dates back to the late 1960s. At that time, the Italian government and Alfa Romeo's management, led by Giuseppe Luraghi, sought an alternative to combat unemployment in southern Italy and industrialize the Naples region. The solution was the construction of a new, modern factory in Pomigliano d'Arco. The complex and the car produced there were named "Alfasud" (Alfa of the South).

To design the Alfasud line, the manufacturer hired renowned Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, of Italdesign. While the sedan version debuted in 1971, the project for a three-door sports coupe had been in the plans since 1968. The proposal was to create a modern spiritual successor to the acclaimed Alfa Romeo GT Junior. This model was intended to combine Alfa Romeo's sharp dynamics with an affordable price for the young middle class of the era.

The car's dynamic behavior and chassis were developed by Austrian engineer Rudolf Hruska, formerly of Porsche. Breaking the brand's tradition of rear-wheel drive, Hruska designed a model with front-wheel drive and a boxer (opposed-cylinder) engine mounted longitudinally ahead of the front axle. This configuration significantly lowered the center of gravity and allowed for a very low, aerodynamic wedge-shaped front.

The Alfasud Sprint was officially presented to the press in September 1976, in the commune of Baia Domizia, debuting to the general public at the Turin Motor Show in November of the same year.

The car's styling featured straight lines, an aggressive front end with four round iodine headlights inserted into a black grille with the classic central chrome shield, and a short rear cut at an acute angle (Kamm tail or coda tronca style). Although it featured a wide hatchback, the model received criticism at the time because the rear seat was fixed and could not be folded down to expand the 325-liter trunk.

Under the hood, the Sprint debuted with a 1,286 cc boxer engine (commercially called 1.3), fed by a twin-choke carburetor. This engine generated 76 PS (75 hp) at 6,000 rpm and was coupled to a fully synchronized five-speed manual transmission. The initial interior finish featured seats upholstered in brown plaid fabric and Texalfa synthetic leather.

In May 1978, Alfa Romeo updated the powertrains to match the refreshed Alfasud ti line. The 1,286 cc engine was discontinued, making room for two new Boxer options with a twin-choke carburetor:

• 1.3 (1,351 cc): Produced 79 PS (78 hp) at 6,000 rpm and 111 Nm of torque.
• 1.5 (1,490 cc): Produced 85 PS (84 hp) at 5,800 rpm and 121 Nm of torque.

With this 1978 update, the exterior chrome trim on window frames, mirrors, and B/C pillars were replaced by matte black plastic or darkened stainless steel parts. In the interior, the seats gained more generous side bolsters and new camel-colored fabric upholstery.

In June 1979, the iconic Alfasud Sprint Veloce version was launched. Thanks to the adoption of two twin-choke carburetors (one for each cylinder bank) and an increase in the compression ratio, the power of the 1.3 engine rose to 86 PS (85 hp) and the 1.5 engine to 95 PS (94 hp), significantly improving the car's performance and acceleration.

With the end of the Alfasud sedan line in 1983 and the launch of the new Alfa Romeo 33, the coupe underwent a major restyling. To mark this new phase, the name "Alfasud" and the suffix "Veloce" were abandoned, and the car was simply called the Alfa Romeo Sprint.

The exterior look was updated with grey plastic bumpers replacing the old metal ones, a new front grille, and plastic side moldings with colored pinstripes that identified the engine (grey for the 1.3, red for the 1.5, and green for the Quadrifoglio version). The rear gained trapezoidal taillights connected by a black plastic strip with the Alfa Romeo logo. Inside, the model adopted new dials, a Jaeger digital clock on the center console, and redesigned sports seats.

Underneath the visual changes, there were two distinct mechanical phases in this second generation:

• Transition Phase (1983 to end of 1984): The Sprint maintained the original Alfasud platform, characterized by rear suspension with a rigid axle, Panhard rod, and four-wheel disc brakes, with the front discs installed at the differential output (inboard system).
• Alfa 33 Unified Phase (End of 1984 to 1989): The Sprint began using the same floorpan and mechanics as the first generation of the Alfa Romeo 33. The front suspension was revised, the front brakes were moved to the wheels (conventional outboard system), and the rear brakes became drum brakes. This change simplified mechanical maintenance, as access to the front discs became much easier.

In March 1983, Alfa Romeo introduced the 1.5 Quadrifoglio Verde version. Equipped with an improved version of the 1,490 cc engine with two modified cylinder heads and twin carburetors, it delivered 105 PS (104 hp) at 6,000 rpm. This configuration featured shorter gear ratios, ventilated front brake discs, rear spoiler, exclusive eight-hole alloy wheels with metric Michelin TRX tires, and green interior carpeting.

In November 1987, the model's final mechanical update occurred. The 1.5 version was discontinued to make way for the Sprint 1.7 Quadrifoglio Verde. This 1,712 cc engine with a single camshaft and 8 valves generated 118 PS (116 hp), allowing the coupe to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.3 seconds and exceed 190 km/h. To meet export environmental laws in some countries, a version equipped with Bosch LE3 Jetronic electronic injection and a three-way catalytic converter was created, generating 105 PS.

The Alfa Romeo Boxer engine featured a single-piece cast iron block (which ensured great rigidity) and lightweight aluminum alloy heads and pistons. The distribution featured a single overhead camshaft (SOHC) per bank, driven by individual timing belts.

Due to the car's great appeal with the young European public, Alfa Romeo launched several special series focused on the French, German, Swiss, and British markets:

The Sprint chassis' excellent dynamic balance motivated engineers in Italy and other continents to create ultra-high-performance versions, completely reconfiguring the model's mechanical architecture:

The Autodelta Sprint 6C Prototype (1982)

Designed by Autodelta, Alfa Romeo's official racing and tuning division under the command of engineer Carlo Chiti, with the goal of homologating the car in the FIA Group B rally category. For this, the front end was stripped: the Boxer engine and front-wheel drive were removed. In place of the rear seats, the 158 hp 2.5 V6 Busso engine (inherited from the GTV6) was installed longitudinally, coupled to a ZF five-speed transaxle that sent power to the rear wheels.

Only two prototypes were built. The first featured a more civilized finish in grey leather and red carpet, while the second was track-focused, with acrylic windows and a modified engine cover with integrated air vents. Currently, the second prototype rests in the historical collection of the Arese Museum in Italy, while the first was located in South Africa after years of being missing.

The Australian Giocattolo Group B (1986–1989)

Inspired by the Italian 6C prototype, Australian businessman Paul Halstead and Formula 1 designer Barry Lock (ex-McLaren) created a mid-engine supercar. Initially, the project planned to use Alfa Romeo V6 engines mounted in the Sprint's rear. However, due to high import costs and the Italian manufacturer's refusal to supply official components directly, Halstead changed the plan.

The V6 engine was replaced by the powerful 5.0-liter Holden Walkinshaw Group A V8 engine manufactured by the HSV sports division, generating 255 hp (190 kW) and coupled to a ZF transmission. Engineer Barry Lock designed an independent rear suspension with overlapping wishbones coupled to a lightweight aluminum structure. With doors and lids made of Kevlar, the car weighed only 1,084 kg (2,390 lbs) and accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in the 4.5-second range, outperforming contemporary rivals like the Ferrari 348.

Only 15 cars were built at the Caloundra factory, Queensland, with 14 original examples surviving today. As a folkloric detail, the car's official tool kit contained a bottle of traditional Australian Bundaberg rum accompanied by two glasses to "comfort" the owner in case of a roadside mechanical breakdown.

According to official records maintained by the group and historical preservation entities, total coupe production during its 13 years of manufacturing ranged between 116,552 and 121,434 units, including batches assembled abroad and pre-series kits.

Detailed sales numbers by sub-model show the great acceptance of versions equipped with 1.5-liter engines:

Although the Sprint offered an exceptional dynamic driving experience due to the low center of gravity and very precise steering, the car inherited the bad reputation for rust that plagued the Alfasud line in the 1970s. Alfa Romeo used low-quality steel imported from the Soviet Union, which suffered from impurities in its chemical composition. Associated with this, the bodies were taken unpainted through open areas exposed to the maritime salt mist of the Gulf of Naples, generating internal foci of corrosion that ate away at the metal from the inside out in structural areas such as wheel wells, A-pillars, and windshield surrounds.

Although the Sprint had received a sealing and painting treatment far superior to the common Alfasud sedan, the fame of premature oxidation harmed the model's image in the used car market during the 1980s and 1990s. Currently, with the scarcity of units in good condition, the model has become a collector's item highly sought after by classic Italian automotive culture enthusiasts.