Alfa Romeo Alfetta

Alfa Romeo Alfetta
1978 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV 2.0
Overview
ManufacturerAlfa Romeo
Production1972–1987
Assembly
Body and chassis
Body style4-door saloon
2-door coupé
LayoutFront-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Related

The Alfa Romeo Alfetta (Type 116) is a front-engine, five-passenger saloon and fastback coupé manufactured and marketed by Italian automaker Alfa Romeo from 1972 to 1987 with a total over 400,000 units produced during its production run.

The Alfetta was noted for the rear position of its transaxle (clutch and transmission) and its De Dion tube rear suspension — an arrangement designed to optimize handling by balancing front/rear weight distribution, as well as maintaining a low polar moment of inertia and low center of gravity. The interior of Coupé models featured a then unusual central tachometer placement — by itself, directly in front of the driver.

The Alfetta name, which means "little Alfa" in Italian is derived from the nickname of the Alfa Romeo Alfetta (Tipo 159), a successful Formula One car which in its last iteration introduced in 1951, paired a transaxle layout to De Dion tube rear suspension — like its modern namesake.[1][2]

  1. ^ "Auto test—Alfa Romeo Alfetta". Autocar: 20–25. 20 April 1974.
  2. ^ C. R. (June 1974). "The Alfa Romeo Alfetta". Motor Sport. L (6): 576–578. Retrieved 2 March 2015.