Posts from ‘Alfa Romeo’

Alfa Romeo Spider
Note: The following story was excerpted from the August 2021 issue of Collectible Automobile magazine.
The Alfa Romeo Spider had a long history in the U.S. It first went on sale as a 1967 model called Duetto. It was fairly typical for a two-seat convertible sports car in its day with low bodywork, a four-cylinder engine, Weber carburetors, manual transmission, folding top, and a live rear axle. For this Cheap Wheels, we pick it up further downstream, in 1983, when Alfa facelifted the already long-running Pininfarina-designed car. By then it was called Spider Veloce, and these Alfas are sometimes referred to as Series 3 Spiders.

Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast
Whether you drive a car, need a car, or just occasionally bum a ride with friends, you’ve come to the right place. Join the editors of Consumer Guide Automotive as they break down everything that’s going on in the auto world. New-car reviews, shopping tips, driving green, electric cars, classic cars, and plenty of great guests. This is the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast.

1986 Chevrolet Pickup
By most accounts, the automotive period known as the Malaise Era lasted from 1973 until 1983. During that time, the performance of most new vehicles paled in comparison to the less-regulated cars of just a few years earlier. Blame the government if you will, as low-lead gas, fuel-economy standards, and emissions regulations all took a serious toll on the horsepower output of most engines. I say most, because some cars suffered less than others. And there was one main reason for that relative immunity to the Malaise Era woes: fuel injection.

1953 Alfa Romeo 1900C Ghia Coupe
Note: The following story was excerpted from the June 2011 issue of Collectible Automobile magazine
When Alfa Romeo wanted to make a splash at the 35th Turin Automobile Show, it asked six coachbuilders to build a custom body on the Alfa 1900 chassis. They were Bertone, Castagna, Boneschi, Pinin Farina, Vignale, and Turin’s own Ghia.

1988 Pontiac Bonneville SSE
By 1988, light-duty trucks—a category which includes pickups, minivans, and SUVs—accounted for roughly one third of new-vehicle sales. At the time, the popularity of trucks seemed scandalous to many in the automotive media, most whom wagged a stern figure at automakers, warning that a sudden surge in the price of gas would leave dealers with lots full of unsellable product.

Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast
Whether you drive a car, need a car, or just occasionally bum a ride with friends, you’ve come to the right place. Join the editors of Consumer Guide Automotive as they break down everything that’s going on in the auto world. New-car reviews, shopping tips, driving green, electric cars, classic cars, and plenty of great guests. This is the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast.