Alfa Romeo has one of the most storied brands in the world of automobiles, but that doesn’t mean every one of its production models carries with it a six-figure price tag. Quite the opposite, really, as you can get into any number of vintage Alfa models for reasonable money, especially in today’s white-hot vintage car market. The GTV6 is a terrific example of this, and this clean 1989 model is listed here on craigslist for $10,000 in Yakima, WA.
With great lines and a sonorous V6, the GTV6 has a lot going for it right out of the box. Road test editors at the time sung the car’s praises, and a small but fierce fan base has kept the hot-hatch model on the road through a strong information- and parts-sharing network. For whatever reason, values have stayed fairly flat, which is a good thing for enthusiasts still holding out for a bargain. The seller notes his car has some needs, but most old Alfas do.
These cars had excellent driver ergonomics, with deeply sculpted bucket seats that I believe were either made by Recaro or at least very closely modeled the Recaro seats of the day. I still kick myself for not snagging a set of near-perfect blue leather buckets of a junked GTV6 back before I knew the value of such things. This car seems to have the appearance of a gently worn baseball glove, with plenty of visible flaws but nothing that suggests wanton neglect.
I had a short dalliance with a Milano Verde sedan, a car I very much wanted to get running. Unfortunately, the list of needs grew too long for my liking, especially for a car I wasn’t particularly in love with given how long it had been a non-runner while in my possession. It’s getting harder to find small, independent shops that will work on Alfas, so hopefully you live near such an establishment or have the capabilities to sort one out yourself. This looks like a worthy candidate for a restore-while-you-drive project, but perhaps for a few grand cheaper than the ask shown here.
These are great cars with amazing, perfectly neutral handling. Owning one only makes sense if you can do all repairs and maintenance yourself. Parts are available and there’s plenty of information on the various Alfa sites on bug fixes, etc. finding a rust-free car is the main thing. The mechanicals are pretty straightforward if you understand Alfas, and the Bosch electrics and engine management are similar to other contemporary European cars. With careful maintenance, you can daily drive in a warm climate with no worries.
The V6 has a reputation for being durable with common maintenance. It’s keeping everything else in fuel and electrics maintained that gave the bad reputation. And lack of thorough rust proofing.
This same body style came with the 2liter DOHC and was better handling, not as fast. Both versions didn’t have traditional Alfa body styling to traditional Alfa fans, but they were fun and quick cars. That FEEL like an Alfa driving around. Which is to say it begs to be driven with gusto. If rust is minimal, $10k is a bargain at this point. A driver from a sitter is more than that.
The real cherry on top was the 3litre GTV6 which I believe was unique to South Africa.
It was Christo, and as a Classic Car dealer in Durban, SA, I was fortunate enough to take one in as a trade-in. I had it for a couple of months as it was a bit pricey for an Alfa, however, while I had it I used it several times, usually for the weekend, and loved it to bits. I heard that the guy that bought it immediately exported it to the UK as they had a 3 litre class and the 2.5 L V6 couldn’t catch the bigger engined cars, but once the 3.0L V6 appeared they couldn’t catch it, and I suppose it’s still here.
As you say, the 3.0 GTV6 was an SA homologation special. Being a RHD market with good value & quality cars, quite a few Alfas have been exported from SA to the UK.
In the case of the 3.0GTV6, this has been more recent as a collector car, rather than as a race car (of which there are a few, normally bored out): But in its day, the 2.5 GTV6 was very competitive in the British Touring Car Championship, winning the championship with Andy Rouse in 1983.
Hammond!!!
This car is an ‘85, per the CL ad. Last year of production was 86.
How is it the title list 1989? Last year of production, as Jubrele said, was 86′. These are GREAT cars. Great fast back aero body with those sultry drooping eyes… shame it is white. (White ruins so many great designs…)
I personally love white with black-trim “Star Wars stormtrooper livery” like this, especially on the fairly angular, sharply-folded designs of this era, giving some sense of the drawings where the design originated (by il maestro Giugiaro in this case).