Spotless Italian: 1986 Alfa Romeo GTV6

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Due to its clever engineering, the Alfa Romeo GTV6 is regarded by many as one of the best handling 4-seat cars ever built, and pointing one of these at a piece of twisting road is a truly rewarding experience. Barn Finder Taylor W spotted this really clean example for us, so thank you for that Taylor. The GTV6 is located in Downey, California, and is listed for sale here on Craigslist. The asking price for this little Italian classic has been set at $13,900.

The styling of the GTV6 is quite timeless, and they still look surprisingly fresh for a car that has been out of production for 32-years. This particular car, which is finished in Shell White, appears to be in really good condition. The paint looks quite clean, while there are no obvious signs of rust issues with the car. It looks like the original alloy wheels have either been given a fresh coat of paint or that they have been powder coated. I’m not sure that I really like the look of them, but that should be relatively easy to address. Honestly, there really isn’t a lot to criticize with the car’s presentation.

The interior of the Alfa is a dark cavern, but it is a dark cavern that appears to be in really good condition. I can see an aftermarket CD player, but the rest of it looks to not only be original but in very good condition. The owner says that the dash is good and free of any cracks, while the suede upholstery on the seats looks close to perfect. Early GTVs were often criticized for poor ergonomics and flimsy construction of interior components and switches, and this criticism stung Alfa quite badly. They actually put in quite a concerted effort to address these problems, and by the time this Alfa rolled off the line, they were actually a pretty good thing. The only thing that most people seem to notice when they drive one of these for the first time is that the pedal placement does feel slightly odd. However, it takes no time to become used to this, and then you can enjoy the driving experience that is a GTV6. With this GTV6 it is all the more enjoyable given the fact that it is fitted with air conditioning.

With a front engine and a rear-mounted transaxle, the GTV enjoys very favorable weight distribution. The handling of the GTV6 was actually better than the 4-cylinder variety, as the shorter engine block of the V6 sat further back in the engine bay, further improving weight distribution. The 2.5-liter V6 in this car produces 154hp, which is sent to the rear wheels via the 5-speed transaxle. Being a light car, this made the Alfa something of a giant-killer and allowed the GTV6 to enjoy enormous success in international motorsport. The owner says that the Alfa runs and drives well, and that little V6 sounds great. That part I don’t find surprising because they do sound pretty sweet with a few revs on board. One reassuring aspect of this car is that the owner has service records for it right back to when it was new. This should also help to verify the claim that the car has only covered 84,000 original miles.

By the time this GTV6 rolled off the production line, Alfa had eliminated almost all of the car’s faults and foibles, and they were quite a good thing. If you have never had the chance to drive a GTV6, it is well worth the effort, because they are a seriously entertaining and engaging car. This one looks like it is a real beauty, and the asking price is well within the range of what you would expect to pay for one in this condition.

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Comments

  1. flmikey

    Owned one of these…spent more time underneath it than driving it…that being said, once behind the wheel, it was well worth it…

    Like 8
    • Maurizio

      That is because you did the work? I had one and had it Maintained properly by and Alfa certified mechanic and no problems…I sold it when it had 150K on it.

      Like 0
  2. TimM

    Looks like a clean little sports car that’s priced good to sell!!!

    Like 0
  3. Vince Cassaniti

    Owned this exact model (red in colour) for 9 and a half years. Being a mechanic and maintaining it properly it offered good duration and fabulous driving experience. By today’s standards it would be a little slow. At high speed the 154 bhp was adequate and coupled with 50/50 engine n gearbox balance the handling was superb. Viva Alfa Romeo.

    Like 1
  4. t-BONE BOB

    sweet car!

    Like 0

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