The design of Alfa 6 (code-named Project 119) was launched in the early seventies and the entry into production was expected by the end of 1973. The House of Arese, in fact, wanted to return to the great in the field of large sedans, 6-cylinder, after the disappearance (1969) from the unfortunate but impressive sedan 2600. The project 119, incorporating many of the concepts and technical (but not a transaxle) and aesthetic dell'Alfetta, had, in fact, lead to debut a new V6 engine 2.5 liter all aluminum. The oil crisis of the Yom Kippur War (November 1973), advised against the leaders of the House, then owned by IRI, to put in car production, however, been defined in detail, that ran 7.0 kilometers with a liter of precious gasoline.
The oil shocks and social, throughout the entire period 1974-1978, s'attenuarono towards the end of the decade, so in 1979, Alfa Romeo decided to market the fruit of Project 119.
When it was presented to the public after a freeze of the project for six years, the great new flagship Alpha 6 was already outdated, both in that under the mechanical aesthetic.
Stylistically resembling an inflated Alfetta and the square lines were outdated and obsolete part of a project, the reduced width (just 1.68 m, while the length was 4.76 m), which, among other interior roominess determined enough to just four people, the pitch of only 2.60 m (with the consequent excessive rear overhang) and some details of dubious taste. The rear lights, for example, were too great, the bumper (metal with rubber cantonal) too heavy and the air intake on the protruding pillar inelegant.
The mechanics, while refined, was dated. The De Dion rear axle, complex and expensive, had, for example, comparable efficacy to that of modern patterns independent, simpler, lighter and cheaper.
Things were a bit 'better inside where the finish, though far from declared competitors (BMW and Mercedes), were fair and in all cases higher than the average for Alfa Romeo at the time.
The strength of the new flagship of the best was yet Arese V6 2492 cc carburetor fed by 6-piece (158 hp), combined with a five-speed manual transmission mounted in the engine block (no transaxle, then) . For the rest of the technical scheme provided a front-wheel independent double wishbone and torsion bars, De Dion rear suspension and 4 disc brakes (the rear board).
Quattroruote The proof of the magazine, brought to light the good characteristics of the engine, good driving behavior, but also the high energy consumption and the line passed. Alfa tried to promote the great strength of body but, full of bad luck, in 1981 the actor Gino Bramieri (among the first buyers of the model) destroyed his Alfa 6 automatic in a dramatic accident in which he lost his life 's Actress Liana Trouche. In truth, it must be said, however, that the actress died because he was thrown out of the cockpit as not wearing seat belts, although the car had it, the actor, however, attributed the accident to the malfunction of the automatic transmission.
In the first series, produced until the end of 1982, were built just over 6,100 copies.
In 1983, in an attempt to revive the fortunes of the business model, the Alfa 6 was subjected to a makeover. Given the scarcity of financial resources available to the House were not touching the plate and modified concentrates on the outer clothing and interiors. Outside, they changed the headlights (two belts, instead of four circular), the front grille, bumpers (now entirely of plastic and no beak, that He sent down the length of the model to 4.68 m) and appeared new bumpers and side profiles unpublished aerodynamic spoiler beneath the bumper. The structure was lower, making the car less massive. Inside were redesigned seats and door panels, while the bridge was just remodeled. From the technical point of view is reported the adoption of electronic that gave the V6, more than 2.5 liters, more gentleness dispensing and greater moderation in consumption. The power remained stable for 158 horses.
On the domestic market in an attempt to make the tax more palatable Alpha 6, the 2.5i, available only into rich Quadrifoglio Oro (complete with air conditioning and seats with electric adjustment) was flanked by the 2.0 V6 engine (equipped with the V6 carburettor engine capacity reduced to 1,996 cm ³ to 135 horsepower) and 2.5 Turbodiesel R5 (powered by a five-cylinder source VM Motori 2494 cm ³ 105 hp). These two models were penalized by a mass of almost unprecedented for its time (the 2.0 V6 turbodiesel weighed 1,470 kg and 1,580 kg even R5) that prevented them from reaching acceptable performance. The Alfa 6 remained on the market for another four years, with an increasingly significant impact on the market, and left the list in 1987, replaced by 164. The second series had been produced around 6000 copies (of which 1,162 Version 2.5i V6 Quadrifoglio Oro). The last cars produced, lying unsold in the warehouse at Arese, were exported two years later in Poland and other Eastern European countries.
Source:
Tanta nostalgia cars years 70/80 (Facebook page).
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