-y FUTURE The launch of the twin-spark twin-cam and 3-litre V6 75s is designed to revive Alfa’s flagging fortunes. lan Adcock tries the newcomers Romeo is heading for aplorious fan to be on ill che tte te promote fottre — we no longer have fo adequate sallow through the cabin harp backto tie lonouspast. These All odes are well equipped, with fare not our words but tho of central door oeking, power steering Mourice Rowke lectic windows, clecrie neatsi of Alfs Romeo (Gi floor mirror, adjustable ‘stoerin Britistespecifeation 7S 201 Twin wheel, stereo radioveasette with six Spark and 3h Vo, loudspeakers, electric aerials, tinted Revampingthe 7Srance forms the gla, headlamp washers and more second phase of Alle’ Britsh teviv- ‘The 3.01 V6 slso has light alloy al following the improved 33 range wheels, considerably more iste! Jand iis Sportwogon variant. The than the plastic add-ons on the Tw momentum will be maintained next Spark, arntaleather-eovevesdatccring Summer with the UK debt of the wheel. Te: Sno doubi tat Alla quite warn and muggy requiring the long-avaited 164 frontovheeldrive The new sire V6 is a develop- saloon, top model in AIG's 1988 —mentorthe 1s66np23-Htre Vowhih Brkishline-up. powered the GTV coups and the “The Alla 75 range now comprises Original Alfa 75. Bore. has b six models, starting t 989 fer the incressed to. 95mm and. stroke t0 ‘asic 15 through 10 £11,799 fer the 2.6mm, gtsing displacement of Ihasic 204 Twin Sparkand 15,200 for 2050 nal increasing the power €o the3.(V6 Veloce. Eachofihethree 188blp, There has been an equally models is avalable with the’Veloce’ impressive jumpin torque rom 155Ib bodykit of deep side skirts and front feo Tsdlb (tat 40001pmnTopspecdis fand rear spoilersintegrated into the claimed the I8mpin with 0 to bumpers. These add-ons are pro- mpi taking less than 7330s, yetit ‘duced specifically for Alta Romeo will sil return 38.2mph at Somph Jand fied at the company’s Sheet. The 2-tre Twin Spark engine i ness, Kent import centre. Although — fully described in the rd testi thie the bodykis may noisuit everyones isa (page 3). tastes, arcuné 70perceat 01 3ssold_” The',0rssuspensiondiffersslight have the hit fited Peete eee By the endof this yearthe7Srange that the dampets are sightly sofier will be completed when the 2.1 and the dameter oftheant Automaticappeatsinte UK. Thisis has been increased, 10 22m powered by the old 2Siitre VG front and 2lmm atthe reat. Power ngine mated to a three-speed ZF steering is standard. ‘The new 756 Beatbox feiain the sjstem pioneered on the Tnteriors have been revked with Aletiao‘a fwe speed gearbox n unit improved heating end vestiltion: withthe chute, mounted et the rear bout the day we drove the cars Was for virtual 5050 weight distibation, The fist thing thet stuck me abe the 3.08 wes the criving postion, feels no beter than is predecessors tespite the came na by Alt Doeete mucnyarest etal the rics leveled at the esey 75shad been atendsdo, Whie te wat are Pale aerial insfficent hick sipgortespecally ite top. Beng rather long in the ig there wes uta 0 thgh peer ener Covbiver who rsa good si ihe shorter. Despite the steering wice being adjustable tothveredly and Nermomalhy 1 found i racially impossible to arive ta truy com torable diving poston, Anat bie squat would) ong may ‘owrd llevising the problem At forthe mushauntes change inthe pec postions I shlfound yh {nk hing eter ony Tew mes Henne esata such basi prot shouldnt ext Back tothe drawing board (span) af eee ets the engine. there sone thine Als entincers know ow to de Dy cceee line sacevt mage pis ies tein from iow down an sounds, wonderful then revred hard Its suffcenty ndpulligtthougheomaxin cat “Pie earchange i mich slicker ae alee wees ey tautking. Thepowsrsecring wilt AGLORIOUS 3.05 V6 can be distinguished from {the Twin Spark by the flared tront whoolarches (fret) The frst 15s were criticised for their poor driving postion; Alfa’s attemptsto improve itnave not ‘boon totally successful V6 engine (above) is superb, powertuland flexible ‘boon at parking speeds, felt rather vague and. woolly in the straight ahead andwas'tsharp enough really to hustle the car thtough ewsting hens Suspension on the 30; has be soizened tnd that, combined with tl heavier engine, shows in the hand Ting. The V6 model isnt a8 taal or nimble asthe smaller-engined Twin, Spark model;thetrade-ofisitsextra are ‘Other faults? Brakes are very ‘over-serveed indmakesmooth brak- Ing a practised art, a8 they tend 10 ae Heng ot en cua as. a‘Twin Spark, supposedly the Same basic car, dnt heve the same “The wind deflectors on the front doors were avother annoyance: although mace of clear plastic, they fare ight in the line of vision fora tall “river andpreve particulary csi ing when pulling outof junctions Alfadoesseemto havedoneagocd job of quality contro, the ear having ery few rattles and wel fiting trim tnd bodywork. That Alla Romeo hss improved its cars there is no douts, bbutstillthere someway 0 g0bsfo that glorious tare’ is realised. Ml