Alfa Romeo Alfetta

Alfa Romeo Alfetta: which version to buy

The Alfa Romeo Alfetta was sold as one generation from 1972-01-01 to 1987-12-31 in a Coupe body with 17 versions in the catalogue (12 shown here). All of them share Gasoline engines, a Manual 5-speed gearbox except the lone 1.8 AT, and the same Independent, torsion front / Dependent, spring rear layout. The buying decision is not “which generation” — there is only 1 generation.

The Alfa Romeo Alfetta was sold as one generation from 1972-01-01 to 1987-12-31 in a Coupe body with 17 versions in the catalogue (12 shown here). All of them share Gasoline engines, a Manual 5-speed gearbox except the lone 1.8 AT, and the same Independent, torsion front / Dependent, spring rear layout. The buying decision is not “which generation” — there is only 1 generation. It is which of the overlapping 1.6 MT, 1.8 MT, 1.8 AT, 2.0 MT and 2.5 MT rows you actually want, because identical names hide different power, drive, brakes, ground clearance and fuel systems.

Specs table: every named version

Valves per cylinder are 2 on every row that records them; the 2.0 MT 131 hp row is not measured. Engine position is Front, longitudinal only on the four RWD 1.6 MT / 1.8 MT / 1.8 AT / 1.8 MT 122 hp rows; the rest are not measured. Compression is 9 on 1.8 MT 121 hp FWD and 1.8 AT, 10 on 2.5 MT; elsewhere not measured. Fuel grade is 92 on those two 121 hp 1.8s and 95 on 2.5 MT; elsewhere not measured. Bore × stroke is 88 × 68.3 only on 2.5 MT.

Two clusters, not two generations

Every version is dated 1972-01-01 to 1987-12-31. The catalogue still splits into two hardware clusters that you can tell apart without a second generation name.

Drum, 119 mm, mostly FWD. The first eight rows: Drum front and rear, 119 mm ground clearance. Drive is FWD except 2.0 MT 128 hp and 2.0 MT 150 hp Turbo and 2.5 MT, which are RWD. Kerb weights that exist sit between 1050 kg (1.8 MT 116 hp FWD) and 1300 kg (2.5 MT).

Disc, 140 mm, all RWD. The last four rows: Disc front and rear, 140 mm clearance (+21 mm vs the Drum cluster), Front, longitudinal, RWD. Kerb weights that exist are 1040 kg (1.6 MT 107 hp RWD) and 1060 kg (both 1.8 MT 116 hp RWD and 1.8 MT 122 hp).

Tank, CO2, eco class, gross weight and wheel size are not measured on every version.

Power per litre and kg per hp

Specific output (hp per litre of the listed displacement):

• 2.0 MT 150 hp Turbo: 150 / 1.962 = 76.5 hp/L — densest engine in the set.
• 1.8 MT 122 hp: 122 / 1.779 = 68.6 hp/L.
• 1.8 MT 121 hp (FWD and 1.8 AT): 121 / 1.779 = 68.0 hp/L.
• 1.6 MT 107 hp (both drives): 107 / 1.590 = 67.3 hp/L.
• 2.0 MT 131 hp: 131 / 1.962 = 66.8 hp/L.
• 1.8 MT 116 hp and 2.0 MT 128 hp: 65.2 hp/L.
• 2.5 MT 158 hp: 158 / 2.492 = 63.4 hp/L — most cylinders, least hp per litre.
• 2.0 MT 121 hp Carburetor FWD: 121 / 1.962 = 61.7 hp/L — the weakest 2.0 on this metric.

Kerb kg per hp where both numbers exist:

• 2.0 MT 150 hp Turbo: 1090 / 150 = 7.27 kg/hp — lightest per horsepower.
• 2.5 MT: 1300 / 158 = 8.23 kg/hp.
• 2.0 MT 131 hp: 1090 / 131 = 8.32 kg/hp.
• 1.8 MT 122 hp: 1060 / 122 = 8.69 kg/hp.
• 2.0 MT 121 hp FWD: 1080 / 121 = 8.93 kg/hp.
• 1.8 MT 116 hp FWD: 1050 / 116 = 9.05 kg/hp.
• 1.8 MT 116 hp RWD: 1060 / 116 = 9.14 kg/hp.
• 1.6 MT 107 hp RWD: 1040 / 107 = 9.72 kg/hp.
• 1.6 MT 107 hp FWD: 1080 / 107 = 10.09 kg/hp — heaviest per horsepower.
• 1.8 MT 121 hp FWD, 2.0 MT 128 hp, 1.8 AT: kerb not measured, so kg/hp is not measured.

The Turbo 2.0 MT 150 hp is both the densest and the lightest per hp. The 2.5 MT wins peak power (158 hp) and 0–100, but carries 210 kg more than the 1090 kg Turbo and 250 kg more than the 1040 kg 1.6 MT RWD.

Performance and mpg: what the extra displacement actually buys

0–100 km/h (s), where measured: 2.5 MT 7.5; 2.0 MT 150 hp Turbo 7.9 (+0.4 s); 2.0 MT 121 hp FWD 9.7; 1.8 MT 116 hp FWD 9.8; 2.0 MT 131 hp 10.0; 1.8 MT 116 hp RWD and 1.8 MT 122 hp both 11.0; 1.6 MT 107 hp RWD 12.0; 1.6 MT 107 hp FWD 13.2. Not measured: 1.8 MT 121 hp FWD, 2.0 MT 128 hp, 1.8 AT.

Top speed (km/h): 2.5 MT 230; Turbo 2.0 MT 215 (−15); 2.0 MT 131 hp 195; 2.0 MT 121 hp FWD 190; 1.6 MT FWD and 1.8 MT 116 hp FWD 185; 1.8 MT 116 hp RWD, 1.8 MT 122 hp and 1.8 AT 180; 1.6 MT RWD 175. Not measured: 1.8 MT 121 hp FWD and 2.0 MT 128 hp.

Fuel (city / highway / mixed L/100 km):

• 1.6 MT 107 hp FWD and 1.6 MT 107 hp RWD: 12.1 / 7.8 / 10.3 — same litres, different drive, brakes and clearance.
• 1.8 MT 116 hp FWD: 12.0 / 6.7 / 8.9 — lowest mixed figure in the file, 1.4 L/100 km under both 1.6s.
• 1.8 MT 116 hp RWD and 1.8 MT 122 hp: 12.7 / 7.5 / 9.5.
• All 2.0 MT rows, 2.5 MT, 1.8 MT 121 hp FWD and 1.8 AT: consumption not measured.

The 1.8 MT 116 hp FWD is the only step that is both quicker than the 1.6 MT FWD (9.8 vs 13.2 s, −3.4 s) and cheaper on mixed fuel (8.9 vs 10.3). The 1.8 MT 116 hp RWD is 1.2 s slower than that FWD twin (11.0 vs 9.8) and uses 0.6 L/100 km more mixed (9.5 vs 8.9), while adding Disc brakes and +21 mm clearance.

Stepping from 1.8 MT 116 hp FWD to 2.0 MT 121 hp FWD buys 5 hp, 9.7 vs 9.8 s (0.1 s) and 190 vs 185 km/h (+5). 2.0 MT 131 hp is +10 hp vs that 121 hp 2.0 but 10.0 vs 9.7 s — 0.3 s slower — with 195 km/h (+5) and 10 kg extra kerb (1090 vs 1080). Extra 2.0 litres of nameplate do not automatically buy a quicker 0–100 in this table.

2.0 MT 150 hp Turbo vs 2.5 MT: −8 hp, +16 Nm (231 vs 215), torque peak 3500 vs 4000 rpm, 7.9 vs 7.5 s, 215 vs 230 km/h, 1090 vs 1300 kg. The six-cylinder 2.5 MT is the fastest and the heaviest; the Turbo four is the better kg/hp and hp/L deal if 0.4 s and 15 km/h are acceptable.

Dimensions and weight: what actually changes

Ground clearance is binary: 119 mm on the Drum cluster, 140 mm on the Disc RWD cluster. Tank, wheels, gross mass: not measured.

Kerb, lightest to heaviest among measured rows: 1.6 MT 107 hp RWD 1040 kg; 1.8 MT 116 hp FWD 1050 kg; 1.8 MT 116 hp RWD and 1.8 MT 122 hp 1060 kg; 1.6 MT FWD and 2.0 MT 121 hp FWD 1080 kg; 2.0 MT 131 hp and Turbo 2.0 MT 1090 kg; 2.5 MT 1300 kg. Not measured: 1.8 MT 121 hp FWD, 2.0 MT 128 hp, 1.8 AT.

The RWD 1.6 MT is 40 kg lighter than the FWD 1.6 MT (1040 vs 1080) with the same 107 hp / 142 Nm / 1590 cc / Carburetor, and it is 1.2 s quicker (12.0 vs 13.2) despite a 10 km/h lower top speed (175 vs 185). Same engine numbers, different chassis cluster.

Which version to choose

Need the least fuel among measured mixed figures: 1.8 MT 116 hp FWD (8.9 L/100 km mixed, 6.7 highway). It is also the lightest FWD car (1050 kg) and the quickest non-2.0 FWD (9.8 s).

Need the lightest car: 1.6 MT 107 hp RWD at 1040 kg, Disc, 140 mm, 12.0 s, 175 km/h. Same 12.1 / 7.8 / 10.3 as the FWD 1.6 MT, which is 40 kg heavier and 1.2 s slower.

Need Disc brakes and 140 mm clearance without chasing peak power: the RWD cluster — 1.6 MT 107 hp, 1.8 MT 116 hp, 1.8 MT 122 hp, or 1.8 AT. The 122 hp 1.8 MT vs the 116 hp RWD 1.8 MT is +6 hp, 167 Nm @ 4400 vs torque not measured on the 116, same 1060 kg, same 11.0 s, same 180 km/h, same 12.7 / 7.5 / 9.5. The 6 hp does not show up in 0–100 or top speed here.

Need an Automatic: only 1.8 AT (Automatic 3, 121 hp, 168 Nm @ 4000, RWD, Disc, 140 mm, 180 km/h). 0–100, consumption and kerb are not measured. Versus 1.8 MT 121 hp FWD it is the same 121 hp / 168 Nm / compression 9 / fuel 92 / Carburetor, but Automatic 3 vs Manual 5, RWD vs FWD, Disc vs Drum, 140 vs 119 mm.

Need a 2.0 without Turbo: four 2.0 MT rows.

• 2.0 MT 121 hp FWD Carburetor: measured 9.7 s / 190 km/h / 1080 kg — the only 2.0 with a full performance-and-weight set besides 131 and Turbo.
• 2.0 MT 128 hp RWD Central injection (single-point or single- point): 128 hp, 180 Nm, 0–100 / top / kerb / fuel not measured. It is the only non-Turbo 2.0 on RWD.
• 2.0 MT 131 hp FWD: 131 hp, 178 Nm, 10.0 s, 195 km/h, 1090 kg. Versus 121 hp FWD 2.0: +10 hp, +3 Nm, +10 kg, +5 km/h, +0.3 s to 100.

Need the quickest 0–100 and highest top speed: 2.5 MT — 158 hp, 6 V-shaped, Distributed injection (multi-point), 95, compression 10, 7.5 s, 230 km/h, RWD, 1300 kg. Fuel use not measured. You pay 210 kg versus the Turbo four for 8 hp, 0.4 s and 15 km/h.

Need the best power density and kg/hp: 2.0 MT 150 hp Turbo — 76.5 hp/L, 7.27 kg/hp, 231 Nm @ 3500 (the highest torque and the lowest torque rpm), 7.9 s, 215 km/h, RWD, 1090 kg. Fuel system and consumption not measured.

Do not pick by name alone. Two 1.6 MT rows share 107 hp but not drive, brakes, clearance, weight or 0–100. Three 1.8 MT Manuals are 116, 121 and 122 hp; one of the 116s is FWD Drum 119 mm, the other RWD Disc 140 mm. Four 2.0 MT rows span 121–150 hp, FWD and RWD, Carburetor, Central injection (single-point or single- point), and Turbo. There is no second generation to “skip”; the split that matters is Drum 119 mm versus Disc 140 mm, then FWD versus RWD, then whether 150 hp Turbo or 158 hp 2.5 MT is the performance you actually need.