The iconic Giulia sedan had been around for almost five years, but it was still in its heyday in 1967. It was essentially in a class of its own when it arrived, but BMW was increasingly breathing down its neck. But it was different enough so that most buyers were probably not too torn about which to buy. Or maybe they were? There’s no doubt that BMW, especially with the smaller 1602/2002 put a crimp on Alfa’s sales in the US as well as in Europe.
The Giulia Super arrived with more power than the TI, so R&T wasted no time testing one. It had all the classic Alfa virtues, and a few vices too. But overall, this was a highly compelling package at the time, despite its rather boxy body, which was actually surprisingly aerodynamic.
R&T noted that “there’s an abundance of zappy (if noisy) performance through the gears” and questions whether a compact sport sedan needs anything larger than a two liter engine. The five speed transmission, a rarity back then, had nicely spaced gears. Technically, 5th gear was an overdrive (0.79:1 ratio), but combined with the short 4.56:1 final drive ratio, it was in reality very much a “road gear”, and not long-legged classic overdrive.
Not surprisingly, there nits to be picked in the cabin, with the typical Italian seating position that just never seemed to fit American bodies.
The engine and its exhaust system emitted a rather unpleasant booming sound. And the heating-ventilation system was not up to snuff. The one-speed wipers were inadequate too.
But the compensations were considerable. The Giulia’s ride quality was excellent. There’s quite a lot of body lean, but it was more noticeable to those looking at it from the outside than those inside. Acceleration was “excellent”, but for what it’s worth, its quarter mile time (18.4 sec.) and speed (76 mph) were almost identical to the (soon to come) Opel Kadett Rallye 1.9, which was considerably cheaper.
Related CC Reading:
Curbside Classic: 1966 Alfa Romeo Giulia Super – Ready For My Close-Up Now Tatra87
CC Twofer: 1968 Alfa Romeo Giulia Super / 1974 Alfa Romeo 2000 – For Your Four Eyes Only Tatra87
I’ve always lusted for a Giulia Super.
An absolute dream car of mine. Despite the convincing Edsel comparison presented here a few years back, it just looks great to my eyes.
Interestingly, the latest Beijing Mommy Wagon models feature a hideous grille that looks much like that of an Edsel.
A good driving experience creates a sense of beauty, despite styling or detail mediocrity. There is nothing particularly great about the appearance of the BMW 2002, for example, but it still turns heads and brings smiles to the people who know about the car.
The 2002 is undoubtedly a very tight bit of industrial design. You can´t fault it. The Alfa described here comes to the party with more expression. I think it´s not beautiful but very striking. Like mosts saloons of the period it is composed of two pretty distinct oblongs: the one from bonnet to boot and the one forming the greenhouse. All the styling work was done in resolving those shapes in a cohesive way and in accord with the assembly methods available. Comparing this car with its peers and not vehicle from 20 years later shows they are all equally boxy but all handled very differently. Form follows function? Not much of that in sight. These are purposeful designs with room for four people and a lot of luggage. If you wanted something foxier the coupés were also available.
I’ve only driven a 1600, and then not for long, and it was indeed sweet. But blimey, I couldn’t agree less about the looks of the 2002!
The roof is too tall. The sides below the people-slicers line is devoid of any shape. The people-slicers themselves are far too sharp, a poor interpretation of the smoothly-done Corvair originals. Worse, they have chrome edging which never lined up from bonnet to doors to the boot-lid ones – I do approve of the interesting boot and bonnet openings, but I digress – which made it always look untidy. The backside sticks out, quite removed in stylishness form the boat-swoop under in the Corvair original. The wheels look too small, because they are. And finally, it frowns out at the world with a heavy monobrow, atop a rather chintzy grille.
To me, they only thing tight about the design must’ve been the budget for a stylist.
Of course, even though it’s completely and infallibly right, this is just one man’s opinion.
It’s interesting to see the quibbles about the heating, wipers and such. A big part of this class of car’s 50% premium over a Fiat 124, Ford Cortina or the Datsun 510 that was waiting in the wings in ’67 was the extra polish, finesse and refinement particularly on the US market where non-Road and Track readers might not have been able to distinguish one small boxy foreign sedan from another (I’d assume that in Italy there was a clear status distinction between the 124 and Giulia).
I wasn’t aware that was so tightly focused on the driving experience although having seen the inside of a stock Giulia Berlina and stock 510, the Alfa has palpably better materials and you can see where Nissan/Datsun cut costs.
…and reliability.
But still better than the French cars in America?
And rust resistance. Most cars of the era rusted like crazy, but Italian cars would rust on a sunny day.
These actually have much in the way of pretty, at least when that word is employed adverbially as a prefix to “ugly.”
It’s a funny business. Alfa Romeo has made some of the very loveliest-looking cars that have ever existed, yet after the war, if you insisted upon a saloon, I’m convinced you were slyly penalized for your heresy. It seems all such designs were sent by secret agents to the Soviet Union, where a large and unhappy committee of dour grey men did their bit to conspire against capitalism by returning what they had sat on. The result speak for themselves, and it is not in stylish Italian. Communists did have quite some power in Italy for a decent length of time, if you doubt the truth of my history lesson.
However, as R and T explain, beauty here lies elsewhere, and I’d love one these little breeze-blocks. What a car.
I wasn’t aware, btw, that this already-oldening motor was long stroke. No wonder they have such a name for power at all revs, with that sporty head letting the top-end breathe.
Perfect car for San Diego. Rarely any rain, rarely cold enough that you need the heater and if near the coast rarely hot enough for A/C. I know I rarely used those items on my cars between 1968-1981. Only rode in one once and that was in San Diego around 1974 but don’t ask me which model year it was. However, rode in it to The Spaghetti Factory. A very nice foreign car after my only experience in a Type 3 VW. Funny what one remembers.
The principal of my junior high (middle) school had one – about a ’64/’65. It came from somewhere else as there were no Alfa dealers (or BMW for that matter) anywhere near. Maybe it came from Chicago.
In a school parking lot of Country Squires, Vista Cruisers and Plymouth Suburbans it sure was unique. And I did learn something in junior high school (though not much from my teachers). I learned from that principal that DOHC engines were different from the big lump V-8s in almost all the other cars I’d looked into up to that time. Of course that would lead to learning about camshafts, push rods, timing chains, valves, etc. A valuable life lesson.
Nice car and it fits amongst the boxy cars that populated the class it sold in the upcoming MK2 Cortina was a box the Datsun 1600 a box made from alfoil the BMW 02 were boxy but handled quite well, the pick of them is this Alfa,
And as I already mentioned elsewhere, the Giulia was the car star of many Italians Eurocrime movies.
My 1975 Giulia Nuova 1300 got me hooked on Alfa’s
Most probably because Alfa’s aren’t perfect.
Perfectionism is boring, a Doctor or a surgeon needs to be perfect.
I now have a MiTo Veloce and there still is something about Alfa’s I love.
My absolute favorite was my 159 16 valve Diesel.
Diesel, killed thanks to the stupidity of Volkswagen group and politicians who talk out of their a$$holes.
My mother had a a 1971 Giulia Super on which I learnt to drive in 1975. Awesome vehicle. LOVED it and very rare. Sadly, it dissolved in the rain over time..
Banditi en Milan or the Violent 4.
I saw this in Alicante Spain in 1973 at a film club. My dad, a cinemaphile, was not impressed, but I enjoyed a cops and robbers and he enjoyed the Italian which he spoke fluently. My memories is of Giulias chasing Giulias around the city with squealing tires.