A rear-transaxle, de Dion chassis, a Twin Spark engine and a touring-car programme that gave the 75 a racing reputation.
The Alfa Romeo 75 was a compact executive car built from 1985 to 1992 and sold in North America as the Milano. About 386,767 were built, and it was named for the company's 75th anniversary. It was the last Alfa model launched before Fiat took control of the company.
Launched as a wedge-shaped Italian saloon, the 75 combined an unusual rear transaxle with engines that ran from carburettor fours to a V6. It later built a racing reputation in touring-car competition.
Where did the Alfa Romeo 75 come from?
Launched in May 1985, the 75 took over from the Giulietta and borrowed a good deal of that model's hardware. It was named to celebrate Alfa Romeo's 75th anniversary, and it was the last model released before Fiat acquired the company. The Alfa Romeo 164 was the last model developed independently.
Ermanno Cressoni, who led the company's Centro Stile, drew the body. The wedge profile tapered toward the nose and carried square headlights with a matching grille, and Cressoni's 33 shared some of those touches.
Sales were strong for a car of its kind. Output reached 236,907 units in the first three years and roughly 386,767 by the time the line stopped in 1992.
An estate version was also explored. A prototype appeared at the 1986 Turin Auto Show, a forerunner of the later 156 Sportwagen. Fiat's takeover ended that plan, although two estate concepts had already been shown at the 1987 Geneva Motor Show, one as the Turbo Wagon and the other as a 2.0-litre Sportwagen.
A wedge-shaped executive car with a transaxle, a Twin Spark engine and a touring-car programme.
What made the 75's chassis unusual?
The 75 was almost perfectly balanced from front to rear, thanks to a transaxle layout that placed a five-speed gearbox and clutch at the rear, integrated with the differential. The front used a torsion bar and shock absorber, and the rear used a de Dion tube, both chosen to sharpen the handling.
The rear brake discs sat at the centre of the axle, close to the gearbox and differential group. The engine's crankshaft was bolted to a two-segment driveshaft that ran along the underside of the car at engine speed. Elastomeric doughnut couplings joined the shaft sections, which kept vibration from damaging the engine or gearbox.
Limited-slip differentials came with the 2.0 Twin Spark and the 3.0 V6. Alfa Romeo also included a dashboard-mounted diagnostic computer, called Alfa Romeo Control, that monitored the engine systems and warned the driver of potential faults. For its time, that was an advanced feature.
Which engines did the 75 offer?
At launch the 75 came with 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0-litre carburettor petrol units, a VM Motori turbodiesel, and a fuel-injected 2.5-litre V6. The 75 Turbo arrived in 1986 with a fuel-injected 1.8-litre twin-cam, a Garrett T3 turbocharger, an intercooler and an oil cooler.
In 1987 the 2.0-litre twin-cam was redesigned with two spark plugs per cylinder and named Twin Spark. With fuel injection and variable valve timing it produced 148 PS (109 kW; 146 hp). That was an early example of variable valve timing in a production engine, though Alfa Romeo's own Spider had been first in 1980.
A 3.0-litre V6 was added in 1987. The 2.5-litre V6 was bored out to 2,959 cc to give 188 PS (138 kW; 185 hp), and in that form it was sold as the 3.0 America. Later updates brought the Motronic digital fuel injection system to the 3.0 V6 in 1990, replacing the older L-Jetronic set-up.
The engine line-up changed steadily. In 1988 the carbureted 1.8 was replaced by a fuel-injected version and a larger diesel joined the range. At the end of 1989 the 1.6 gained fuel injection, and in 1990 the 1.8 Turbo and 3.0 V6 both received more power and updated suspension.
How did the North American Milano differ?
The North American Milano was built to federal rules, which forced changes to the 2.5-litre engine and the bodywork. The most visible result was the set of "America" bumpers, with rubber accordion-like extensions and thick shock-absorbing material inside. They were mounted on shock absorbers of their own, which meant the body needed to differ slightly around them.
Behind the rear seats went a 67-litre fuel tank, which shrank the boot from 500 L (18 cu ft) to 390 L (14 cu ft). Side markers went into the bumpers, the exhaust silencer exited on the right, and door and boot-lid reinforcements were added, along with hooks beneath the bonnet to keep it in place during a crash.
Equipment levels had names such as Milano Silver, Gold, Platinum and Verde. Power mirrors, reclining seats and cruise control were optional extras in Europe, but American cars had electric rear windows and air conditioning as standard. The US cars also had mph speedometers and psi oil gauges, and their dashboard instrumentation reflected that market.
Only the 2.5 and 3.0-litre V6 engines were offered in North America, and only from 1987 to 1989. The 3.0 V6 reached the United States as the Milano Verde, and a three-speed ZF automatic was available for the 2.5-litre V6.
What was the Turbo Evoluzione?
The Turbo Evoluzione was a homologation special of which 500 examples were produced in the spring of 1987. It was built to meet Group A rules, with aerodynamic changes that were needed to homologate the racing model. All 500 cars were left-hand drive, and many of them were sold in Italy.
Its engine was de-bored from 80 mm to 79.6 mm, giving a capacity of 1,762 cc instead of the normal 1,779 cc. That kept the racer out of the bigger capacity class, where it would have been at a disadvantage. The claimed power was the same as the standard turbo, but the thicker cylinder walls made the unit better suited to power upgrades.
How did the Alfa Romeo 75 race?
The 75 Turbo raced in Group A in the 1987 World Touring Car Championship, with six official entries from teams including Alfa Corse, Brixia Corse, Albatech and the Swedish team Q-Racing. Its Class 2 car was reckoned to have about 320 bhp (239 kW; 324 PS), enough to match the BMW M3 on paper.
Alfa Romeo had little success in the championship, and the season collapsed into a political dispute. Team boss Cesare Fiorio withdrew the team before the overseas races. Drivers in the programme included Formula One veterans Jacques Laffite and Mario Andretti, along with future touring car champions Nicola Larini and Gabriele Tarquini.
Australian driver Colin Bond, the 1975 Australian Touring Car champion, ran a Caltex-backed 75 Turbo in the 1987 Australian Touring Car Championship. The Italian-built car was supposed to make about 320 bhp, but the engine produced around 200 bhp (149 kW; 203 PS). Bond finished ninth in the championship, and the car's last major race was a fifth place at Adelaide.
Gianfranco Brancatelli won the 1988 ITC series in an Alfa 75 Turbo, and Giorgio Francia was second in the 1991 ITC. The 1988 Giro d'Italia automobilistico was won by Miki Biasion, Tiziano Siviero and Riccardo Patrese in a 75 Turbo Evoluzione IMSA, and another 75 Turbo Evoluzione IMSA won the 1989 edition.
A British dealer squad, the Alfa Romeo Dealer Team, fielded two cars across 1986 and 1987, driven by Rob Kirby and John Dooley. They started with a V6 version alongside the older GTV6 and later moved to the 75 Turbo. Their pace was competitive with the Ford Escort RS Turbos, until Frank Sytner's BMW M3 appeared and made them uncompetitive.
What are the Alfa Romeo 75 specifications?
The 75 was a compact executive car with a transaxle layout, and its engine range ran from 1.6-litre carburettor fours to a 3.0-litre V6. The table lists the core figures for the main variants and the North American specification.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Type 161 and 162B, compact executive car |
| Production | 1985 to 1992; about 386,767 built |
| Transmission layout | Five-speed gearbox at the rear, integrated with the differential |
| Front and rear suspension | Torsion bar front; de Dion tube rear |
| Twin Spark | 2.0 litre, 148 PS (109 kW; 146 hp), fuel injection, variable valve timing |
| Turbo | 1.8 litre twin-cam, Garrett T3, intercooler |
| 3.0 America | 2,959 cc bored-out 2.5 V6, 188 PS (138 kW; 185 hp) |
| Turbo Evoluzione | 1,762 cc, 500 cars, spring 1987 |
| North American boot | 500 L (18 cu ft) falling to 390 L (14 cu ft) |
| North American fuel tank | 67 litres behind the rear seats |
Why did the European V6 sell in such small numbers?
Only about 2,800 European 2.5 V6 cars were sold, mostly between 1985 and 1987. Sales slowed once the 155 PS 1.8 Turbo arrived, which in some countries was cheaper to tax because of its smaller displacement. The European 2.5 was officially sold only in those years, although some were not registered until 1989.
Its enlargement to 2,959 cc produced the 3.0 America of 1987, which was the version Alfa built for the American market. Only the US-specification 3.0 carried the impact bumpers and the in-boot fuel tank, while the European Americas lacked side markers and the door, bonnet and boot lid reinforcements.
A few North American-spec Milanos also found their way into Switzerland, where catalytic converters had become compulsory in 1987. Those cars were the exception rather than the rule, and the bulk of the European range stayed on the continent.
Why did the 75 end production in 1992?
The 75 ended in 1992, under the shadow of Fiat's takeover of Alfa Romeo. The 164 was the last model the company developed independently, while the 75 had been the last model released before the takeover. That shift ended an era for the brand.
Fiat's arrival also ended the estate plans. The 1986 Turin prototype and the Sportwagen concept shown in Geneva in 1987 never reached production, because the company's direction changed after the takeover. The estate idea was ultimately cancelled rather than adapted.
The design thinking was not wasted entirely. The 156 Sportwagon that followed was a clear descendant of the 1986 estate prototype, which had foreshadowed that later car long before it appeared.
Frequently asked questions
When did the Alfa Romeo 75 go out of production?
Production ended in 1992. The car had been on sale since 1985, and about 386,767 had been built in total.
What is the difference between the 75 and the Milano?
The Milano was the name used in North America. Those cars had America bumpers, a fuel tank behind the rear seats, a smaller boot and different instrumentation, and only the 2.5 and 3.0-litre V6 engines were sold there.
Did the Alfa Romeo 75 have a turbocharged version?
Yes. The 75 Turbo arrived in 1986 with a 1.8-litre twin-cam engine, a Garrett T3 turbocharger and an intercooler. The Turbo Evoluzione was a 500-car homologation special built in spring 1987.
Did the 75 have a diesel engine?
Yes. A turbodiesel from VM Motori was in the launch line-up, and a larger diesel joined the range in 1988.
Which 75 was the most powerful?
The 3.0 America, with 188 PS (138 kW; 185 hp) from its bored-out 2.5 V6, produced more power than the 155 PS 1.8 Turbo or the 148 PS Twin Spark. It arrived in 1987 and was sold in the United States as the Milano Verde.
Was the 75 built under Fiat?
No. The 75 was developed and launched while Alfa Romeo was still independent, and the 164 was the last model developed that way. Production of the 75 ended in 1992.
