Alfa Milano

gb-gta

gb-gta

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I guess this is the same floorpan/powertrains as a mokka/2008/jeep with a different styled interior, but all identical systems underneath.
So as it’s just a practical runabout, just get the cheapest one….except they are all too expensive to me. Suppose they will all be half price quite quickly though.
 
Nayf

Nayf

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The Milano: I’ve an open mind as to how it handles. I have it on good authority that upper management are furious about the way the Tonale drives (despite the brief), which is why the Giulia GTA chaps were drafted in. That sounds like marketing bluster, but knowing some of the personalities involved…

Simply it’s a car that Alfa needs to make, much like the Tonale.
I too am sad that the Giulia Coupe and Sportwagon were never made, but if the might of BMW and Mercedes-Benz are struggling to sell their estates and coupes, it was a very simple business decision, and wholly understandable - despite the whinges from Facebook Alfisti unlikely to buy one new anyway.

It’s a similar case with the Alfa Spider. Alfa wants to do it but if BMW can’t make a JV like the Z4 sell, what chance does Alfa have with bespoke platform?

The only way, as the boss told me, is to adapt an existing platform. So the Tonale and the Milano have to sell before that happens.

Styling? I have to say I prefer the Peugeot and Lancia on the same platform, but it looks better in red or blue, not the white wrapping the leaked pictured car was in. But it looks suitably mean, aggressive and somewhat unique.
In many ways it reminds me of my 145…
 

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Andyk

Andyk

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sionie1 said:
The problem is how few estates are being made now at a price point - Volvo stopped selling them in the UK, Ford binning off the Focus and thus the estate. All the others have had a huge price jump. I've had to go SUV PHEV for the company vehicle has there wasn't anything else and the boot space is way smaller than the V60 I've given back despite the overall dimensions being similar. In fairness Volvo still had a V60 in their lineup, but at an additional £15K vs my diesel model was out of contention straight away as the company hasn't changed the car allowance. I agree with getting an estate if you can, I've always had them for work and a few privately and love them. The best of the bunch was the BMW 530 xDrive, stunning engine, economy (ish) good looks and a huge boot for lugging stuff.
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No agree, the SUV was a nail in the coffin for estate cars but still doesn’t make sense. If you want one now there isn’t much choice new. Still plenty of great looking estate cars used though. Always thought BMW made great looking estates or touring in their words. Volvo also did a great estate.
 
Guy

Guy

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I love a fast estate and having 4 children across 11 years, they were a perfect compromise for much of my driving life. The original RS6 V8 was the most memorable despite its appalling ride and the E63 was outrageously quick with a 5.5l twin turbo. However, whilst I agree that the lower CoG does help the dynamics, advances in suspension technology and visibility over hedges/other cars makes the twin turbo V8 diesel Cayenne by far the quickest car from a to b and uses 50% less fuel so, despite years of anti suv feelings, I have been converted for their use as family cars....
 
zagatoes30

zagatoes30

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Nayf said:
Alfa Workshop has a 75 V6 that’s been given a proper engineer’s going over.
Twin Spark fuel tank for lower centre of gravity
1000kg
270bhp 3.2 Busso
And most criticially…
The suspension from an RZ.

And it’s RHD.


It was offered to me; my next ‘toy’ car - however long that will be - Will either be a Shamal or an SZ, but I’m thinking that the 75 will be more useable than the SZ, more of the time.
It’ll also be five times cheaper.
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I don't know I find the SZ perfectly useable, just on the look out for a set of 75 rear seats which I am going to get reupholstered to match the fronts so "the boy" can come on tours with us.
 
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zagatoes30

zagatoes30

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I can forgive the 75 looks by the way a sorted one drives, the TS is the better balance but it doesn't have the growl of the Busso version and with a bit of set-up changes you can partially tame the V6 rear end. Unfortunately he weight on the front axle is always an issue so I have always found that using the throttle to get the rear end to steer the front away from understeer is the best way of making progress just don't go too far or you will be seeing where you've come from.

Mind you seeing 75s moving into the £20-30k price range makes the SZ a much better solution, the sum of the parts make the handling so much better than a 75 unless you have cold tyres as those who watched me spin mine at Llandow will know.
 
CatmanV2

CatmanV2

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zagatoes30 said:
I don't know I find the SZ perfectly useable, just on the look out for a set of 75 rear seats which I am going to get reupholstered to match the fronts so "the boy" can come on tours with us.
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I wasn't aware that the 75 rears would fit, but it makes sense. I recall Jamie Porter had a child seat modified to fit in (one of) his back when we used him

C
 
zagatoes30

zagatoes30

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CatmanV2 said:
I wasn't aware that the 75 rears would fit, but it makes sense. I recall Jamie Porter had a child seat modified to fit in (one of) his back when we used him

C
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Most people think the SZ is a shortened 75 but the floorpan is the same as is the wheelbase. There are even the brackets to fit the rear seats under the carpet of the SZ as are all the brackets to fit seatbelts. My SZ has always had a rear seat belt to attach a childs car seat too.

As you say Jamie fitted rear seats in his, black seats from an RZ along with retrimmed 75 rears to match.
 
CatmanV2

CatmanV2

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zagatoes30 said:
Most people think the SZ is a shortened 75 but the floorpan is the same as is the wheelbase. There are even the brackets to fit the rear seats under the carpet of the SZ as are all the brackets to fit seatbelts. My SZ has always had a rear seat belt to attach a childs car seat too.

As you say Jamie fitted rear seats in his, black seats from an RZ along with retrimmed 75 rears to match.
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Well that I did not know!

C
 
Nayf

Nayf

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2,751
zagatoes30 said:
I don't know I find the SZ perfectly useable, just on the look out for a set of 75 rear seats which I am going to get reupholstered to match the fronts so "the boy" can come on tours with us.
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Well, I guess you get used to LHD but I found the sharp shocks of potholes and drainage covers pretty much made - ahem - enthusiastic driving a bit of a challenge. Whereas on the other side of the car it might not be so bad.
The ride over undulations is actually quite supple - bus as I say, short sharp shocks feel as if you’re spine’s being wired into the mains. While you can mitigate drainage covers by avoiding them, and potholes to a certain extent, motorway bridge expansion joints you can’t. All introduces an element of doubt which I found a bit offputting.

Doesn’t stop me wanting an SZ, but if I was ever going to get one I wouldn’t want it to sit there and not be used in the manner Giorgio Pianta intended.

I also wouldn’t want the misery of not being to leave it outside in certain conditions over a weekend away because it will start microblistering. That would annoy me more than the ride…
 
zagatoes30

zagatoes30

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Nayf said:
Well, I guess you get used to LHD but I found the sharp shocks of potholes and drainage covers pretty much made - ahem - enthusiastic driving a bit of a challenge. Whereas on the other side of the car it might not be so bad.
The ride over undulations is actually quite supple - bus as I say, short sharp shocks feel as if you’re spine’s being wired into the mains. While you can mitigate drainage covers by avoiding them, and potholes to a certain extent, motorway bridge expansion joints you can’t. All introduces an element of doubt which I found a bit offputting.

Doesn’t stop me wanting an SZ, but if I was ever going to get one I wouldn’t want it to sit there and not be used in the manner Giorgio Pianta intended.

I also wouldn’t want the misery of not being to leave it outside in certain conditions over a weekend away because it will start microblistering. That would annoy me more than the ride…
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Every one talks about the short sharp shocks but mine doesn't feel like that and other owners that have driven mine say it's different. I have driven it all over the UK and Europe putting on over 50k miles and still find to be a great tourer. LHD doesn't bother me SZ, Fulvia and Q4 all are and the only time its an issue is toll booths and automated car parks.

Mine has never suffered badly with micro blisters, although most are terrible, even before Jamie painted the red from the windows down. I had it painted again a few years ago mainly to address paint chips from too many track days and the only sign of micro blisters are just below the bottom window trims on the doors and that is with it living outside albeit under a car port for the last 2 years.

The only everyday issue I have, and it's only when 1 up, if you are really pushing on into a right hander the front bumper occasionally scraps on the floor with an alarming noise but I have got use to the sound being worse than the damage although I have had to extra fibreglass repairs to it and always make it thicker on the inside than cam out of the factory. Two up the extra weight on the passenger side stops it happening.

I need to get on with getting it registered here so that I can get back to using it more like I use too.
 
Ianed0

Ianed0

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I seriously wanted to have another Alfa last time around but they didn't offer what I wanted, so I opted for a I20n and I have to say, although it pains me, its a very good car, manual, quick, stuffed full of tech. LSD, track modes, switchable exhaust and suspension etc, and ridiculously good handling, all for 28k and that includes the only two options available black roof and Bose sound system, sadly these types of cars will be thin on the ground in the near future.
 
CatmanV2

CatmanV2

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Ianed0 said:
I seriously wanted to have another Alfa last time around but they didn't offer what I wanted
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This was a major factor to me jumping into Maseratis. My Alfa GT was getting a bit long in the tooth, but Alfa had nothing (other than the Brera) that had the correct number of cylinders.

I love Alfa. Mrs C has a Giulietta turbo. It's a whole bundle of laughs, but nothing like any of my Maseratis.

The only time I've ever heard Mrs C involuntarily express being impressed by a car was when we walked into the lot where my (Grigo palladio) was parked to pick it up.

..."Wow"

C
 
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