Alfa Romeo Alfetta
| Alfa Romeo Alfetta | |
|---|---|
1978 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV 2.0 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Alfa Romeo |
| Production | 1972–1987 |
| Assembly |
|
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 4-door saloon 2-door coupé |
| Layout | Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive |
| Related | |
The Alfa Romeo Alfetta (Type 116) is a front-engine, five-passenger saloon and fastback coupé manufactured and marketed by Italian automaker Alfa Romeo from 1972 to 1987 with a total of over 400,000 units produced during its production run.
The Alfetta was noted for the rear position of its transaxle (clutch and transmission) and its De Dion tube rear suspension — an arrangement designed to optimize handling by balancing front/rear weight distribution, as well as maintaining a low polar moment of inertia and low center of gravity. The interior of Coupé models featured a then unusual central tachometer placement — by itself, directly in front of the driver.
The Alfetta name, which means "little Alfa" in Italian is derived from the nickname of the Alfa Romeo Alfetta (Tipo 159), a successful Formula One car which in its last iteration introduced in 1951, paired a transaxle layout to De Dion tube rear suspension — like its modern namesake.