With an eye on the mass market place , Alfa Romeo train its sights on creating an affordable small sedan in the early 1950s . But being Alfa , with its history of great sporting machines , the enticement to make something livelier of the new railway car resulted in a real jewel – the 1954 - 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulietta and Giulia .
In the ordinary strategy of thing , railroad car are created under the watchful gaze of talented someone or by teams directed by ware planners , marketing managers , and edible bean counters . The car born almost by accident , the ware of what can only be call an rethink , is exceedingly rare , and the odds of it achieving greatness are svelte indeed .
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Thus it is extremely appropriate that the Alfa Romeo Giulietta – an afterthought that definitely deserve the mantle of illustriousness – came into being as the result of a lottery , a tenacious - odds initiative if ever there was one .
To realize the twist and turns of the Giulietta ’s nascence , it is necessary to go back to 1952 , a time when Alfa Romeo was abandoning its traditional recession as a builder of special - output , high - performance machine for a spot among the aggregated producer .
At the time , Alfa was short of cash , a far - from - unusual state of affairs that persisted until Fiat consume control of the firm many age later . But the Milanese party did have a new car – the Giulietta Berlina , a creation of the brilliant Orazio Satta Puliga – designed and quick to go .
Satta had taken the best elements of the live 1900 series and scaled them down , making improvements where necessary . Designed for mass production , this small sedan was a Modern conception for Alfa ; 1900 sedans , coupes , and cabriolets had always trickled out the Portello mill ’s door in small quantities .
for generate the gross needed for Giulietta growing and tooling , Alfa Romeo conducted what was , in gist , a lottery . host of Italians were induced to buy interest - bearing fellowship Julian Bond , with the promise that 200 of them , chosen by random drawing , would receive marque - fresh Berlinas as a bonus when product gravel under way .
The lottery was a achiever , fire enough money to finance the newfangled car . mechanically skillful components were quickly put into production to meet an announced end of testify the new car during 1953 . But at the appointed time , completed Berlinas were nowhere to be see . Though this led many people to believe that the hamper sale / drawing scheme was not rigorously on the up - and - up , the simple fact was that torso output was well behind agenda .
Something had to be done . Someone at the factory , perhaps exhort by a design field of study for a small coupe that had been kicking around the Alfa do work since former 1952 , decided a customs duty sports - car body wrapped around Berlina mechanicals might avert attention away from the sedan shortage .
Alfa contracted with Carrozzeria Bertone for a Giulietta coupe to be show at the 1954 Turin Auto Show . Whether this was ab initio specify to be merely an care - grabber to calm down the chorus of murmur about nonexistent Berlinas or a miniature for the fortunate 200 is unknown .
Learn about the pattern traits of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta and Giulia in the next surgical incision .
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1954-1965 Alfa Romeo Giulietta and Giulia Design
Nuccio Bertone was not give much fourth dimension – some say just 10 days , but that seems unbelievable – to come up with a design for the Alfa Romeo Giulietta . as luck would have it , he drew little or no inhalation from the existing coupe styling model but instead handed the occupation to his house decorator , Franco Scaglione .
After having deal with the proficient challenges of personify the Arnolt - Bristol and the aerodynamic form of the brilliant Alfa BAT show automobile in a somewhat showy mode , Scaglione produce a simple , clean shape for the Giulietta coupe .
Its cutis was stretch out tight over the mechanical components and rider blank indoors , and the overall proportions and direction of point display Scaglione ’s genius . Not until another , much later , Alfa Romeo – the 1967 midengine Type 33 Stradale – would he create a more abiding design .
In the end , Bertone was able to complete four cars before the Turin show deadline , with final trim and painting completed at Ghia . An unusual side - opening hatchback door figure was a feature film of the first quartet ; this less - than - rigid setup was replaced by a fasten rearward window and part trunklid when production started .
What Alfa management had not enumerate on was the public response . While no phonograph recording of the drawing winners ' reaction seems to have pull through – and it is undecipherable if all 200 actually meet their loot coupes – there were plenty of others who want to corrupt the new Giulietta Sprints . Some say 3,000 orders were use up at Turin , and more followed quick . In any lawsuit , they – and the cash customer – were in for a time lag , as only a dozen cars were completed through the end of 1954 .
Once the tiny coupe ’s place in Alfa ’s product schedule was clear , Bertone offered up a buggy marriage offer . This , too , was a Scaglione design , one that bore more than a passing resemblance to his Arnolt - Bristol . But Alfa bosses were unimpressed by Bertone ’s braless Giulietta , so much so that , according to some report , the troupe actually lost the paradigm ( one of four build ) entrusted to it .
A well response awaited a intention from Pinin Farina . That house ’s exploit had more of a brotherly appearing when attend alongside the Sprint coupe ; open and closed sporting Giuliettas appeared to have been designed together , though no panels were standardized between them . Series product was ordered , and the first example were shown to the public at the 1955 Paris Auto Show .
Max Hoffman , not surprisingly , was one of the most vocal proponents of an open Giulietta . As Alfa ’s U.S. importer , Hoffman wielded a great plenty of influence . And he backed up his trace with a sizable edict for motorcar , just as he had done when prodding Porsche to produce the 356 Speedster and Mercedes - Benz to put the 300SL " Gullwing " on the marketplace . Thus , the Giulietta Spider joined the house .
The Giulietta sedans , by the path , ultimately became the mass - market success Alfa hoped it would be . Within their boxy minuscule bodies they conduct the same gamy powerplant and superb respite – not to observe the same distinctive grille shell – that enthrall Sprint and Spider owner , and brought many of the delight of athletics - car driving to those forced for practical understanding to opt for four threshold . They also hit the grocery in 1955 .
line up out about the carrying out feats of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta and Giulia on the next page .
1954-1965 Alfa Romeo Giulietta and Giulia Performance
Back in Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint coupe - land , more potential client were queuing up even before the first orders were fill up , a felicitous state of affair that led Alfa to continually develop the Sprint . There was precious little wrong with it in good order from the beginning – excepting , maybe , the column - shift linkage install in former coupe – but much possible lie down in the canonical aim , especially for top performance .
Essentials were kept . The 1.3 - cubic decimeter light - alloy twincam inline four was a real jewel , a rev - happy short powerplant that was well for 60 HP even with a single Solex carburettor . The four - speeding gearbox was equally practiced ; both could take considerable hard role and remain reliable .
Front and rearward suspension were conventional , though the gyre - sprung live rearward axle was unusually well - located , boasting both a give chase arm on each side and a central triangular locating connection attached to the axle housing itself . The large drum brake system were more than decent for the 1940 - pound Giulietta .
First on the advance list was an increase in performance . In the 1955 Mille Miglia , the Giuliettas were severely beaten by the 1300cc Porsches . This unendurable State Department of affairs led Alfa to evolve the Veloce , available from 1956 onward in either Sprint coupe or Spider convertible form .
A duet of Weber carburetors and internal modifications raised power from the original 60 to more than 90 horsepower at a rowdy 6,000 rpm . A floor - ride gearshift was supplied as well , and the reprieve was stiffened .
But most of the company ’s endeavour went into weight reduction : formative side window and atomic number 13 doors and hood were used , as were fastener of bring down size of it throughout the machine ( stand for that nut case , bolts , and screws were not exchangeable between normal Giuliettas and Veloces ) .
These measure cut away some 250 pound . The issue , harmonize to one present-day tester , was a car that could reach 60 miles per hour from residuum in 10 seconds and reach a maximum velocity of slightly more than 110 mph . Not bad for a simple 78.7 cubic inches !
The standard car was no slug either . It would make the 0 - 60 dash in less than 15 seconds and arrive at a 100 - mph upper limit , while delivering fuel economy in the 25 - 30 mpg range .
In meter , H.P. would be increase again , first by retuning the locomotive , which brought yield up to a claimed 80 HP for the received Giulietta , then by installing a new , larger powerplant of approximate - identical intent . This 1.6 - cubic decimeter ( actually 1570cc ) locomotive engine was rat at 92 HP in normal form and 112 horsepower in Veloce trim . It was joined to a five - speed gearbox that bring engine rev and internal interference levels down considerably .
So appreciated was the extra proportion by long - suffer owners that the factory bring in a five - f number conversion kit for the four - speed . useable from later 1962 , the 1.6 - cubic decimetre engine / five - speeding combination transform the Giulietta into the Giulia .
In 1959 , the Spider ’s wheelbase – but not the Sprint coupe ’s – was lengthen by two inches ( from a very short 86.7 ) with consequent improvement to internal space . These dimensions also served the Giulia in its first years .
In 1964 , toward the end of product , the 1.3 - liter engine reappeared in Europe in a less - expensive coupe called the 1300 Sprint . However , this seeming rehash of the old Giulietta Sprint did include the front disc brakes that had been phased in for the Giulia .
Get a summation of the various Giulietta and Giulia models on the next pageboy .
1954-1965 Alfa Romeo Giulietta and Giulia Models
At its nascency in 1954 , the Alfa Romeo Giulietta was yield a " 750 " serial turn , which denoted the coupe , convertibles , and sedan with a 1290cc railway locomotive and four - amphetamine transmission . The lightweight , high - performance Veloce models retained this number , though it had many specific constituent that did not switch with those fitted to normal Sprint coupe and Spider convertibles .
During 1959 , a newfangled model , fate " 101 , " was announce . At this metre , the Spider ’s wheelbase was lengthened and a few cosmetic changes were made to the exterior : sofa bed adopted nonopening door vent windows , coupe tote up a fine eggs - crate texture to the center and side grilles , and both gained big stern - light .
But the important modification center on around the engine and four - speed transmission system . The former flip-flop to a diecast cylinder block in place of the original sandcast component ; the latter was house in a new sheath first used for a five - pep pill in the Scaglione - designed Sprint Speciale that debut two years earlier . Five - speed gearboxes see today in 101 - series Giuliettas are either transplants or – less probable but potential – period conversions made with a factory - offer kit .
The 750- and 101 - series gondola have a substantial phone number of alone piece that do not interchange . But the dissent parts numbers do n’t evidence the whole story : The shift from 750 to 101 production was , as were many other change to the Giulietta line , gradual , with new items added as stocks of old parts were depleted . As a result , some later 750s and early 101s may not adhere purely to the official specifications – no surprise to anyone conversant with Italian cars .
Another change , this one even more significant , occurred in 1962 when a 1570cc locomotive engine was introduced and the five - velocity was sweep up across the plank . The young powerplant was marvellous , so a broad bump was bring to the hood of the low-pitched - slung Spider . At this compass point , the cars became Giulias – the Giulietta name was dropped – but they rest in the 101 serial .
accord to the figures mention by Luigi Fusi in his bookAll Alfa Romeo Carsfrom 1910 , some 24,084 Giulietta Sprint coupes were built in both 750- and 101 - series form between 1954 and 1962 . Meanwhile , 14,300 Spider convertibles were turn out . The high - performance Veloce was rarer , with a claim production of 3,058 Sprints and 2,796 spider .
In plus , Fusi reported that 1,366 Sprint Speciale and 200 Zagato - embodied SZ coupes were made . Output of the Giulia Sprint do to 7,107 , plus another 1,400 of the Speciale . Giulia Spiders account for 9,250 assemblies , as well as an extra 1,091 Veloce sofa bed . The late 1300 Sprint , made for the European mart in 1964 - 1965 , used up 1,900 Giulia body and 1.3 - liter Giulietta railway locomotive .
Learn about the pluses and subtraction of these cars in our final section .
Pluses and Minuses of the 1954-1965 Alfa Romeo Giulietta and Giulia
Some things did not alter throughout the decade Alfa Romeo Giuliettas and early Giulias were in yield . For starters , everyone seems to have loved them when they were new , as do those who are rosy enough to drive them today . Road trial run were pepper with adjectives praise either coupe or Spider ( or both at once ) .
EvenConsumer Reports , which tested sports railcar on occasion in those Day , came away favourably impressed with the two - seat Alfa , even if its staff could n’t manage to get the kind of 0 - 60 mph times recorded by others .
The qualities that captivated those long - ago magazine writer and customer are as apparent today as they were then . For starters , the Giulietta ’s shape is just plain endearing , bland and almost fragile when compare to rivals from England or Germany .
Then there ’s the Interior Department , do in leather , paint metal , a unusual mix of carpeting and rubber mats on the floor , and some strategically placed bright trimming . The driver has fiddling to do beyond keeping oculus on the route , as there are only a few control knobs for distraction .
orchestration is complete , beginning with a big tach directly ahead of the plastic steering wheel . It is flank by a speed indicator on the rightfield and a compounding gauge on the left that holds warning visible radiation ( one unusual fitment for the time was a low - fuel lamp ) and dials for fuel spirit level , coolant temperature , and oil colour pressure sensation . Unlike the majority of its contemporary , the Spider version has proper breaking wind - up side window , not British - standard removable sidescreens .
Good as the little Alfa was to count at or sit in , it was far more fun to force back . In either 1.3- or 1.6 - liter form , it is capable of a more than adequate turning of speed , at least so long as the driver is willing to keep the revs up . The only punishment for doing so is haphazardness ; vibration is nonexistent , even at the 6200 - rpm redline , a maximum that most Alfa drivers quickly learn can be surpass without causing problems . Shifting is easy as well , as is braking .
But it ’s palm that make these cars so enthrall to drive . The chassis demeanor is precise and responsive , even when riding on the narrow tire of its twenty-four hour period . say tires grip well , and give plenty of warning before the Sprint ’s natural understeering leaning are exchanged for oversteer .
The copious amount of body lean – something a number one wood coming from , say , a present-day MG might find disconcert at first – does nothing to take away from the playfulness . Neither does the worm - and - peg steering box seat , which is only marginally less lineal than a rack and quill feather would be .
That does n’t mean there are no complaint to be made . Not all are from hindsight , either , as some were cite at the time . The first , especially for coupe owners , is dissonance . Yes , it ’s a wonderful haphazardness , a mechanically skillful birdcall with ( at least in the Spider ) the kick of wind as counterpoint . It ’s just that there ’s too much of it for long - term comfort . A few mi in an enclosed Giulietta will make almost anyone bid for the ulterior five - speed infection and its long top ratio .
The instruments , dainty as they are , have light - colored face and numbers , which makes them difficult to read at a coup d’oeil . And the tail lack the firmness and side support available in some competitors ' cars .
Even so , the overall impression left by the Giuliettas and Giulias remains positive . They were outstandingly refined automobiles for their day , delight little machine that fuse Italian flair with enough practicality to be suitable for quotidian use .
They were reliable , too . The 1950s - era perception of sports cars – and this practice even to the low - revving casting - iron English examples – was that they were erratic and should always be backstopped by a mundane rider vehicle . The Alfa ’s mechanically skillful moment thrived , at least as long as veritable servicing was provided , and rarely left proprietor stranded .
Only the electric system was trouble - prone . The uninitiated ( and proponents of British sports cars ) tend to blame this sorry state of affair on Magneti Marelli , yet only a few ( primarily the Veloces ) were issue with Italian electric bits . The majority had – and still have – generators , starter , and distributors sourced from Joseph Lucas , Ltd. Enough say .
Giuliettas were run – what was n’t in the Fifties ? – and rallied with some achiever after the Veloce iteration was made useable . They also formed the base for styling exercises from the then - thriving Italian coachbuilder . Two of the latter , Bertone ’s dramatic Scaglione - styled Sprint Speciale ( 1957 - 1965 ) and Zagato ’s rounded , chunky , aluminium - bodied SZ ( 1959 - 1961 ) , were produced in limited numbers game . They also love the benefit of the five - speed transmittal even before it appear in the Giulias . Of the pair , Scaglione ’s effort , showing unmistakable influence from the early BAT show cars , is far and away the more glamourous .
All good things come to an last , however . Production of the base Sprint , the Normale , end in 1964 ; gathering of the Sprint Speciale and Spiders discontinue the undermentioned year . Other Alfa Romeo coupes and Spiders would survey , always develop larger , heavy , and more advanced .
Still , many enthusiasts and owners maintain that when rat for looks , sense , carrying into action , and out - and - out driving pleasure , the original Sprints were the best of the mess , and there is small evidence to contradict them . These thickset coupes and convertible are , despite their almost accidental beginnings , timeless classic , as loveable today as they were when new .
