Italian auto manufacturer Alfa Romeo is beloved by petrolheads of all ages. Alfa's rich racing history, impeccable design language, iconic four-leafed clover (Quadrifoglio), and constant frenzy of fun when driving one of their creations.
Alfa Romeo was founded by anonymous investors in 1910 and the road is much less smooth than they hoped for. We, as car enthusiasts, are overjoyed that Alfa did not end up dying off in the 1930s. If they would have, we would have never received any of these marvelous Italian sports cars.
10 1931 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza
Before penicillin was discovered, an Italian super sports racing car made its debut. The Monza name of the 8C was earned due to its Italian Grand Prix victory at Monza in 1931. The original 8C was a 2-seater topless race car built by Scuderia Ferrari and designed to reign supreme over anything on the track and public roads.
This road-legal racer packed a 2.3-liter inline-8 that spat out 165 hp. That meant that the RWD one-ton topless racer reached 60mph in 8.4 seconds. In the 1930s anything under 10 seconds to 60 was deemed as "too much to handle". There were only 188 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza models made for the public and auction off for nothing less than $12 million.
9 1967 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
Not only was this one of the world’s first supercars, but also one of the most beautiful. Did we mention it’s fast too? Upon its initial release, it was the fastest car to reach the 1km mark in only 12.0 seconds at a speed of 130 mph. This mid-engined supercar contains a 2.0-liter V8 that produces 227 hp and reaches 60 mph in less than 6 seconds. Boundaries were redefined by the 33 Stradale.
Unfortunately, there are two downsides: Rarity and price. There were only 18 of the 33 Stradale models ever manufactured and picking up one will put a $10 million-sized dent in your wallet.
8 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA
GTA is an acronym for Gran Turismo Alleggerita. That means a lightened grand tourer. This little animal is the definition of being driver-focused. Weighing just shy of a feather (under 2000 lbs) and boasting a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine with 113 hp, the GTA gets shot to 60 mph in a mere 8.3 seconds.
The 5-speed manual gearbox and aluminum panels help make this a sturdy, fun, lightweight little chuckable machine that will always have a smile planted on your face. There were 500 examples of the Giulia Sprint GTA manufactured and sell for an average of $250k on auctions. There are also less track-orientated alternatives like the various Alfa Romeo Junior models.
7 1974 Alfa Romeo GTV6
Assembled in South Africa, the Alfa Romeo GTV6 was a collaboration between Alfa Romeo South Africa and Alfa Romeo Italy. The goal was to create a more mature, more powerful, and overall superior version of the Alfa Romeo Alfetta 2.0L. Alfa wanted to leave their other competitors such as the BMW 535i in the dust. Aside from sportier exterior modifications, the GTV6 carries the legendary 3.0L V6 engineered by Giuseppe Busso himself. This meant an output of 183 hp all delivered to the rear wheels and tamed by a 5-speed manual gearbox. Fame and the GTV6 walk alongside each other.
The ex-presenter of BBC’s Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson fell in love with the GTV6 while filming The Grand Tour season 3, so he bought himself one. They cost an average of $30k. Another note-worthy appearance was when the fastback Alfa featured as a hero car in the 1983 James Bond film, Octopussy.
6 1991 Alfa Romeo SZ
The Hawaiian pizza of cars: You either love the design of it or hate it. The SZ was Alfa’s first sports car after ownership was given to the Italian auto manufacturer, Fiat. The change of ownership leads to a lot of chatter revolved around it will be as hardcore as the previous Alfa sports cars. The Alfa Romeo SZ (Sport Zagato) was co-created between Fiat, Alfa Romeo, and Zagato. Every single exterior specification was identical – a gray roof, tan interior, and red plastic-like panels The eye-catching design of the SZ made the car look ferocious and fast. Giuseppe Busso’s legendary 3.0-liter V6 made the monster sound ferocious and move fast. 210 hp and 246Nm meant a 0-60 time of 7 seconds.
However, the SZ’s stand-out feature was not straight-line speed, but rather how fast it can stick to a bend. 1.1G of cornering power to be precise. 1036 SZ models left the factory and can be bought for around $65k today.
5 1993 Alfa Romeo GTV
Designed by Pininfarina, a groundbreaking FWD system and the iconic 3.0L Busso engine all wrapped up into one 4 eyed sports car. The Alfa Romeo GTV Type 916 truly is something no one expected to be as good as it was. The mention of an FWD Alfa sports car did not sit well with the public… until they got time to drive the little monster.
Giuseppe Busso’s genius engineering marvel; the 3.0L V6 in the GTV puts out 237 exhilarating horses and the initially frowned upon FWD drivetrain stuck all that power to the ground to handle corners effortlessly. This truly is going to be a future classic and can be snatched up for anything from around $6000.
4 2007 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
This was Alfa Romeo’s first and final supercar they ever built up to date. The 8C proves that an art piece can be admired by using all your senses. The breathtaking appearance, orgasmic exhaust note, smell of Italian leather, the taste of adrenaline, and the touch of the metal gear paddles alongside the steering column as you drop a gear to lift off. This car truly is one of the – if not the – best cars to ever exist on the face of the planet.
A Ferrari-derived 4.7-liter V8 that produces 444 hp and 480Nm propels the 8C to 60mph in just 4.2 seconds. There were more than 1400 orders for the 8C upon its official production announcement, but Alfa only made 1000 of them in total. 500 being coupes and the other 500 being spiders. The initial selling price was listed at just over $300,00, but a good example today will set you back at least $350,000.
3 2013 Alfa Romeo Disco Volante
“Disco Volante” is Italian for “flying saucer” and it accurately describes the design of the coach-built Alfa. Carrozzeria Touring took the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione and fed it sophisticated cocaine. The design is inspired by the 1952 C53 Alfa Romeo Disco Volante. That is where the similarities start and end. The new C54 Disco Volante possesses the same Ferrari-derived 4.7-liter V8 engine that delivers 444 hp and 480 Nm. That combination rockets this UFO to 60 mph in just 4.2 seconds – and it looks gorgeous while doing it as well. Although this spaceship does not seem to be as track-focused as its big brother, it does however reign superior regarding luxury.
There are more than 1550 hours spent to handcraft the masterpiece to perfection. Gems usually are scarce, and this is no exception. Only 8 couples and 7 roadsters were ever made. If you were lucky enough to find one for sale, you’d pay no less than $300,000.
2 2013 Alfa Romeo 4C/4C Spider
Exquisite. That is the best word to describe the 4C. The 4C is a sexy Italian-styled baby supercar, with the weight of a small kitten. This agile cat is powered by a teeny 1.7-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine screaming out a very respectful 240 hp. If you think the small engine was the Alfa’s weakness, you’d be terribly mistaken. The engine is smaller than usual to save weight. Speaking of weight… the entire chassis of the car is sculpted out of carbon fiber – even the headlight housings.
Due to the whole vehicle weighing just 895kg, it becomes a bullet when the accelerator is floored. This meant that the 4C jolts itself to 60mph in just 4.5 seconds – it’s even faster around corners than it is in a straight line. In 2013 a new 4C would have a sticker price of at least $55,000, but in 2021 a new 4C costs $89,000. This Alfa Romeo ages like a fine wine. Since the 4C has been discontinued in 2021, sellers are starting to ask almost 6 figures for their pristine examples.
1 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA
5-seater family saloons are not usually considered sports cars but… this is different. Once upon a time, the fastest saloon produced by Alfa was the Giulia Quadrofoglio, but the GTA is better in every single aspect. Weighing as much as a cardboard box, having even more power, wider fenders, and a rear wing the size of an ostrich.
The twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 squeezes out 532 hp. That launches the GTA to 60mph quicker than you can say Alfa Romeo Giulia Grand Turismo Alleggerita - just 3.6 seconds. Cosmetic upgrades are tastefully done. A large wing, carbon fiber rear fenders, dual-center Akrapovic titanium exhausts tips, and redesigned race-inspired front and rear bumpers. All of these upgrades lead to losing 100kg. If this is all too tame for your liking a GTAm version is available as well. The GTAm is a GTA that went on an extreme diet and ditches the rear seats to weigh even less than its previous 1520kg. Combined only 500 GTA and GTAm models will ever be produced and sold for nothing less than $268,000.