MG METRO TURBO
Catch me if you can
YEAR: 1991
My Alfa Romeo 75 1.8 Turbo Quadrifoglio Verde is entertaining and exciting from the very beginning. Driving it is a blast, although its limits are to be pursued only by drivers who are able to tame 165 hp without any electronic aids.
The 1.8 Turbo’s suspension was redesigned by Alfa Romeo (bars, springs, dampers), which becomes clear when compared to its less powerful siblings; the road feel is excellent, also thanks to the low driving position. The turbo, however, does not need to be asked twice. When it starts pushing it is best to grasp the wheel properly and be careful in order to avoid unexpected oversteering, on dry and (obviously even more) on wet asphalt.
Sometimes it is in their most difficult moments that companies create successful products.
This is what happened with Alfa Romeo that, during a period of economic hardship, came up with the substitute of the Giulietta, which was outdated and close to retirement.
And so, in 1985, the Alfa Romeo 75 was born.
The car was immediately well received by fans of the marque, even though it represented a significant turning point, especially style-wise. Its design was very modern, both for its wedge-shaped lines—more pronounced compared to the previous model and highlighted by the rocker panels—and the trapezoidal lights that lent extraordinary dynamism to an already racing appearance.
The changes were all there, more or less. The 75, due to the mentioned hardships, borrowed mechanics and bodywork from the Giulietta (as the Giulietta did from the Alfetta): all the updates were consequently limited to the exterior of the car body.
Never change a winning team
The whole mechanical structure—longitudinal engine, rear-wheel drive, double wishbone front suspension and deDion axle rear suspension—was therefore unchanged and, although it was already two decades old, it guaranteed remarkable drivability.
(A reminder that, for a better weight distribution, the brakes were inboard—that is, they were mounted right after the differential.)
Thanks to these features the Alfa 75 confirmed its racing attitude and was available with several engine options: from the 1.6 petrol engine to the 2.0 and 2.4 diesel engines, and finally the 1.8 turbo and the 3.0 V6.