Giulia Giardinetta (“Promiscua”)
Not great quality photos, but a terrific-looking little car, especially with the red interior on white exterior. And a California car, obviously. Really, could it be anything but?
Owner’s story:
“I run a restoration shop, and I bought my first Alfa in 1975, a Spider Veloce. Being a mechanical engineer gives you a great base when it comes to doing restorations; how to weld, how metals react, thermal dynamics. But a lot of what I’ve learned about these cars has come from my customers. One thing I really like about Alfa Romeos is the size of the car. They’re small, light cars, very exciting to drive. Let’s face it, Enzo Ferrari started with this company. Their controls feel really good, precise and balanced, and the chassis are excellent. I think that’s because the Giuliettas and Giulias were designed and built by the guys at Alfa who had worked on the pre-war cars.”
More over at Hemmings, from whence this story comes. This particular turbocharged example happens to pack 240 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque, running to 60 in six flat on its way to a top speed of 140 mph! Not only astoundingly fast for a car its age, but respectably quick even by modern standards. Weighing what it does (i.e., next to nothing), the car must run like an absolute top.
Motoring Con Brio 
Somehow it reminds me of a 510. The Italian version, of course. . . It’s like a more sexy than motherly Italian woman from one of the Fellini movies. You know that she can cook AND she can . . .
Colin said this on February 3, 2011 at 11:45 am
that’s actually not a bad comparison (the 510), i hadn’t thought of that before. they appear to be similarly proportioned in just about every way save height (the datsun is about 9 inches taller).
motoringconbrio said this on February 3, 2011 at 12:02 pm
Here’s one I spotted in Calistoga. There’s a RHD example in the Bay Area as well.
http://karakullake.blogspot.com/2009/12/carspotting-24-rare-alfa-romeo-giulia.html
Tamerlane said this on February 3, 2011 at 7:41 pm