Alfa Romeo was effectively on its way out of the U.S. by the early 1990s, coinciding with the end of production of the long-serving Spider model, despite the fact that its replacement was just around the corner and would have made it here had Alfa not left. But the Italian automaker threw in the towel in 1995, offering just the large 164 sedan that had proven to be a slow seller after a few recession-stained years. Not only did U.S. buyers not receive the successor to the Spider and the GTV, but even the successor to the Milano sedan never made it here.
The Alfa Romeo 155 was that Milano successor, arriving in Europe 1992, and it combined a sharp and trendy design with sharp handling and plenty of power in the top versions. And in a few weeks, one of these sedans will be offered by Artcurial Auctions.
While base versions of the 155 offered the four-cylinder "Twin Spark" engine, with inline-fours ranging in displacement from 1.7 to 2.0 liters, or even Alfa's 2.5-liter V6, the Q4 flavor of the small sedan opted for something distinctly different. The 155 Q4 featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter, 16-valve engine derived from the Lancia Delta Integrale, giving the car a distinctly different character. This meant 192 hp was on tap in this compact four-door, but with power sent to all four wheels. This made the 155 Q4 a rarity at the time as well as a stealthy back road bomber, as the list of compact sedans with four-wheel drive was mostly filled by Audi models.
The example that Artcurial will offer at its Automobiles sur les Champs sale is an early 1992 example that was spent all of its life in France. The car was delivered in December 1992 to Tarn, and traded hands for the first time only in 2004, when a Alfa Romeo dealer in Ambi purchased it. The Alfa has been resprayed since in the original color but is otherwise described as having a clear history, now showing 92,000 kilometers, which is just over 57,166 miles. The car will be offered at no reserve.
Artcurial estimates this 155 Q4 to bring between €10,000 and €15,000 on auction day, which roughly converts to a range between $11,704 and $17,556.
But is this a ticket into a clean and moderately enjoyed Alfa Romeo, or a collector piece with appreciation potential?
The estimate range fully reflects the car's status as a collectible, because garden variety 155s are dime a dozen in Europe, even in relatively clean condition. In fact, it's possible to land in a regular 155 for just a couple of thousand euros. This car, on the other hand, is likely to bring a price that only collectors will understand, even if 155 Q4s could be found for less.
As with any sporty models, to use the Subaru Impreza WRX STi of the 1990s as an analogy, the number of examples that hadn't been floored from every red light is very small. That's the world that this Alfa lives in, as most of its siblings had long been thrashed into oblivion or wrapped around a tree. So this sedan has a bit of youngtimer, time-warp appeal, even if the trip back in time is a short one. Witnessing a clean (but resprayed) 155 Q4 come up for auction with a bit over 50,000 miles on the clock is a rare event for those who appreciate the time period and Alfa Romeos that are a little obscure.
The winning bid is pretty much guaranteed to be made by someone nostalgic for that time period in Alfa's history, which was... definitely not the most glorious one. But after all, the youngtimer scene in Europe has been crazy about minty, time-warp hot hatches for a while, so this estimate range is a reflection of that market and fanaticism.
Visit the auction website to view the full list of lots from the upcoming sale.
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Alfa Romeo 155 Q4 Stealth Bomber Heads to Auction - Autoweek
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