Man, just look at it. This is, without a doubt, the greatest car of all time. Definitely the prettiest. Another masterpiece by Giorgetto Giugiaro, this little muscle car was and is an absolute, definitive example of what every car should be. Note the amazing shape, which has aged incredibly well, and the tasteful restraint in chrome and slapdashery.
GTV stands for "Gran Turismo Veloce", or "Fast Touring Car", which means a sporting car designed for comfort on long trips, a car meant to cross continents at high speed and allow the driver and passenger to arrive refreshed and relaxed. Wait, look at the picture again. Heartbreakingly gorgeous, isn't it?
Inside, you get a well-appointed cabin, with a wonderfully oversized Nardi wood-rimmed steering wheel and wood trim everywhere, as well as sporty bucket seats and a shifter mounted high and to the middle of the console. Check out all those auxiliary gauges!
Even though these wonderful little cars established a reputation for being "fragile", it is well known that when a classic Alfa GTV is running, it is pure bliss.
Observe that beautiful inline-four. This little mill made 135hp, and was more than enough to scoot the 2170lb car along with little effort. The GTV had a five-speed manual, one more gear than was common in sporting cars of its era, and 4-wheel disc brakes. In its day, this little hot rod could run with Ferrari and Porsche on racetracks and twisty roads, and was livable for everyday driving.
A good GTV can be had from $7000- $15,000, meaning I am quite likely to acquire one in my lifetime. Which means my friends and family will never hear the end of it! On a related note, last night I dreamed I bought one...
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