Alfa Romeo 33 Price Guide

The Alfa Romeo 33 replaced the Alfasud and inherited its boxer engine, its front-wheel-drive layout, and — despite Alfa’s best efforts — much of its reputation for corrosion. Underneath the rust, the 33 was a talented small car that deserved better.

The Range

Produced from 1983 to 1995, the 33 used water-cooled flat-four boxer engines in 1.3, 1.5, 1.7, and 1.8-litre forms. The 1.7 16v Cloverleaf was the performance pick, producing 137bhp and offering genuinely entertaining front-wheel-drive handling. A permanent four-wheel-drive version using a viscous coupling centre differential was also available — unusual for a car of this class in the late 1980s. Pininfarina styled both the hatchback and the Sportwagon estate. The Sportwagon is arguably the better-looking car.

What Goes Wrong

Rust, rust, and more rust. The 33 was better-protected than the Alfasud it replaced, but that is faint praise. Sills, floors, inner wings, wheelarches, and rear suspension mountings all corrode. The boxer engines are mechanically strong but awkward to work on due to the flat layout. Cambelt access is tight. The gearbox on early cars suffered from a notchy shift; later cars improved. Survivors are now scarce in the UK.