The Brilliant Alfa Romeo 145 Cloverleaf is Largely Ignored - Why?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 ต.ค. 2022
- The Alfa Romeo 145 Cloverleaf was a return to form for Alfa after the disappointment of the first series 145. The successor to the 33 was initially a flawed car but the Cloverleaf with the new Alfa 2 litre engine was brilliant.. if perhaps a little less polished than its rivals. 155hp and a super quick steering rack offered a genuine alternative to the best hatches of the time.
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We use to call them Pasta Vans at the Alfa dealership I worked at . 145/6 were my bread and butter back in the day 😅
It was my first Alfa. It was so unrelieable, so bad, but I loved this car, the sound of that boxer engine..oh dear. It was part of my life for 11 years and I will never forget it. So many good and not so goot memories, but those were some good times. At least, I've learned a lot about mechanics and electronics😆
It is my first car too but with 1.9jtd engine and it doesent make me any problems and it goes like a plane it is so fast for that car i love it so much
Which problems?i would like to buy one
It was a boxer engine, problems with electronics and fuel pump all the time. Twice had to call service on road because I couldn't turn it on
Was yours a Quadrifoglio/Cloverleaf? Would love to hear about issues, been thinking about getting one.
@@MarcosCodas no, mine was 1.3 liter boxer. I've had a lot of electrical problems, fuel pump failure, lambda sonda. A few times left me on the road.
The one with the twin spark engine has some other problems as I know, phase variator, air sensor problems. You should find it on the forum where owners can give you more informations
I really like the 145 & 155 I think they’re great looking, I’ve got a real taste for this era of cars and their styling 👌
I agree. Such a great proportions and proper stance, not sure why people are harsh to the 145/6 and 155.
The styling has aged well and stands the test of time! I love the single-minded attitude that Italian mien charisma that separated it from it's rivals operatic!
Had a 145 1.6 T spark for 7 yrs, racking up 130,000 miles in it. Tremendous car! The only faults it had were a rattly cam variator, and a lambda sensor. I think it was still on the original clutch when I traded it in. Even as a 1.6 it went like stink, and handled beautifully. Always adored the styling inside and out. The breadvan rear was also very handy - I moved house several times while I owned mine, and it was very useful for moving stuff. Apart from the 156 I owned, I think this is my 2nd favourite car I’ve owned.
I had the same from the age of 21 to 28! I suffered a bit of understeer when pushing. Lovely and very reliable little engine. Loved to rev.
Thank you mate! was a pleasure meeting you and testing out my 145
Great to meet you Luis!!
145 QV 2.0 was also my first Alfa (bought at 2006)! Fond memories. Still remember the smile i had after the buy. That sound!
Sold it in 2010 to buy 156 GTA saloon, which I still own today. And Alfa 159 2.0jdm TI as daily.
My first car was a 146 with a 1.4 boxer engine. I loved it so much, with 16 inch wheels, lower suspension and a ragazzon exhaust, it was a joy to drive it.
I absolutely love the boxy looks of the 155 , I just think those sort of Angeles look better than the curves we have these days also I'm a sucker for a red car 👍
Me too mate, totally
I loved my Twinnie from back in the day, they're such a good engine! I recently got loaned a 2.0ts 147 from my Alfa Indie when the Giulia was in for service and couldn't stop grinning all the way home! That second power band right at the top of the rev range is great... I've nearly bought a 145 Cloverleaf a few times over the years as I like the quirky bread van shape a lot. Just never quite managed to find the right one...
A friend has one for sale, never been welded.
Had one a few years ago , loved it ,fast,quick on the feet , good looking AND perfect eco car ,LITERALLY disintegrates after couple of thousand miles.
Great trip down memory lane. I had a 1.7 Boxer which sounded lovely but was so weak you had to slip the clutch at lights to get anywhere, it eventually dropped a valve on the way to Denmark. Then later got the 2.0 Cloverleaf, bit loose at the front, not nearly as playful a chassis as a 306 xsi I had for a while, but foolproof handling which actually let the engine shine - so torquey compared to the 1.7, with a glorious power curve which just improved all the way to 7,000 rpm, it just begged to be revved out. I totally loved that car....! 😍
The boxer engine had plenty of power for the light chassis it was originally designed for. The problem here is that the 145 with 1.7 boxer engine is carry an extra 200+ kg. I'm pretty sure it's also heavier than the 306 with 16v 2.0
Your channel makes me feel young! Thanks for the excitement Jack. I wish we had some of the cars you drive over here in the States.
I always loved these, they’ve aged so well too.
Had one of these back in the day. Steering was sharp, throttle response superb, and the engine....simply glorious. That is until it blew up with 42k miles on the clock. Spent big to get a new engine dropped in. Blew within 6 months, same issue as previous. Fortunately got this replaced under warranty. The car had cost me in 18 months more than what it cost to buy so I sadly sold at a huge loss. Despite all of the above, loved it, and would happily buy an Alfa again (as long as I had a nice fund set aside for repair) 🙂
I’ve been meaning to suggest you try one of these. I had one and loved it. Thanks for reviewing it.
Thanks Jack, always good to see the rarer cars! If possible, can we get a bit more view of the inside & walk round please, so we get to see all the styling? 🙏🙏
My dad bought a new ts 2.0 164 it was a beauty to behold inside and out. But the amount of electronic issues was unreal (and this was the facelift version). He turned that over gor a brandnew spider v6 as it just came out. Again a beauty inside and out, but even more issues. I drove both those cars a lot so I ran into a lot of the issues. Needless to say I now have that classic Alfa relationship; I love m, I enjoy seeing them.....but I am afraid to buy one.
These still look great now. Always loved these.
The 145 qv, was my first car back home in Europe which gave me the Alfa Romeo bug and believe me, nothing compares to an Alfa Romeo charm, I own bmw 128i manual, it's not even close to the feel the 145 qv has. I know those are two different types of cars. I have an Alfa Romeo inch which I need to get scratched. I'm thinking 164 2.0 V6 turbo and later my 145 qv to import to the states. Thanks for the great alfa Romeo content.
Love my 156 2.0 ts, a car with a character. Had new cars, sold them all within 6 months of buying, this one is a keeper.
The 145 is boxy, but with many genious design 'touches' that make it absolutely unique and one of my most favourite-looking cars
I had an Alfa 145 JTD as a company car. I had some 'things' with it and if demanded I would love to shine my light on it.
Killer car in my book.
Had a black 146 ti such a fun car, used to road trip it across ireland every month in the summer, wouldn’t get away with that driving for long these days. Had a33 1.3 before that which was more fun around town but that used more fuel than the ti 😁 I’m on the look out for a nice 33 1.7 👌🏻
I had the small 146, the 1.4 TS and i can tell you that was my best car ever!
I had a 2.0 black 156 with the huge rear spoiler & sideskirts, teledials etc Loved it.
I had an early flat four 1.7ie 145.
Had 3 33s including a sportwagon plus a 155 Silverstone and a beauty of a 72 Giulia 1600 super.
Love me Alfas.
I had quite forgotten about those Alfa’s. ❤
So we nice to see, a bit forgotten and overlooked, the reason it special now in my opinion.. Love the channel and the Italian passion for cars..... Would be nice to see a nice 155 or a Tempra SW .....the one with that nice roof line.
What a design. This was my first car, well the 146 Ti, but it is basically the same car. I really loved it, the engine was so smooth and relatively powerful for that car. But the steering was magnificent, fast and communicative, but really compared to anything else on the market the Ti and QV were so sporty and fun cars, even the interiors were adequate.
This car spoiled me with Alfa's fast steering, and high (proper) seating position, although it was really impossible to get lower for someone higher than 185cm.
I miss it very much, unfortunately here where I am from there are no good examples.
My first car was a '96 145 QV, which I still have (after 7+ years). It's an awesome hatch, very competent for it's time so it's a shame it has been forgotten. A proper hot hatch, from the best hot hatch years. I think is one of the more characterful C segment options from the 90's with its wedgy breadvan look, a design that's weird but full of interesting details.
I also have a Giulietta QV, the "modern" day equivalent. Of course the Giulietta does everything better. But, despite having 100hp more, manual transmision and all it just can't hold a candle to the 145 when it comes to fun factor, sense of speed, sense of occasion and character. 90's cars despite it's flaws have a soul and fun factor that newer cars can't match. Plus, you can drive the 145 fast and have fun without actually getting into trouble, something that's not possible with faster more modern cars.
On the topic of reliability my 145 had 20 years of use and less than ideal maintenance when I got it, I had to sort some common age related things (rubber hoses, gaskets, fuel pump etc) as well as fix minor yet dubious repair work by some previous owner. Only real issues the engine had was the cam variator, which is a known issue with these cars. As for the rest of the car, the interior isn't falling apart, nor is the suspension or anything else. They are really though and very practical little cars.
Yet another underrated Italian specimen. Enjoyed this Jack 🇬🇧
Very fond of the old T Spark motors.
Company I worked for years ago had a 156 1.8 T Spark Lusso as a pool car (was an ex managers company car) and drove it a few times. Engine was definitely the stand out feature, so revvy and responsive...rest of the car was a bit of a disappointment tho!
More recently my mate ran a 147 1.6 TS as a loaner for a bit, had been to the moon and back and had a hell of a life but it still drove well (revved like anything and absolutely flew for a 1.6).....was amazed it had held together so well.....testament that not all Alfas of that generation were fragile and not good to last. Probably still revving its bits off somewhere!
You seem to be testing all the cars l used to own way back. Brought back many memories.
Always wanted one, loved the box shape!
That model is really growing on me.... Thanks for the video!
I've just seen one on sale and I'm so glad it's a Jack video that is bringing me the info.
A pal of mine bought one of these new. I had a 33 16v Cloverleaf at the time and think it was a far better car. I liked the 145 but it was a bit 'soft', even in Cloverleaf form. My 33 used to run rings around it, especially in the handling stakes...... Anyway, I've got an Alfa that you might like to drive, will ping you on Insta.
You Harry Metcalfe nd Co are going to wear out that little bit of road with the dipping S bend! Nice review again Jack
I have always liked the styling of these and the rear wrap around visor style windows.
Thanks for the review, shame we will never see a small Alfa again.👍
Dear No 27, i had the Alfa Romeo 146, which is the 145 with a bigger boot. It was the 1.4 TS, 103 HP, which was a real power of 107 HP. It was my first and best car. Because of my job, i used many different cars, and i have to say Alfa 146 was the best of all. There was no BMW 1.6, or Audi A4 1.6 or whatever else which was 1.4 or 1.6 liters who could follow me on the road. Brakes, suspension, engine, were all fantastic. Car was bought on 1997, i kept it for 10 years, i had no issue with reliability. I could take curves with 140 km/h which i could not imagine nowadays with the cars i had after my Alfa. I can still remember the roaring of the engine which a soon as you were keeping the revs over 4000, it was its happiest time. The only complain i had was the long turning cycle, but steering with that car was fantastic.
I live in UK and i know that in UK Alfa did not sell well here ,and this is for reasons that i respect, but Greek people, we do not really care about those reasons, so for me that Alfa 146 was my best car ever.
Good to hear Niko! Thanks for watching and a big wave to Greece 🇬🇷
Congratulations for your videos, they are always very comprehensive.@@Number27
I only ever had a 1.8twinny, both my 2.0l were jts. The 1.8 engine was better than both the 156 jtss I owned!
One of my mates had a 2litre 145 and he absolutely loved it
I had one! Amazing engine, so smooth and great spread of power. Steering rack so quick: 2.1 turns lock to lock. Rear tailgate release was the Alfa badge years before VW started to doing it. Biggest gripe, I could never get the seat low enough, always felt like you were sat on it rather than in it…
Weren't Alfa the first with hidden rear door handles on the 156, now copied by almost everyone?
@@Graham_Langley I think so mate. Certainly the first time I had ever seen it. It was little touches like that, that made this era of alfas so special imo…
@@jammynem The hatchback version of the Alfasud may have had another first - the connection to the hatch electricals was via contacts at the bottom of the opening.
Jack, you have to try a 33 QV, you'd be suprised. the 33 1.7 16V is just as quick, but due to the low weight it handles better, and have a more weighty steering. Unfortunately the gearbox of the boxers was always a POS, and no amount of new syncros and bushings could make it feel nice.
I had one of these as a company car way back when (everyone else chose some crappy Laguna or 405). Tremendous fun to drive, even if its does look a little like a bread van ;-)
Given the choice of 2 cars, the Alfa 33 1.7 ( 8 or 16 v) against the Alfa 145 cloverleaf I would choose the 33. The boxer engine gives lower centre of gravity , although the chassis possibly more suited to 70 series tyres than the more modern tyres. The engine in boxer guise is soooo underrated , it’s brilliant! Whilst this newer 16v engine was noted for throwing con rods through the block in the early days unless oil changes are done far more often than the manufacturers guides at the time. Goes well though
I've seen some 16V with spun bearings, but none with damaged conrods. They indeed need frequent oil changes (under 10k km), with nice syntetic oil, and proper warm up before revving.
Owned a white 145 🍀 and it was a sound motor apart from the ape-like driving position and that l sold it too soon.
Keep the vids coming 👍
I had a 146Ti, the 5 door version. Loved it. Very fast, sounded great and gave other cars a run for their money. Had the 166 3.0 V6 too - wow, that busso engine!
Also had the Tipo 2.0 16v Sedicivalvole - another great car that belied its humble beginnings.
Separately, had a Thema 2.0 16V Turbo - probably one of my favourite cars of all time.
Growing up our neighbours always had Alfas, up to three on the driveway. One of them had a low mileage 145 Cloverleaf in black. I was mortified when he traded it in through Scrappage Scheme, replaced by a 1.2 litre Corsa 😞
What a year 1996 was. Alfa launched this cloverleaf, lotus the elise, Lamborghini the Diablo SV, Porsche the boxster, Peugeot the GTI-6 and Subaru the MacRae edition impreza. Oh and lotus also launched the esprit GT3. All great, back to basics drivers cars.
I had one of the late models with the 1.9 JTD Commonrail Diesel Engine from the 156. Boy it pulled massively. The steering was amazing. The brakes could not keep up with the rest, unfortunately, lots of fading. Still driving it on country roads always made me grin from ear to ear.
Had one of the last 146ti as a company car. Did nearly 150k in it total reliability, much to the surprise of my MD, who had loads of reliability issues with his Mercedes at the time!
Ace engine Jack loved all my sprints and 33's great vid mate (Si fromBath)
I had a 1.8 TS too, seating position is awful but of all the cars I've owned it's my favourite. had to rewire the master relays as they aren't protected from water ingress so the engine cut out and had to change the thermostat valve but absolutely loved driving it.
So many great design features on the 145, its artsy like any great Alfa. The sidewindows, the shooting brake rear, the rearwindow line. They copied it to many cars since, like the Brera and now Tonale. Always thought they should’ve blacked out the B-pillar tho… Easy fix tho!
But yeah they competed in the tough Golf-segment.
Had Bilstein B6 on my Fiat Coupe (same chassie different engine) and they were actually a bit more comfortable in that they offered better control.. Great shocks!
At that time I drove a 1988 Alfa 33 1.7Qv and a 1985 90Qo, I didn’t like the styling of the 145,146 and 155, and for me these weren’t Alfa’s.
Great video Jack, thanks!
Joe, I’ve had three of these. An X reg Proteo Red one, a W reg Rosso one, and a 1996 Proteo phase one.
They are brilliant. However, I really struggled to sell them when the time came.
My X reg was modified with Bilsteins/Vogtlands etc. Best mod was the full Imasaf sport exhaust from Italy….
The floors are absolutely rotten; id struggle to buy another because of it
My GTV Phase1 has this twin spark engine in . With the aluminium cam cover. I love it. Such a fun engine and loves to be revved .
This is my 145, the older tin top engines have such a sweet sound 😎 I also have a 2.0 GTV which is my daily
@@abandonedanddisuseduk8210 is that right you’ve had it chipped ? Has it made much difference?
Still got one! In yellow use it as a daily drive, love it.
I have one of these, been trying to get round to finishing it for years but my other cars always need something doing, hopefully next year!
I had one a few years back, great car, loads of fun to drive and personally loved the looks especially as mine was on a set of Integrale wheels. So underrated and sadly scarce
It's sad that also here in Italy they are almost entirely forgotten...
When I was living on the Isle of Man, I use to have the sister car to the 145, I had a 146ti 2.0 twin spark, I always thought the 146 was better looking than the bread van 😅😅 mine was black... great fun cars, especially on the IOM... 👌👌
Ohh, had a black 145 QV like 10 years back. Fantastic little car, really liked it.Thumbs up!
Yep! Best 2.0L petrol engine I’ve ever driven, for sure. Same as in the later 156?
Love the wraparound glass, good looking car. Cloverleaf seems like an odd choice for an Italian car. Spicy meatball probably hard to convey in graphics.
Takes me back, I had a 146ti which made way for my S1 Elise in 2000 then in 2003 I had 145 Cloverleaf alongside the Elise. Still have the S1, wish in many ways we still had the 145. As for the benign handling, well both of mine took lift off oversteer to the next level and liked to try and swap ends if you got silly. The 145 sold for £695 in around 2004 and it was in great shape too!
I like your videos . However my favorites are you wrenching on your cars. The Ferrari Influezo is my absolute favorite. I’m waiting on the outcome . Keep trying , don’t stop , failure is the greatest teacher of the path to success . We live vicariously through your trails and tribulations
Ferrari update coming soon… working on the engine as we speak
I have fond memories of my 1.7 16v, it wasn't fast but did sound nice. Only problem I had was my co workers nicknaming me postman pat.
I had a yellow one of these in 2008, I paid a grand for it, and it was fantastic 😊
Spoke to Lewis at The Plum Festival this year it's a lovely car the inside is nearly as new I can't remember when I saw one before his I always wanted a silver one with the black cloth & green accent interior
Lewis is a top chap!!
Great review. Ok let’s see if you can find a 33 16v P4 to review.
Personally I prefer the boxer edition due to the special engine sound. I remember some owners were overhauling the cylinders from 1.712 cc to 2.000cc with Toyota Camry pistons (!!!). I don't know if that worked but maybe made the boxer engine more brisk.
I had a 146 1.8 Twin Spark from 1999 to 2007… must have done at least 120k miles in it. Fab engine, brakes and steering. Bloody awful high seating, rubbish turning circle and vicious blind spot! But I loved it. R640SCF sadly long gone now I believe.
Rare car and hard to get hold of because a lot of owners have 2 or 3 of them, I have the 146 which is a great car but I prefer the 3 door body. I have a 146 with 1.8 engine and it sounds like an absolute beast and revs higher than its supposed to so someone has done something with it at some point and it handles as good as my previous 147 which I rate as the benchmark for handling.
Great review.
Love the styling on the 145 QV but as a 33 16V QV owner they always came second to the 33. My 33 16V QV has a better suspension system, combines with the awesome boxer engine and the low weight, I have been known to give quite a few cars a run for their money in the twisties. 😉
If you’re local to me (Oxfordshire) get int ouch for a review, would love to try one..
@@Number27 I'm on the other side of the North Sea and it is in my garage. I've been meaning to get it sorted for longer than you have had your Influenzo. 😉 But I am sure there will be one or two in your area somewhere. Perhaps through an Alfa Romeo owners club?
Thanks for an introduction to yet another Alfa that we never got here in the colonies. The styling is odd, but it looks like a useful configuration. Personally, if a car proves really useful, it tends to endear itself to me.
In the mid 96 ish my girlfriend had a lancia dedra as a company car , what a thing , we did a late night run from Galway to limerick one night, the best drive of my life, what a motor
nice car, can you do a video of a 146/145 boxer 16valve. these where only made for 2years. never have seen a proper review of one of those before
What a great exhaust note. Vivaldi would have approved.
Way back when I did my apprenticeship. I worked for a small body shop / racing team. We had a few of these sent to us with the body kit in a box to complete. Being 16 I never thought to find out what the situation was. I'd love to know! I think they all went to JCT600.
There is a rare bodykit by Zender which was a dealer option, maybe you assembled some of these?
I had a 145 Cloverleaf twin spark a long time ago was fun and reasonable performance but something major happened to the engine and it got scrapped, still have some bits like coil packs, skirts and rear window spoiler
Fantastic car mate. Got to love an Alfa. My pc chair is 156 red leather front seat.
I had one of these. Lovely eager, peppy little engine.
Hi, superb and informative video on the 145 Cloverleaf. This car is the series 1 version. Brilliant cars Will Mack
Are you sure? I think Body colored bumpers came after the first facelift, so is series 2 version
Had a 1.4 twin spark. Lovely car. But quite thirsty. And the red paint soon turned into 50 shades of red. But very reliable. Just maintenance.
Love the twin spark 2.0 such a zingy engine. Alfa had the "Angry Birds" thing going with the 145 years before Angry birds was even a thing!
My favourite car of all time, so much fun.
Mmm. I own alfas and grew up with alfas. I'm now 50, my father's first alfa was a 1600 alfetta gt (t reg). My mother had 145. I've had 33s, driven suds, and a sprint. The 145 does not handle like the sud/33 platform. I've owned a 155 2.0ts and did 150000 miles in it. Considering basically the same platform, it was far better than the 145. The old ones although poor quality, are car better than most modern alfas.
Had one, bought new back in the days. For the last five years, I am searching for a good example- very rare, hard to find
I always liked the styling of this era over the 146. Same with 155/156, I was a 155 fan. It did actually seem a bit renaissance. But my absolute goto was the Alfetta of the 80s. That stance and serious looking face… A 75? No, sir! I’ll have the Alfetta any day of the week
The 145 and the 146 were there at the same time. As two parallel versions of the same car. One hot, one ugly. Why ever Alfa did that? But then again: Maybe the emotionality about Alfa roots deeply in their irrationality(?)
I think you refer to the Alfa Romeo 147, as the 145 and 146 are virtually the same car: the 145 is the three-door hatchback ("2 volume": hood/bonnet and cockpit/cabin + integrated trunk/boot), like the one in the video; and the 146 is the four door sedan version, with a styling sometimes called "2 and a half volumes", because of its short trunk/boot lid (in comparison to a "3 volume" car -hood, cockpit, trunk-, in which the trunk is very apparent, like in an Alfa 155, or -extreme example-, a 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe). The 147 was, as far as I know, only available as a hatchback, and I think only as a three door one (two doors plus the trunk lid that acts like a third door, connecting the trunk with the cockpit). Sorry for the lengthy explanation, I don't know how you and the rest of the readers call hatchbacks in each country, here in Argentina, we call them "3 doors", or "5 doors". The Hyundai Veloster, with only one door on the driver's side, and two doors on the passenger side, plus the rear door (trunk lid), lives in a special categorie.
@@reinaldoenriqueratto7800 The 147 was available as three door and a five door version. But other than with 145/146 the the two 147s looked almost identical.
@@hagenkleemann7309 Thanks for your answer! 👏
Cool car! I remember seeing these in UK car mags at the time. A kind of similar shape to the Suzuki Swift of the same period, which came in a 1.3 GTI version. The Swift we got, but not the Alfa. 🇦🇺
The Alfa is quite a bit bigger, and much more of a car altogether. Much more spacious and comfortable as well.
The fact that the later engines for 145 and 146 had twin spark plugs per cylinder made them really stand out against their rivals in terms of acoustics and fun factor.
The 2.0 Twin Spark was a great power plant, it used to propel my 156 at perfectly adequate speeds, although yes, the gearbox is not the greatest change out there.
My 1st alfa, loved it.
I have a chance ( say chance as I currently have a Passat B5.5 2.8 that I have to fix here and there and I gotta buy a new PC since my old one died ) to buy a 96 version of the QV. Are they hard to come by with parts ? I also have a GTV MY2000 and the thing turns out is a hard one to find basic parts such as suspension.
Great car, great video.
Back at end of the 90s I owned a 145 1.4 TS and after that I took the new 147 2.0TS Selespeed. The improve in terms of handling, quality and driving feeling was huge, the 145 didn't handle really good, the rear and the steering were too light and unfortunately was a car not well put together, it was a reliable car but the interior and other parts were just...cheap! The steering in the 147 was amazing and the quality was a very big improvement. It was like to jump in a German car and the 2.0TS was a very nice engine...but the 1.4TS wasn't slow at all as well!
I for one love the looks.