Fifty Years of Alfasud
Who knew in the Seventies that this little Italian would become such a global sensation!

Published on 31 Dec 2021

This month (August 2021) we dedicate a major portion of our magazine to Alfa Romeo’s first front wheel drive car; the Alfasud; as the model celebrates 50 years of existence. I myself am the owner of one of four survivors in Sri Lanka – a fifth car is currently being restored.
One of the unique features about an Alfasud is the fact that every time you drive one; you get transported to your youth! With most other 50 year old cars; you get transported back to what cars were like 50 years ago as you try to come to terms with the relatively sedate power, brakes that need more power from your right leg and cornering that will induce wheel squeals at any speed other than slow. But the Alfasud has quite the opposite effect! It prompts you to rev the engine hard, brake late as if you were on a race track, and challenge you to try and make the tyres squeal around corners! I have driven my Sud hard at the Katukurunda Race Track, Pannala Race Track and at Mahagastotte Hill Climb Track several times; but I am still to hear the wheels squeal! In fact it is interesting to read what each owner of the featured Alfasuds have to say about their cars. For Romesh… its ‘Magical’. For myself… it is ‘Addictive’. For Gishanka… it is ‘Cheeky & Hilarious’. Dayan is… ‘Hooked’ on his Sud!
So
I’m sure you will enjoy our Alfasud feature, as much as we all did driving them
and doing the photo shoot.