This Alfa Romeo 164 S is available on eBay and is a very clean largely stock example. At TME, we have always like these cars, and this one is unusually well-preserved. As is the case with practical cars that were once expensive but are now affordable (like old M5’s, M3’s, 500E’s etc.), most examples have an unfortunate combination of intergalactic mileage, deterioration with age, and deferred maintenance. This one has low mileage, no tasteless modifications, and has obviously been loved, which makes it quite a unique find.
When new, these cars were relatively expensive and represented a unique and sporting alternative to the likes of the BMW 5-series, Mercedes E-Class, Audi 200 etc. with quintessentially Italian flair. The S was the most sporting model, featuring a more powerful engine, ground effects, Speedline wheels, rear spoiler, sport seats, adjustable shock absorbers, and contrasting red stitching on the door panels, center console, and instrument binnacle. They were available in a limited palette of black, white, or red, with either a black or tan interior. Even though we don’t feel this way about Ferraris, red/tan is an ideal combination on this model, but this example’s condition is hard to argue with.
The car is in great cosmetic shape and retains all of its original S bits including ground effects and rear spoiler. The body is straight and rust-free, which is important since these cars can rust (again the practicality meant that in snowy areas the cars were used year round). The car wears its original California license plates, which is a great sign too, and the original wheels are on the car as well. These cars are perhaps considered weird looking or unremarkable to modern lay-people, but we think they have a great 80’s/early 90’s aggressiveness that is still in fashion in our eyes, and will be considered cool by everyone else at some point in the future, sort of like the garish colors of the 70’s.
The interior is also very nice. We much prefer the tan in these cars as the black can be oppressive and the tan is exactly the same as the lovely tan that is frequently seen in Ferraris. A neat touch about the interiors of these cars are the embossed Alfa Romeo emblems in the seatbacks. Not as neat is the horrible stereo, which will look familiar to someone who has spent time in a Dodge K-series from the 80’s (parts bin!). The interior of this car is stock and in great shape.
The engine room is also in great shape and very clean. The front wheel drive layout is perhaps not the best for the enthusiast, but Alfa’s lovely 3-liter V6 is a superb unit and makes some of the most glorious noises around for the price of these cars (think Ferrari Dino/Fiat Dino/Lancia Stratos). This car has evidence of maintenance which is a great sign, though one might need to be alarmed about the stepper motors in the climate control system, a frequent weak point in 164’s, and a tremendous pain to replace. Grubby examples of the 164S with high mileage can be found for less than $3000, while the substantially similar but rarer quad cam version (the 164 Quadrifoglio) can run over $15,000. This car will fall somewhere in between, and the bidding activity shows that there are alfisti out there who appreciate what a rare find this car is in this condition.