Alfa Romeo 90

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Alfa Romeo 90
Alfa Romeo 90 Rom Regnerisch.jpg
Overview
Manufacturer Alfa Romeo Auto
Production1984–1987
AssemblyItaly: Arese Plant, Lombardy
Designer Bertone under Marc Deschamps
Body and chassis
Class Executive car (E)
Body style 4-door saloon
Layout Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Related Alfa Romeo Alfetta
Powertrain
Engine
Transmission 5-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase 2,510 mm (98.8 in)
Length4,390 mm (172.8 in)
Width1,640 mm (64.6 in)
Height1,420 mm (55.9 in)
Kerb weight 1,080–1,250 kg (2,380–2,760 lb)
Chronology
Predecessor Alfa Romeo Alfetta
Successor Alfa Romeo 164

The Alfa Romeo 90 (Type 162A) is an executive car produced by Italian car manufacturer Alfa Romeo between 1984 and 1987.

Contents

History

Rear 1986 Alfa Romeo 90 Super 2.0 rear (cropped).jpg
Rear

Designed by Bertone and introduced at the 1984 Turin Motor Show, the 90 was pitched between the Alfa Romeo Giulietta (nuova) and the Alfa Romeo Alfa 6, both of which were soon discontinued after the 90's launch. The car used the Alfetta chassis (including its rear mounted transaxle) and took its engines from the larger Alfa 6. The bodywork was similar to both, albeit modernised. One notable feature of the 90's design was a small chin spoiler which extended above a certain speed to aid engine cooling. [1] Its angular lines with integrated bumpers gave the car a neat look consistent with the period, however the aerodynamics suffered with a drag coefficient of  Cd =0.37. The cars design was conservative, inside and out, with perhaps the only unusual element being the U-shaped parking brake lever. [2]

The 90 was well equipped, including electric front windows and electrically adjustable seats as standard. The luxurious Gold Cloverleaf (Quadrifoglio Oro) model had electric rear windows, a trip computer, power steering, central locking, metallic paint and a digital instrument panel as standard. The passenger fascia included a slot for an optional briefcase, made by Valextra. [3] The external finish was very similar across the board, it being near impossible to tell the different models apart from appearance alone. [4]

The 90 was revamped in 1986 with many minor changes throughout, the most obvious exterior change being a new grille with smaller horizontal slants. A total of 56,428 cars were sold over the four years of production.

The 90 was made only as a sedan but in 1985 Carrozzeria Marazzi developed an Alfa 90 Station Wagon prototype at the behest of Italian motoring magazine Auto Capital; only two cars were made. [5]

Suspension

The Alfa 90 has a longitudinal front engine, a rear mounted gearbox with differential lock and independent front suspension wishbones with torsion bar springs and rear De Dion tube. It has disc brakes on all four wheels, the rear brakes are mounted inboard.

Engines

Five engines were available: two Alfa Romeo Twin Cam engines; 1,779 cc and 1,962 cc and two fuel injected Alfa Romeo V6 engines: 1,996 cc or 2,492 cc, and finally a 2,393 cc turbodiesel made by VM Motori. [6] The carburetted fours have twin Dell'Ortos with manual chokes, while the 1,962 cc was also available in a fuel injected model which also incorporated a novel variable valve timing system. [7] The fuel injected engine has the same maximum power but offered somewhat less torque; this was perhaps more than made up for with a 20 percent improvement in fuel economy. [8]

The 2.0 V6 version was dedicated to the Italian market, where up to 1993 cars with engines over 2.0-litres were subjected to a doubled 38% VAT. [9] It was equipped with an innovative engine control unit and electronic injection system named CEM (Controllo Elettronico del Motore), developed by Alfa Romeo subsidiary SPICA. [10] It manages the opening time of the injectors and the ignition depending on the angle of the butterfly valves, with one throttle body per cylinder unlike on the Bosch L-Jetronic used on the 2.5 V6. V6 cars receive a double-plate clutch while the four-cylinders rely on a single-plate unit. [11]

ModelChassis codeDisplacementEngine codeMax power/rpmMax torque/rpmFuel systemTop speedProductionUnits produced
Petrol engines
90 1.8ZAR162A101,779 cc (108.6 cu in)AR06202120 PS (88 kW; 118 hp) at 5300 rpm17.0 kp⋅m (167 N⋅m; 123 lb⋅ft) at 4000 rpmTwo double carburettors 186 km/h (116 mph) [12] 1984–19874,930
90 1.8 SuperZAR162A10AR06202188 km/h (117 mph)1986–19871,040
90 2.0ZAR162A201,962 cc (119.7 cu in)AR06212128 PS (94 kW; 126 hp) at 5400 rpm18.2 kp⋅m (178 N⋅m; 132 lb⋅ft) at 4000 rpm191 km/h (119 mph)1984–19874,288
90 2.0 IEZAR162A2AAR01713128 PS (94 kW; 126 hp) at 5400 rpm17.9 kp⋅m (176 N⋅m; 129 lb⋅ft) at 4000 rpm Bosch Motronic port fuel injection190 km/h (118 mph) [1] 1984–198723,057
90 2.0I V6ZAR162A2B1,996 cc (121.8 cu in)AR06210132 PS (97 kW; 130 hp) at 5600 rpm18.0 kp⋅m (177 N⋅m; 130 lb⋅ft) at 3000 rpm SPICA port fuel injection195 km/h (121 mph)1985–19871,577
90 2.0I V6 SuperZAR162A2BAR06210195 km/h (121 mph)1985–1987
90 2.5I V6ZAR162A002,492 cc (152.1 cu in)AR01646156 PS (115 kW; 154 hp) at 5600 rpm21.4 kp⋅m (210 N⋅m; 155 lb⋅ft) at 4000 rpmBosch L-Jetronic port fuel injection203 km/h (126 mph)1984–19876,212
90 2.5I V6 SuperZAR162A00AR01646205 km/h (127 mph)1986–1987
Diesel engines
90 2.4 TDZAR162A302,393 cc (146.0 cu in)VM81A01110 PS (81 kW; 108 hp) at 4200 rpm24.0 kp⋅m (235 N⋅m; 174 lb⋅ft) at 2300 rpmIndirect injection,
turbo intercooler 		178 km/h (111 mph)1984–198711,274
90 2.4 TD SuperZAR162A30VM4HT180 km/h (112 mph)1986–19884,050
Total1984–198756,428

Today

Practical Classics, a well-known classic car magazine, reported that only 10 Alfa Romeo 90s remain on British roads.[ citation needed ] As of June 2014, only one, a Gold Cloverleaf, is licensed with the DVLA, with a further eight on SORN. [13]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Alfa Romeo/Models". carsfromitaly.net. Archived from the original on 19 May 2007. Retrieved 24 June 2007.
  2. ↑ De Leener, Philippe (7 February 1985). "Gedetailleerde Wegtest: Alfa 90 2.0" [Detailed Road Test]. De AutoGids (in Flemish). Brussels, Belgium: Uitgeverij Auto-Magazine. 6 (140): 41.
  3. ↑ Autocar: World’s most weirdly wonderful car options
  4. ↑ De Leener, p. 35
  5. ↑ "The Sportwagon". alfa90register.info. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  6. ↑ "Automotive/Past vehicles/Alfa Romeo 90". vmmotori.it. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2007.
  7. ↑ De Leener, p. 36
  8. ↑ Mastrostefano, Raffaele, ed. (1985). Quattroruote: Tutte le Auto del Mondo 1985 (in Italian). Milano: Editoriale Domus S.p.A. p. 24. ISBN   88-7212-012-8.
  9. ↑ Villare, Renzo (7 January 1993). "Ora il lusso costa un po' meno". La Stampa (in Italian). p. 32. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  10. ↑ "Alfa Romeo 90". omniauto.it (in Italian). Retrieved 29 October 2012.
  11. ↑ De Leener, p. 39
  12. ↑ "alfa romeo 90". carfolio.com. Retrieved 26 October 2007.
  13. ↑ "How Many Left?". howmanyleft.co.uk. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
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