https://www.youtube.com/embed/AXGDwbx66l8
The 1970s are known for a lot of questionable things, but there was some good news as well, like the Alfa Romeo Spider and the Triumph TR6. Since we have both here in the fleet, we asked which we’d prefer if we only had the means for one. Our panel includes Editorial Director D…
Since I spent so many of my early years hanging around with J.K. Jackson...
I have to go with TR6 Of course, not stock in any way... (if you know J.K. you know what i mean.)
Alfa all the way to Sunday. Having owned one I should know better too.
I have never driven or even ridden in either of these two sports cars but I have always loved the looks of the TR6 and if I had to choose it would be that car.
Great video. I hope you do more like it. But with even more obscure cars, like 90s economy cars that are also fun to drive. 
While I know it would be hard to arrange. An Alfa vs Fiat Spider would be fun too.
IMHO (which I've posted before), the most important thing is that you love the car. That helps you overlook many faults in the car, and also makes you want to work on it- both to fix it and maintain it.
I love my Alfa so much that I can't wait until I have the time to really restore her, and I would do it very quickly- so that I can keep her on the road. I know people who feel the same for their Triumph, Lotus, Morgan, etc.
So on the video- it's interesting that the Alfa felt so much more modern, given the engine is mostly the same engine from 1954 and the chassis from 1964- including the 5 speed trans and 4 wheel disks. The big "technical" difference between the Alfa and a Miata is the IRS (ignoring the decades of design and development advancements- just looking big picture).
alfadriver (Forum Supporter) said:IMHO (which I've posted before), the most important thing is that you love the car. That helps you overlook many faults in the car, and also makes you want to work on it- both to fix it and maintain it.
That's a really good way of describing a successful relationship with both spouses and old cars.
This is sort of like asking "do you like steak or lobster?". My answer could be either depending on circumstances. I love both of these cars, and almost bought a Duetto before the TR6. The interior was nicer than a Triumph, and the shape is simply beautiful.
Why not both? Surf and turf.
JoeTR6 (Forum Supporter) said:This is sort of like asking "do you like steak or lobster?". My answer could be either depending on circumstances. I love both of these cars, and almost bought a Duetto before the TR6. The interior was nicer than a Triumph, and the shape is simply beautiful.
Why not both? Surf and turf.
Gonna have to say I'm a little surprised that "JoeTR6"'s conclusion is so noncommital :)
I've owned several versions of both. In fact I've owned probably a dozen or more various flavors of Alfas, and 4 different Triumphs in the TR lineage. The Alfa is far and away the better built car (can you really say that about an Italian car?). But Triumphs were my first car love and there is something about them. The smell, the engine grunt and noise, the Britishness of it all. My TR6 didn't have parts fall off like my TR4 did, but it had it's share of issues. My Alfas on the other hand, if it had any problems, most likely they were electrical in nature. The Alfa makes you feel more like an adult, the Triumphs like a hooligan. I would love to put both an early '70's Alfa in my garage, plus any year TR6. Different cars for different drives.
The TR6 was a flawed car (as many are). They botched the rear spring rates resulting in excessive squat on acceleration, and the US government did the rest by requiring them to use an engine that was down almost 1/3 of its output from the 150 bhp fuel injected home market model. OTOH it was one of the best styling revisions I can recall - at modest cost they literally transformed the look of the car so that you had a hard time believing that it was really a TR4A IRS under there, with a six cylinder engine like the TR5.
The Alfa styling never struck me as being very attractive but some people love it. The engines were superior to the TR in just about every way (my favourite was the Alfa straight 6 - one of the all time best sounding engines I can think of when in full cry).
Decent pairing for a comparison assessment, but of course the then new Datsun 240Z killed them both in styling, handling and performance.
Both are neat cars. I've driven both and will take the Alfa. All the little details are so Italian and for me, make it desirable. The Ferrari Dino door handles, the instruments, the wheels, the sound, it's just a really neat, pretty little sports car.
You'll need to log in to post.
