75 Turbo Evoluzione Evo

The Alfa Romeo 75, known as the Milano in North America, was introduced in 1985 as the last of Alfa Romeo's rear-wheel-drive sedans. It featured the transaxle layout that had characterized the Alfetta and Giulietta before it, with the gearbox mounted at the rear axle for optimal weight distribution. While the standard 75 was already a capable sporting sedan, the Turbo Evoluzione — built in 1987 — was something altogether more extreme. Created specifically to homologate the car for Group A touring car racing, the Evoluzione was produced in a run of exactly 500 units, the minimum required by the regulations.

The heart of the Evoluzione was a 1,779cc turbocharged four-cylinder engine equipped with an intercooler, producing 155 horsepower in road trim but capable of significantly more in race specification, where outputs of over 300 horsepower were achieved. The car received extensive weight-saving modifications including composite body panels, thinner glass, and a stripped-down interior. The exterior was distinguished by dramatically flared wheel arches to accommodate wider wheels and tires, along with an aggressive front splitter and rear spoiler that gave the otherwise understated 75 a genuinely menacing appearance. The total weight was reduced to approximately 1,080 kilograms — remarkable for a four-door sedan.

In competition, the 75 Turbo Evoluzione proved a fierce competitor in the Italian Superturismo Championship and other European touring car series. The car's rear-wheel-drive layout and excellent weight distribution gave it handling advantages over many of its front-wheel-drive rivals, while the turbocharged engine provided strong straightline performance. The Evoluzione was particularly successful in Italian national racing, where it upheld the tradition of Alfa Romeo competition sedans that stretched back to the Giulia TI Super of the 1960s.

Today, the 75 Turbo Evoluzione is one of the most collectible modern Alfa Romeos, with its limited production run and homologation special status driving strong demand among enthusiasts and collectors. The car represents a fascinating transitional moment in Alfa Romeo's history — the final flowering of the rear-wheel-drive, transaxle layout before the company moved to front-wheel-drive platforms under Fiat's ownership. Clean, original examples are increasingly rare, as many were modified for competition or suffered from the neglect that plagued many 1980s Italian cars. Values have risen dramatically in recent years as collectors recognize the Evoluzione's significance.