1994 | Alfa Romeo 33 - 1.7 Permanent 4

Rare and unexpectedly fun to drive: no one would expect it from a very sober-looking estate. In fact, this is not a station, but a Sportwagon: it is the name chosen by Alfa Romeo for its estates, cars that had to provide more space for the family and long journeys, while maintaining the typical sporty look of the brand Alfa. The 33 introduced the tradition of the estates, or rather sport-wagon, after some experiments carried out by external body builders, on the Giulia and Alfasud.

Starting from the popular "small" Alfa 33 with boxer engine and front-wheel drive, the Pininfarina bodywork was commissioned to create a tailgate and increase the space for the luggages: thus a balanced car was born - already on the first series - which obtained a good success on the market. It was chosen both by the family men and the wealthy ladies who did not want the usual VW Golf. On the first serie, the front-wheel drive was joined by the 4x4 one that could be inserted with a lever, for exclusive use on low-grip terrain. The success of both the station wagon and the 4x4 also directed these versions to the restyling of the 33 at the end of the 1980s when the sporty "four-leaf clover" version was also developed.

The model proposed here is the synthesis of all this: it is one of the last examples of 33 Sportwagon Q4, the swan song, which at the time was not very common in Arese's first family car.

It was produced in less than 600 samples, perhaps due to a not very popular price, over 32 million lire at the time but its qualities are incredibly surprising: a lot of space in a sober but all in all pleasant line, the last evolution of the boxer brought to 1.7 displacement with 16 valves and 130 horsepower to carry a featherweight under 1000kg for a walk, but above all the Permanent4 or Q4 all-wheel drive in this case; it was no longer a question of four-wheel drive that could be activated manually, but of a four-wheel drive with variable percentage on the rear wheels up to 50% by means of a central differential with magnetic operation.

It emerges that the roll is practically erased and the car becomes a small bomb capable of competing with modern SUVs without embarrassment. On low grip surfaces, then, the effective system makes this Sportwagon a little gazelle, an older sister of the Panda 4x4, penalized only by the low ground clearance.

This model was registered in Mantua by the first owner in January 1994, in the Hawthorn color with very complete equipment which included air conditioning, sunroof, alarm with remote control, power steering and ABS. The gray and black alcantara interiors together with the sports steering wheel and leather gear knob were instead the prerogative of the Quadrifoglio which also had 14 ”alloy wheels as standard. Central locking, electric front windows and a digital clock were also standard.

In 1997 the car passed to the second owner who has kept it with a lot of passion and utmost care up to the present day, covering about 120,000km in total: during these years the car has always performed ordinary and extraordinary maintenance at the official network Alfa Romeo as evidenced by the service book and the over 60 invoices for invoices carried out; one of the last works was a general overhaul of the engine. The owner, with great care, recorded in an excel file every intervention carried out as few others have done, even with cars of higher value.

A preservative restoration was carried out by us, especially on the body aesthetic and the electrical, fully documented, for over 6000 euros and the car is today in like new condition: undamaged body, only washed and graphitized in the underbody, paint entirely refreshed outside (following a hailstorm in 2019), replaced plastic components that clashed with the state of the car, restarted the air conditioning system and replaced the alcantara of the front seats, the headlining and much else.

A second set of rims, ski and luggage racks, the original bumper and various other spare parts are delivered with the car.

Of the approximately 600 Q4 Sportwagons produced, only 42 are registered in Italy and certainly very few are in similar conditions, with such interesting options as air conditioning and a sunroof.

Car with original number plate, booklet and invoices, Registro Italiano Alfa Romeo and ASI homologation, visible by appointment in Milan.

Above the test drive "Perchè Comprarla Classic" by Motor1. This 33 has been tested also by the italian magazine Ruoteclassiche, in June 2023.