Alfa Romeo 164

The 164 was Alfa's flagship sedan from 1987 globally and 1991-1995 in the US — the last Alfa officially imported to America before the brand's 1995 withdrawal, with only the 8C bringing Alfa back in 2008. Designed by Pininfarina, sharing the Type Four platform with the Saab 9000, Fiat Croma, and Lancia Thema, but with distinctive Italian styling, the Busso V6, and a properly sporting setup. US-market 164s came with the 3.0-litre Busso V6 (200 hp); the L (Luxury) and S (Sport) trims were standard, with the high-performance Quadrifoglio (1995 only) adding 24-valve heads, 230 hp, manual-only transmission, and revised suspension. FWD, transverse engine — quite different from the rear-transaxle Milano it replaced. Reliability and resale were Alfa-typical (i.e. mediocre), but the chassis, engine character, and styling all aged well. The 1995 24V Quadrifoglio is the cult collector's pick, with low US numbers (a few hundred imported) and the strongest performance.