Alfa 155, Tipo, Tempra, Dedra

BrianD3

I see someone in the forum has spotted a 1993 Lancia Dedra and posted a pic. Made me think about the cars and their Fiat group cousins. There are very few left on the road, howmanyleft has the following for the UK (plenty more SORN of coruse)

Alfa 155 - 78
Lancia Dedra - 6
Fiat Tipo (1988-1996) - 63
Fiat Tempra - 26

Anyone own one, are they appearing at classic car shows? Are there big problems getting parts? Major rust issues?

Of the above cars, the 155 seems the one that would be the most desirable to an enthusiast by a big margin. I think they look great in "wide body" form in red with black wheels. BTCC win in 1994, also participated in 1995. The Gardai had 155s as unmarked cars circa 1997. I remember having a fetish for 155s around that time, friends thought I was nuts as they were regarded by many as being as ugly as sin.

kev1.3s

BrianD3 wrote: »

I see someone in the forum has spotted a 1993 Lancia Dedra and posted a pic. Made me think about the cars and their Fiat group cousins. There are very few left on the road, howmanyleft has the following for the UK (plenty more SORN of coruse)

Alfa 155 - 78
Lancia Dedra - 6
Fiat Tipo (1988-1996) - 63
Fiat Tempra - 26

Anyone own one, are they appearing at classic car shows? Are there big problems getting parts? Major rust issues?

Of the above cars, the 155 seems the one that would be the most desirable to an enthusiast by a big margin. I think they look great in "wide body" form in red with black wheels. BTCC win in 1994, also participated in 1995. The Gardai had 155s as unmarked cars circa 1997. I remember having a fetish for 155s around that time, friends thought I was nuts as they were regarded by many as being as ugly as sin.

Always loved the155's, brother had one back in the day. For all its flaws it always seemed to stir my emotions more than the 156.

road_high

Ya know, the Garda fleet used to be much more exotic. They didn’t just focus one mediocre cheap brand (Hyundai) and had a mix of stuff.
The Alfa Guilia is a fantastic car, would make a great police car

Duke O Smiley

My old Tipo, a great car!









I bought it from the original owner in 2015 with about 40k on the clock. Sold it about year later with 55 on the clock I think.

It was a surprisingly sprightly little car. Loved it, wish I still had it.

unkel

Duke O Smiley wrote: »

It was a surprisingly sprightly little car. Loved it, wish I still had it.

Made for Italians, they like to move

Roald Dahl

My Dad had a Tempra back in the day. After a slew of Fords in the intervening time, he still harks back to the old Tempra.

I had a Stilo myself a long time ago, a really good-looking 3-door. Loved that car! The 5-door version was butt ugly in comparison. Not too many Stilos knocking around these days, either.

The new Bravo that replaced it was equally hideous and the new Tipo is just dowdy.

Whilst we're on the topic of ol Fiats, there was a house in the D12 area years ago with two 131s in the driveway.

And... on a drive down to Sligo about five years ago a car came our way and from afar I could tell that I knew its shape. I had sat in one in the Finglas Motors showroom many years ago as a very small boy (along with the red Ritmo 105 TC). It got closer, and yes, the wedge shape was unmistakable... an X1/9!

You live on a beautiful street, Duke, by the way.

road_high

I like the newTipo!! I think it looks kinda classy and for the money a lot of car! They are built in Turkey so they are able to keep the price lower than the competitors

BrianD3

Duke's pics nicely show the Fiat hatchback design philosophy - long wheelbase relative to the length of the car and a shape to maximise space. Uno, Tipo, Punto etc.. I hope that car survives. Still looks good IMO.

I find it strange how so few are left on the road in the UK
https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/family/fiat_tipo#!firstreg

Also surprised at how (relatively!) many Tempras are still on the road in comparison!

road_high

Still see the odd Stilo about but they’ve disappeared fast in recent years.
The 5 door was a dreadful looking thing, really awful ugly dumpy style for an Italian car. The 3 door was a lot better but the 5 door was where the main market would be in that class.
Fiat seem to be advertising again, I see ads with the 500 hybrids. There’s a new version and electric coming too.
The 500l is another styling horror that could have had so much potential- though it is the cheapest 7 seater car out there

Duke O Smiley

The 6 speed gearbox was such a novelty on the Stilo at the time too.

RobAMerc

my mate had a Tipo 16v back in 92 or 93 - it was a fantastic yoke and would eat contemporary GTI and XR3 for breakfast -
the car did the rounds - but his son managed to buy it back there recently, I look forward to seeing it back on the road.

I like the 155 but the tempra never done it for me - digital dash was awful

I think a nice 145 cloverleaf would be a great buy

Arthur Daley

In between the Bravo/Brava were very popular, European COTY and seemed reasonably solid little Escort class cars.

The Stilo launch felt like the time it started to go wrong for FIAT. Meant to compete with the Golf and Focus but seemed to be miles off the pace at launch.

road_high

Arthur Daley wrote: »

In between the Bravo/Brava were very popular, European COTY and seemed reasonably solid little Escort class cars.

The Stilo launch felt like the time it started to go wrong for FIAT. Meant to compete with the Golf and Focus but seemed to be miles off the pace at launch.

It was, they lost a solid fortune on it and it nearly buried the company. Dreadful buisness decision. Imagine signing off on that thing thinking it could compete with the class looking Focus and Golf. Crazy, the Brava/o were way better looking
https://europe.autonews.com/assets/pdf/ca922611217.pdf

unkel

That's not a very cheery article

RobAMerc

some guaranteed future classics in that article - I think an attempt to define a new sector or break into premium class looks to be a recipe for disaster.

Mean Laqueefa

My Uncle is still rocking his Alpha, he sold a Lancia Delta to change to the Alpha

boombang

Very interesting article. Shame that so many interesting cars are such black holes.

road_high

boombang wrote: »

Very interesting article. Shame that so many interesting cars are such black holes.

A car simply has to do the numbers or else its a complete flop.
It’s the reason why so many cars share platforms now to make development costs viable.
The ironically named Stilo was just a dreadful exercise, hard to believe the normally so design, fashion and business savvy Italians could come up with such garbage. I was still in school at the time but I loved cars and knew at the time it would struggle. It was like no one in Italy or fiat had heard of the Austin allegro. Christ the 5 door even looked a bit like it with that fat, ugly gormless stance

macplaxton

road_high wrote: »

It was like no one in Italy or fiat had heard of the Austin allegro. Christ the 5 door even looked a bit like it with that fat, ugly gormless stance

No one in Italy has heard of the Austin Allegro, those old enough would run in fear at the mention of the Innocenti Regent



Awful potato of a car compared to the Innocenti IM3.


Innocenti IM3 Padova Italy April 2009 1 by Patrick Castelli, on Flickr

In any case I feel the 5-door Stilo has more of a whiff of the Austin Maxi about it.

murfman53

Just noticed this thread. It reminds me I almost forgot, but have a good set of rear lights cluster for a 1993 Tempra if any one is interested.
Free to fellow classic enthusiast.
I'm based in the midlands.
I'll put a picture or 2 up later.
John.

kadman

I also have a Tempra owners manual, free.

Yarisbob

An ex boss of mine in the early 90's had a black Dedra 2.0 HF Integrale - He had an Orion before that which was a dog of a thing so he really upped his game with the Lancia

It was a bit like a minature Renault 21 - As I recall it was a fast article with loads of lovely little details around the interior and exterior.

Too fast as he had an argument with the scenery one dark wet night :eek:

They were rare at the time here and even in the UK. No wonder there are only a handful left.