A Grand Monday: Alfa Romeo 145

The long-overdue replacement for the Alfa Romeo 33 finally appeared in 1995, after a fairly long gestation.

The Type 930, as it was known internally, was to be launched as two cars - a three-door and a five-door, but with very different body styles. The 145 (Type 930a) was a boxy affair, while the 146 (Type 930b) was the same car from the front bumper as far as the B-pillars, but with a more rakish fastback body style.

Of the two, it would be the five-door 146 that sold in the greater numbers - the 145's rather abrupt rear end was perhaps too challenging for many, depsite its bread van-like boxiness giving it more practicality than Alfa Romeo buyers were traditionally used to.

Yet despite being different, its styling kind of worked in the way that only an Alfa Romeo can get away with. As an off-the-wall choice of 1990s usable classic, then, the 145 has a lot going for it. 

And this example looks like a particular charming car. It's a failry lowly spec 1.6ie model, but is also on an N-plate, marking it out as one of the first examples sold in the UK. It has covered fewer than 60,000 miles and has never been welded, while it has seen a recent cambelt, new tyres and brakes, along with a service history from new until 2016. 

Finding another 145 in this condition will be nigh-on impossible. And at £995, we reckon it's a bit of a bargain...

• Read our Alfa 145 review and road test
• How many Alfa 145s survived? Find out
• Find an Alfa 145 for sale