Alfa and Nissan hoped to combine each other's strengths. Instead the Arna paired Alfa's rust-prone, unreliable mechanicals with Nissan's dull, boxy styling — the worst of both parents.
Lead trim: 1.2 L / LS (AS 305, 63 PS) · up to 94 hp
Alfa Romeo Arna1983–1987
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Alfa Romeo Arna yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactAlfa and Nissan hoped to combine each other's strengths. Instead the Arna paired Alfa's rust-prone, unreliable mechanicals with Nissan's dull, boxy styling — the worst of both parents.
The Alfa Romeo Arna (Type 920) is a hatchback produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo Nissan Autoveicoli S.p.A. between 1983 and 1987; the name is an acronym of "Alfa Romeo Nissan Autoveicoli" but also a female Italian name. The company was founded on 9 October 1980 as a 50:50 joint venture between Alfa Romeo and Nissan, whose president Takashi Ishihara and Alfa president Ettore Massacesi signed a memorandum in Tokyo, with the immediate priority of fielding a competitor in the lucrative family hatchback sector where the Volkswagen Golf and Lancia Delta were successful. It was related to the Nissan Cherry Europe and Nissan Pulsar Milano, and was initially sold as a three-door L and a five-door SL with the Alfasud 1.2 boxer engine (63 PS); in 1984 a three-door TI with an 86 PS 1.3-litre boxer four capable of 170 km/h was introduced, and later TI cars were built with 1.5-litre engines. By 1986 Alfa Romeo's parent IRI was suffering heavy losses and Fiat, the new owner, ceased Arna production owing to its poor reputation and poor sales; production ceased in 1987 after 53,047 were built.
Collectors Spotted in the Alfa Romeo Arna Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Alfa Romeo Arna yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
5 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 L / LS (AS 305, 63 PS) | 1983–1984 | 1.2 L Flat-4 | 62 hp | 65 lb-ft | — | FWD | — | — |
| 1.2 L / LS (AS 305, 68 PS) | 1984–1987 | 1.2 L Flat-4 | 67 hp | 68 lb-ft | — | FWD | — | — |
| 1.4 TI (AS 300006, 71 PS) | 1983–1984 | 1.3 L Flat-4 | 70 hp | 79 lb-ft | — | FWD | — | — |
| 1.4 TI (AS 31010, 86 PS) | 1984–1986 | 1.3 L Flat-4 | 85 hp | 89 lb-ft | — | FWD | — | — |
| 1.5 TI (AS 31016, 95 PS) | 1984–1987 | 1.5 L Flat-4 | 94 hp | 98 lb-ft | — | FWD | — | — |
Owning one
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Owners’ builds
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