At first glance, the livery of this Alfa Romeo 75 Group A looks like a prank. Car enthusiasts around the world often modify their rides with slightly altered police wraps for fun, a phenomenon frequently seen on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. However, the vehicle currently offered by Bologna-based dealer Gulfblue.it is no ironic "Ring Police" build. It is an authentic competition car from the Italian authorities, representing a genuine racing police force.
During the 1980s and 1990s, the Polizia di Stato actively participated in national motorsport. They used race cars with liveries heavily based on standard patrol cars, driven by actual police officers and sporting official police license plates. Just like in their daily duties, the authorities relied on the Cuore Sportivo for their unusual motorsport program. Alongside the Alfasud 1300 Group N and the Alfa Romeo 33, they also campaigned Alfa Romeo's mid-size sedan, which was produced from 1985 to 1992.
In total, Alfa Romeo's motorsport department built 16 competition cars based on the facelifted version unveiled in autumn 1988. While the majority were powered by Alfa Romeo's 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, this police-spec 75 rally car is one of only two examples equipped with the brand's iconic 3.0-liter Busso V6. In this configuration, it produced 260 horsepower, delivered to the rear wheels via a five-speed transaxle gearbox.
Of course, a true race car requires much more than just a powerful engine. When the car made its debut at the Rally di Roma on October 22, 1989, it featured a fully adjustable suspension and a Brembo braking system derived from Formula 1 technology. Furthermore, the sedan had been put on a radical diet by Alfa Romeo's motorsport division, meaning the interior was completely stripped out. Today, the cockpit contains nothing but a single Recaro bucket seat, levers for the handbrake and manual gearbox, a few analog gauges, and toggle switches.
The car's next outing came a few weeks later at the Giro d'Italia Automobilistico, driven by Vittorio Gommoso and Giorgio Nardin. Over the following three years, the driver and co-driver duo entered the blue-and-white patrol car into several events together. In total, this 75 3000 V6 Group A Alfa Corse logged around fifteen official appearances. Following its racing career, it became part of the renowned Campiano Collection in Treviso, before the current owner acquired it at an auction in 2016. The owner had the car thoroughly refreshed mechanically. Thanks to its unique police livery and rich racing history, this vehicle is bound to attract plenty of attention at future historic motorsport events.
