Car of the week: Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV

Now I like to think of myself as a 22-year-old who has a lot of initiative. I’ve created this website and the brand Group-B, even taught myself how to use the pogo stick and have become an unofficial master at coconut shys. Yet, when compared to Giorgetto Giugiaro, my efforts look miserable.

Dan Boland

10/02/2026

2–3 minutes

He was an absolute car design prodigy. At 21, he designed his first car, the Alfa Romeo 2000/2600 Sprint Coupe, but the car we’re focusing on today is the Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV, which he designed at 22.

Despite being the design prodigy which he is, Giugiaro actually didn’t like the design of the 2000 GTV. He didn’t like how Alfa Romeo removed the distinctive “step-front” bonnet design, a detailing feature he had brought over from his original 1963 Giulia Sprint GT. This, alas, hasn’t stopped him from being immortalised in the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2002.

Despite Giugiaro’s beliefs, the Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV is a stunning car that still turns heads to this day. It was known for being a sporty and exotic little car, which feels strange to say about a car with a tiny 2.0L inline 4 engine. But the size of the engine wasn’t the only small thing about it. The car was incredibly lightweight, weighing only 1,044 kg, making the original Porsche 911 look hefty at 1,080 kg when it was released.

With this reduced weight, it has gone down in history as THE driver’s car. It was fitted with a 5-speed manual transmission, 4-wheel disc brakes, and live rear axle suspension. It was described as “chuckable” because it was often thrown around corners, but it had motorsport-esque handling and direct feedback, making it perfect for any road or track.

But this driver’s car also came with a price tag. Back in the 1970’s, you could actually buy two Ford Capris for the price of one Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV. And this only added to the luxurious design and branding Alfa were hoping to push with the 2000 GTV.

What wasn’t so luxurious about the car was its severe rusting. It was produced during a time when modern rust protection wasn’t available, which meant the sills, rocker panels, floor pans, spare wheel wells, radiator crossmembers, areas around the windows, and the rest of the car were highly prone to rust.

Top speed	121 mph
0-60	8.9 seconds
How many units were sold?	37,459
Cost when new	£2,849
Where are they all now?	In piles of rust throughout Italian garages.

Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV

After my exhaust heat shield rusted off and flew away the other day, I thought, ‘ at least it wasn’t a whole door.’ And that thought was what made me pick the Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV as our car of the week.

“Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV” by analogicus