In 1975, Alfa Romeo started to offer a station-wagon built on the same platform as the Alfasud and named it Giardinetta.
Three years later, the Italian carmaker introduced a facelifted version, following the same trend from the Alfasud range. While it was known as a sport-car company, Alfa Romeo didn’t want to lose the Italian Government’s money, and they had to build a car for the masses. The Giardinetta was a perfect match between a sporty coupe and a station wagon.

Back in the ’70s, the name “facelift” was nonexistent yet, but the Alfa Romeo management knew that the car needed a refresh. The designers worked on the front fascia by installing new headlights with rounded edges. Its long cabin that hosted the rear seats and a larger trunk remained unchanged.

Inside, the Giardinetta carried over most of the Alfasud features, including the front’s bucket seats. In the rear, the carmaker installed a bench with a flat-folding seatback. Thus, it transformed the trunk into a large loading area. It was an excellent car for small merchants.

Since Alfa Romeo made the car to satisfy everyday needs, the carmaker didn’t install powerful engines on the Giardinetta. It offered it with a choice of two engines that provided 68 hp and 71 hp, respectively. Both versions were paired to a standard 5-speed manual and sent the power to the front wheels.

Designed for families and small entrepreneurs, the Giardinetta was the station wagon version of the Alfa Romeo Alfasud.
Alfa Romeo struggled with the workforce, the Italian Government, and with Fiat to launch the Alfasud project. Even after it started, the numerous strikes of its southern factory workers affected both the production and the products. Body panels were left unpainted in the yard for days and started to rust even before they were mounted on the cars. But those who were lucky enough to get a vehicle that was assembled with new parts were happy. The Alfasud was a successful car, and the carmaker understood the need for a bigger trunk. Thus, it created the Giardinetta version, which was Alfa Romeo’s first mass-produced station wagon.

The front was similar to the rest of the Alfasud range, with rectangular, horizontal headlights and a black plastic grille between them. In the middle, the Alfa shield with its chromed trim around it created a sporty image, unusual for a station wagon. But, since it only had two side doors, it might be considered a shooting-brake as well.

The interior was bare, with plastic, rubber, and few metal trims here and there. The idea was to keep the car’s price low. There was enough room for four adults, without any problems with the headroom or legroom. Since the engine was flat and low-mounted, the front overhang was kept short, and the wheelbase was ample for its overall size. Unlike its siblings, the Giardinetta featured a liftback to access the trunk.

Under the hood, Alfa Romeo installed a flat-four engine, which kept the center of gravity low. Despite its almost utilitarian look, the Giardinetta was a nimble little station wagon.