With the introduction of the new Alfa Romeo Giulia the fans of the Italian brand let out a silent sigh of relief, knowing the world’s coolest car maker has got its groove back. But they should be patient, as it’s going to take them a while to fully get into the mindset that resulted in gems like this, the Alfa Romeo 166.

Now, we say gem – and Alfa 166 truly is a gem to those who know it – but back when it was new in the early 2000s, this car was a complete commercial flop. There was a famous saying about it that Alfa Romeo 166 depreciates faster than it accelerates. That’s good news these days, as you can pick one for a very, very reasonable price and enjoy those glorious looks and that magnificent interior.

One of Jeremy Clarkson’s favorite cars of all time, the Alfa Romeo 166 is a true embodiment of all that is great about the Italian culture. Sure, it’s a bit flimsy and unreliable, and yes, it will lose to almost all its European neighbors if a battle break out. But the looks, the feel, even the smell of the thing is just fantastic. You just need look at those chromed exhaust headers under the bonnet to understand what we’re on about.

This pristine 2002 Alfa Romeo 166 2.5 V6 (188bhp) ‘Distinctive’ is currently on sale at Dutch dealership Auto Leitner. Being a Distinctive model, it comes with stuff like 18″ alloy wheels and lowered ride height, making the whole thing look even cooler.