If you’ve heard of this car, we have a gold star waiting for you at our office. The 1987 Alfa Romeo Milano Callaway Twin Turbo is arguably one of the most obscure pieces of 1980s performance engineering out there. It’s believed that only two were built, and one of them just sold on Bring A Trailer. The car itself wasn’t built by Callaway. Rather, it housed a Callaway-bred twin-turbocharger kit under its hood.
Most of you will know the name “Callaway” from the older, souped-up Corvettes like the C12 model and the 255-mph Corvette Sledgehammer. However, if it hadn’t been for Callaway’s work with Alfa Romeo, the company may never have linked up with Chevrolet in the first place. Weirdly, it seems this forgotten Italian sports sedan somehow bridged the gap between bespoke, European performance and all-American V8 mightiness.
Callaway Made Its Name By Turbocharging Italian V6s
1987 Alfa Romeo Milano Callaway Twin Turbo finished in blue with black interiorBring A Trailer
The man behind the Callaway name was Reeves Callaway, who ended up founding his engineering company in 1977 in Old Lyme, Connecticut. The brand quickly got to work securing contracts with brands like BMW, wherein it turbocharged a 1977 320i model. Then came the Alfa Romeo GTV-6 model that received a Callaway tune in 1984, although this was initially just a prototype.
Once off the ground, Callaway’s GTV-6 program grew to encompass 35 production cars, all of which were sold to the public. One such example changed hands via Bring A Trailer for $75,000 very recently. Having just under three dozen in circulation made it rare, but nowhere near the same amount as the Milano Callaway Twin Turbo sedan, which would come along three years later.
Callaway’s core tenet is its ability to extract a large amount of power from an existing engine, rather than taking said engine completely apart and rebuilding it from the ground up. This meant time saved in the shop, and customers wouldn’t have to wait as long for their hotted-up rides to hit the streets. These attributes were likely exactly what Chevrolet was looking for in the late 1980s.
The Milano Took The Same GTV-6 Idea In A Different Direction
1987 Alfa Romeo Milano Callaway Twin Turbo finished in blue with black interiorBring A Trailer
The Alfa Romeo Milano was known as the ’75’ in markets outside the US. It was released at a time when Alfa was still doing business over in the States, and was a front-engined, rear-drive sports sedan charged with taking on models like the BMW 3 Series and the Mercedes-Benz 190E. As for the Callaway Twin-Turbo version sold on BaT, it came equipped with a 2.5-liter ‘Busso’ V6.
Lashed to the Busso engine was a pair of IHI turbochargers paired with twin, top-mounted air-to-air intercoolers. Once the engine made its power, it was sent to a five-speed manual transaxle via a driveshaft. Alfa engineered the 75/Milano with its rear transaxle setup to even out the car’s weight distribution, an important attribute when it came to the car’s handling characteristics.
1987 Alfa Romeo Milano Callaway Twin Turbo finished in blue with black interiorBring A Trailer
The BaT listing talks of an official Callaway Certificate of Authenticity. The car was also sold with a host of historical build records, detailing some of its journey through Callaway’s process. Within the litany of documentation, Callaway asserts that the specific Milano is one of only two ever produced. As for the whereabouts of the other Callaway-spec Milano, its location is currently unknown.
Its Twin-Turbo V6 Helped Put Callaway On Chevrolet’s Radar
1987 Alfa Romeo Milano Callaway Twin Turbo finished in blue with black interiorBring A Trailer
Prior to Chevy’s decision to take Callaway on as an independent performance partner, the brand evaluated a Callaway-tuned Alfa Romeo model. While exact details of the test are unknown, we can estimate that Chevrolet’s test drivers were impressed. Once Callaway’s mettle was proven sufficiently, GM approached the company with a proposal to produce a limited number of twin-turbocharged Corvettes.
Eventually, the Callaway Twin Turbo Corvette was launched in late 1987. It came equipped with a standard 5.7-liter L98 V8, but Callaway’s engineers boosted its horsepower output from roughly 245 in its stock form to 345 ponies. Torque was also increased to a gigantic – for its time – 465 pound-feet. The Callaway option was offered as an official GM option, carrying the RPO code “B2K.”
Callaway C4 Chevrolet Corvette ModCallaway
At this point in time, GM’s decision to offer an outside tuning company’s performance package as a factory option was rather novel. As of this writing, the RPO B2K package was the only specialty performance offering to be sold through official GM dealer channels that retained the standard model’s original factory warranty. When the Twin Turbo Corvette’s production was over, it’s reported that roughly 500 examples were produced.
The Callaway Milano Is Rare, But We Should Read Between The Lines
1987 Alfa Romeo Milano Callaway Twin Turbo finished in blue with black interiorBring A Trailer
The 1987 Alfa Romeo Milano Callaway Twin Turbo is an impressive piece of historical engineering, but its specific story calls some things into question. For starters, it reportedly underwent an extensive restoration process, with a subsequent customization undertaken, as well. That latter word may bring some raised eyebrows into the mix, and rightfully so. After all, a car as rare as this going through a significant transformation would make most automotive purists question its originality, which is intrinsically linked to its desirability and therefore value.
Its metallic-blue paint is new. In addition, its Turbo Evoluzione body kit isn’t a factory Alfa version, it’s a very close replica. Some of its interior materials, like its black leather and microsuede, are not original, either. A set of 17-inch HRE wheels found on the model — complete with Alfa center caps — would also not have come on the original car. A set of Koni shock absorbers was added after the fact, as well as Brembo front brakes. All of these upgrades set it far apart from an original factory Milano.
1987 Alfa Romeo Milano Callaway Twin Turbo finished in blue with black interiorBring A Trailer
At the same time, it underwent a litany of mechanical work. Its turbocharger system was gone through and repaired, along with its cooling system. Its clutch, suspension, and exhaust were all refreshed, too. Even with all the improvements, it’s not a perfect car, and perhaps that’s why it only achieved $37,000 at auction – roughly half what the aforementioned GTV6 model commanded. The seller themselves state that warning lights on the dashboard malfunction, and both the tachometer and speedometer only work sometimes. Those of you familiar with older Italian cars will likely say that’s par for the course, and you’d be right.
Now, a 39-year-old car will obviously need some freshening up in the engine department and beyond, and that doesn’t mean this Milano Callaway is a phony, fraud, or fake. Its historical significance rests in its paperwork, much like a purebred dog’s does. After all, just because its fur is a different color doesn’t necessarily mean it isn’t the real deal.
Base Trim Engine
7.0L V8 Gas
Base Trim Transmission
6-Speed Manual
Base Trim Drivetrain
Rear-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
505 hp
Base Trim Torque
470 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm
Fuel Economy
15/24 MPG
Base Trim Battery Type
Lead acid battery
Infotainment & Features
7 /10
Sources: Bring A Trailer, CorvSport.org, Bring A Trailer, Road and Track.
