All 2.24Vs were LHD and manual, the 2.24V was a 2.0 domestic market model and the 2.0 Biturbo variants were never offered with an automatic gearbox.
This particular car has the potential to be a hidden gem under all the rubbish aftermarket grilles and massacred front bumper; these are fairly easily reversed if you can find the original parts. This could be a case of the vendor not really understanding what they have. This car has a full leather interior which would be ultra rare on a 2.24V as it was a very expensive option that hardly any customers selected; the outer bolsters would usually be alcantara on a 2.24V. This car also has darkened rear lights and these together with the full leather interior would hint to me that this car is in fact a Racing as both of these features were standard on this model. This would make this particular car a whole different kettle of fish because the Racing, along with it’s rest of the world equivalent, the 222 4V is seen as the holy grail of Biturbos and are quite valuable. Only 230 Racings were built and they are highly sought after by collectors. The chassis number of this car also falls within a range of known Racing chassis numbers which further fuels the evidence. It’s quite unusual for a Racing to have wood interior trim as they usually had grey inserts, but wood was an option, albeit quite rare with only 4 or 5 known cars so equipped. The fact that it’s badged as a 2.24V is odd but it may be the result of an unobservant bodyshop or lack of availability for the correct badge after the original went missing. You’d need to see the chassis plate to confirm the engine type, if it really is a Racing it should be AM490 but just looking at the right side cam cover will be a giveaway as it should say “Racing” on it. If it’s not too rusty and really is a Racing rather than a 2.24V it could be a lucky find. It’s not uncommon for unscrupulous sellers to work in the opposite way and to try to pass off a 2.24V as a Racing, it would be easy to fool someone who didn’t know what they were looking at.
A 2.24V or a Racing would be a very different experience to a QPV, a well sorted 2.24V still feels fairly quick even today. Handling is also surprisingly good if everything is in good condition and it’s quite a raw and thrilling driving experience as the cars are quite light and have no driver aids. A Racing is like a 2.24V turned up to 11 and will scare the **** out of you (in a good way), if you think of it as a Ghibli Clubsport you’ll get the idea. A QPV is a heavy luxury barge, more comfortable, quieter but nowhere near as exciting to drive.