Giulia GTA makes a momentous return
THE iconic Alfa Romeo GTA is the ultimate version of the ultimate four-door sports sedan and shortly Namibian performance car enthusiasts can get ready to open their wallets. The legendary and extremely limited production Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA and GTAm, of which only 500 numbered cars are being built by Alfa Romeo, will soon be available to order from M&Z Motors.
Fortunate owners will not only acquire a legendary performance car, but an equally tasty experience and package of accessories with it.
The acronym GTA stands for “Gran Turismo Alleggerita” (alleggerita being the Italian term for “lightened”), and it originated in 1965 with the Giulia Sprint GTA, a very special model based on the Giulia Sprint GT, designed as a sports car and presented at the Amsterdam Motor Show staged that same year.
For the new Giulia GTA, Alfa Romeo engineers have striven to improve aerodynamics and handling, but, above all, to reduce weight: the same guidelines followed for the 1965 Giulia GTA.
The active aerodynamics were specifically studied to increase the downforce. These solutions contain technical know-how that comes directly from Formula 1, thanks to the synergy with Sauber Engineering and the use of the Sauber Aerokit. The same task is assigned to the side skirts, the specific rear spoiler and the active front splitter.
The titanium Akrapovič central exhaust system integrated in the carbon fibre rear diffuser is also new, as are the 20-inch centre lock wheels, appearing for the first time on a sedan.
The handling at high speeds has been improved by widening the front and rear wheel tracks by 50mm and developing a new set of springs, shock absorbers and bushings for the suspension systems.
On GTAm, the aerodynamic front piece has been optimised to an extreme level, by adding a larger front splitter and a real carbon rear wing, which ensure a perfectly balanced load at high speeds.
In terms of performance, the powerful 2.9 V6 Bi-Turbo, made entirely of aluminium and capable of unleashing no less than 375kW in standard trim, reaches a power output of 390kW on Giulia GTA thanks to meticulous calibration work performed by Alfa Romeo engineers. The same team has also succeeded in optimising the implementation of the new Akrapovič specific exhaust system, with its unmistakable sound.
Moving inside the car, several new details stand out: the trim in 100% Alcantara on the dashboard, door panels, glove compartment, side pillars and the central trim on the seats.
Alcantara is used even more extensively on the GTAm version, where the rear bench has been removed, leaving room for a fully upholstered “basin”, hosting specific mouldings designed to hold helmets and a fire extinguisher. The new matte carbon inserts endow the interior with a distinctive technical and aesthetic elegance.
In the new GTAm, the interior is unique in that it features a roll bar, no door panels or rear seats and the door is opened with a belt in place of the handle, another touch that comes from the racing world.
But power on its own is not enough to ensure extraordinary performance. The work done to reduce vehicle weight has been meticulous, and it has reaped particularly impressive results in the GTA. Here the total weight reduction amounts to 100kg, thanks to the adoption of lightweight materials such as carbon fibre for the drive shaft, hood, roof, front bumper, front wheel arches, rear wheel arch inserts and the shell of the specific sporting seats with 6-point Sabelt safety belts.
Further, lightweight aluminium is used in the engine, doors and suspension systems, and various other composite materials are used throughout. For instance, Lexan – a unique polycarbonate resin that comes straight from the world of motorsports – has been used in the side and rear window frames.