PAST INSPIRATIONS
The Alfa 147 GTA’S classic appeal might spring from the opposite argument. It’s from the final generation of cars equipped with the magnificent V6 designed back in the 1970s by Giuseppe Busso. Production of this engine, by then turned around to transverse operation and bristling with 24 valves, ended in 2005 just three days before Busso himself passed away. By then, motoring journos and Alfisti across the globe had long recognised it as one of the best-sounding, most characterful powerplants ever made.
The 147s prettier than the Golf both outside and inside, which you’d expect. That engine is barking away at a staccato tickover and you’re picking up signals as you strap in that turn on warning lights in your brain if you’ve ever been an Alfa owner. Probably if you haven’t, for that matter. The gearchange feels sloppy after the Golf, the plastics in the cabin flimsier and the steering has far less heft and feels over-assisted. What’s going to happen when we unleash 247bhp through the front wheels?
As new, 147 GTAS were supplied with an open front differential that simply couldn’t get the power down and allowed violent torque-reaction lunges and unstoppable understeer. Drive at seven-tenths and it was still a nice car, but who buys an Alfa to gently tool around in? Worst of all, that open diff’ was prone to catastrophic failure.
The answer came when Ned Kirkham of Bournemouth-based specialist Autolusso pioneered the fitting of Alfa’s torque-sensing Q2 diff’, introduced in the 2007 3.2 GT coupé. It transformed the car’s handling and traction and lasted well, too. Autolusso moved over to Quaife’s Automatic Torque Biasing version when Alfa put the price up but fitting one or the other (£700-800) is regarded as a vital upgrade to any 147 GTA. This particular car happens to have the Q2 differential.
’The steering has less heft than the Golf so what’s going to happen when we unleash 247bhp through the front wheels?’