There are very few automotive brands steeped in such romanticism as Alfa Romeo. Equally so is their impervious track record in motorsport from the advent of any competition offered on four wheels. Thus an iconic nameplate has returned to the famed Italian brand; that of the GTA (Grand Turismo Allegerita) or GT lightweight for anyone yet to master the lilting and rhythmic language. Alfa Romeo looks to relive the prestige of their GTA racing masterpieces of the 1960’s with the arrival of the superfluous Giulia GTA and GTAm models.
While the previous rendition of the GTA badge yielded the torque-steer demented FWD 156 and 147 in the early 2000s both boasting the sonorous 3.2-litre Busso V6 with, they were ironically heavier than their subordinate siblings and not so allegerita afterall.
That has all changed with the arrival of the Giulia derivative, which as some Alfisti may argue is true to the brand’s heritage. Making use of the outstanding rear wheel driven Giulia Giorgio platform, which has been lightened as much as 100 kg depending on the derivative and a power output now rated at 390 kW and 600 N.m from its Ferrari derived 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6, the GTA and GTAm feature added aero and added power, proving that sometimes more really is more. Get all the specs here.
Of only 500 models produced, South Africa were allocated 8 just before the arrival of the new year. This is an impressive number considering the less than stellar sales the marque garners in their segment locally but affirms that the creations native to the Torino based manufacturer are still adored by local petrolheads. All models are on consignment to Gauteng based dealerships and of the 8 brought over, 2 were snapped up before the Michelin tyres even touched Mzanzi soil. Alfa Romeo states that “the Giulia GTA/GTAm is now a collector’s car” which will presumably only appreciate in value over the years.
A select few South African dealers have been given the opportunity to retail the newcomers – pricing is R3 999 900 for the GTA and R4 299 900 for the track-focused GTAm. There are only six left, so if you’re interested, you’d better act quickly…
Written by Alex Shahini.