Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA marks 110th birthday

With their origins from the 1965 Giulia Sprint GTA, the two new “Gran Turismo Alleggerita” (alleggerita being the Italian term for “lightened”) derivatives forms part of what Alfa describes as a gift to its enthusiasts and symbol of its return to its roots in performance and grand touring. Upfront, Alfa Romeo engineers with the help of Sauber Engineering has fitted an active front splitter which is complimented by the side skirts and functional rear diffuser and rear spoiler that forms part of the Sauber Aerokit. The GTAm sees in further optimization on the larger front splitter and large carbon rear wing.

Utilizing carbon fibre in the construction of these parts, the engineers were able to reduce weight while increasing downforce simultaneously. Central in the rear diffuser is a titanium Akrapovič which is a first on the Alfa sedan vehicle as well as the 20-inch centre-lock wheels. The new wheels also sit 50mm wider than on the standard Giulia for increased handling and are further aided by a newly developed set of springs, shock absorbers and bushings on the suspension system.

On the inside of the GTA, the model features Alcantara trim on the dashboard, door panels, glove compartment, side pillars and the central inlays on the seats. The GTAm derivatives see in further use of Alcantara as space left behind by the removed rear bench comes fully upholstered with mouldings designed to hold helmets and a fire extinguisher. While the GTA benefits from new matte carbon inserts throughout the interior the GTAm has no door panels, rear seats or door handles, instead you get belts to open the doors with and a roll bar.

Under the bonnet features an all-aluminium 2.9-litre V6 Bi-Turbo motor which in its standard configuration produces 380 kW while the unit in the Giulia GTA is capable of 403 kW as a result of the tweaks made by Alfa Romeo engineers and the Akrapovič exhaust system.

Both vehicles’ performance is bolstered by utilizing carbon fibre for the driveshaft, bonnet, roof, front bumper, front wheel arches, rear wheel arch inserts and the shell of the seats with 6-point Sabelt safety belts. Lightweight aluminium is also used on the engine, doors and suspension systems to further reduce overall weight. All of the abovementioned efforts result in the Giulia GTA capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.6 seconds according to the manufacturer.

Only 500 units are planned for the GTA and GTAm editions and will all be numbered and certified for increased collector’s status. Further adding to the exclusivity, after all, 500 units have been spoken for customers will receive a personalized experience package kit, which includes a Bell helmet finished special GTA livery, a full racing set by Alpinestars (race suit, gloves and shoes) which can be used at the included Alfa Romeo driving course devised by the Alfa Romeo Driving Academy.

No pricing has been released as of the time of writing this article.