Alfa Romeo Alfetta
Encyclopedia
Alfa Romeo GTV redirects here. For 916 series GTV see Alfa Romeo GTV & Spider
The Alfa Romeo Alfetta is an Italian rear-wheel drive executive saloon car and fastback
coupé
produced from 1972 until 1987 by Alfa Romeo
. It was popular due to its combination of a modest weight with powerful engines, selling over 400,000 units until the end of its production run.
The Sedan had a body designed by Centro Stile Alfa Romeo, and the Alfetta GTV coupé (not to be confused with the more recent 1995 Alfa Romeo GTV
, or the classic Giulia GTV
), was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro
. The Alfetta introduced a new drivetrain layout to the marque. Clutch and transmission were housed at the rear of the car, together with the differential for a more balanced weight distribution, as used on the Alfetta 158/159 Grand Prix cars. The Gold Cloverleaf (Quadrifoglio Oro) model was actually sold as the Alfetta 159i in some markets. The suspension relied on double wishbones and torsion bars at the front and a de Dion beam
at the rear. The Alfetta was renewed in 1979 with a revised frontend, new wheel rims and new lights, as well as a diesel version.
It was available with two four-cylinder
DOHC engines with two valves per cylinder and a turbodiesel
engine supplied by VM Motori
. The 1.6 and 1.8 L base models had two double-barrel carburettors, while the 2.0 DOHC received fuel injection
in 1979. The diesel initially had 2.0 L, but was increased to 2.4 L in 1982.
The four-door Alfetta was sold in the USA from 1975 through 1977 under the name Alfetta Sedan. From 1978 to 1979 a mildly restyled version was sold under the name Sport Sedan. The four-cylinder coupe was available from 1975 to 1977 under the moniker Alfetta GT, renamed the Sprint Veloce for the final two years of production in 1978 and 1979. Finally, the V-6 version was marketed from 1981 to 1986 as the GTV-6.
The Alfa Romeo Alfetta became well known throughout the world since it was Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro
's official escort car, when, in 1978, he was first kidnapped, then killed, by the Italian Terrorist left-wing organization The Red Brigades.
A fictionalised account of these events was produced as a critically well regarded Italian film, The Advocate, which also heavily featured Alfettas of all types, from Carabinieri 'Short Nose-Round Light' through to the Prime Minister's own 'Long Nose-Square Light' 2000 Super Saloon.
A special semi experimental version of CEM (Controllo Elettronico del Motore) was developed in 1981 in collaboration with the ' University of Genoa , it was made 10 examples derived from the "2.0", this engine could use two or four cylinder as needed in order to reduce fuel consumption. The cars were assigned to taxi drivers in Milan, to verify operation and performance in real-use situations. After the first trial, in 1983 , was produced a small series (991 examples), which were entrusted to a select clients. Despite this second experimental phase, the project had no further developments.
The Alfetta was the base for the GTV, a fastback coupé version of the saloon, introduced in 1974 as Alfetta GT, initially available only with the 1.8 litre (1779 cc) version of the Alfa DOHC four. For 1976, with the final phasing out of the earlier 105 Series 1.3 and 1.6 litre coupes (GT 1300 Junior and GT 1600 Junior) and the 2.0 litre 105 series 2000 GTV, the Alfetta GT became a range, also available with the 1.6 litre (1570 cc) and 2.0 litre (1962 cc) versions of the same engine as the Alfetta GT 1.6, Alfetta GT 1.8 and Alfetta GTV 2000. The GTV designation was initially reserved for the 2.0 litre top version.
In 1979, some minor revisions, including a revised engine with new camshaft profiles and a change to mechanical-and-vacuum ignition advance, saw the 2.0 litre redesignated the Alfetta GTV 2000L. Autodelta
also produced a limited edition turbocharged model, named Turbodelta, for FIA Group 4
homologation
. This version used a KKK turbo which pushed power up to 175 PS (129 kW). The car also received a modified suspension layout. This was the first Italian production car with a turbocharger.
The styling of the GTV, while distinctive, can be seen to share many design features derived from the Montreal
supercar, as translated down to a simpler and thus more marketable vehicle. Examples of this are the bonnet line, which while briefer, still has 'scallops' for the headlights, and the tail light clusters which resemble those of the Montreal. The door shape is similar, and in a sharing of parts, both vehicles employ the same door handles.
In 1981, the GTV received a restyling, with grey plastic bumpers and all matte-black trim replacing bright stainless steel, the 1.6 litre and 1.8 litre versions were discontinued and the Alfetta 2000 GTV became the base coupé model as the Alfa GTV 2.0. The Alfetta name was dropped, but the two-litre coupé retained its type designation of 11636 for left hand drive and 11637 for right hand drive. 15 inch alloy wheels were now standard, as opposed to the earlier cars' 14 inch pressed steel or optional 14 inch alloy.
2.5 L engine from the Alfa 6 luxury sedan, was released. As a result the hood received a bulge to clear the top of the intake and became its most pronounced feature. With Bosch fuel injection instead of the six downdraught Dell'Orto
carburettors in the early Alfa 6 installation, the V6 was much easier to start and retained its state of tune much better. The V6 received rave reviews from the motoring press, which had previously lambasted the same engine in the Alfa 6 because of the carburettor problems. It found its true home in the GTV-6 where it could stretch its legs better than in the less sporting Alfa 6 sedan, including winning the European Touring Car Championship an unprecedented four years in succession (1982–85), the British Touring Car Championship
in 1983 at the hands of Andy Rouse
, as well as many other racing and rallying competitions. The fuel injection installation eventually made it into the second series of the Alfa 6 as well. The GTV went through a number of revisions, including a new gear ratio
s and an updated interior in 1984.
A grey GTV6 is featured for a short period in the James Bond
movie Octopussy
. Bond (played by Roger Moore
) steals the parked car in West Germany
while its owner uses a pay phone booth and makes haste towards Octopussy's Circus, where he de-fuses a bomb planted by the villainous Kamal Khan
(Louis Jourdan).
The GTV6 was driven to victory by Greg Carr and Fred Gocentas in the 1987 Australian Rally Championship
.
South African models were first assembled at Automaker's Rosslyn plant, located outside Pretoria
. These early, 1973 models, were manufactured alongside Datsuns. From 1974 South African Alfetta's were manufactured at Alfa Romeo's own Brits
plant. South Africa was one of two markets to have a turbocharged GTV6, with a Garrett
turbocharger and a NACA intake. An estimated 750 were assembled before all production ceased in 1986. The South African market also introduced the 3.0 L GTV-6, predating the international debut of the factory's 3.0 L engine in 1987. Approximately 200 were built in South Africa for racing homologation. To this day, the GTV-6 remains the quintessential Alfa Romeo for South Africans.
For the U.S. market two limited production GTV-6 models stand out. The Balocco (named after the famous Balocco test track in Italy) in 1982 with a production run of only 350 cars. The Balocco was available only in red with sunroof and black interior, leather wrapped steering wheel and red piping on the seats. There were also two green Quadrifoglio badges fixed on the rear quarter trim pieces above a badge with the "Balocco SE" designation. A plaque inset in the glove box door designated the number of the car out of the series of 350 (XXX of 350) And the GTV-6 2.5 Maratona, of which only 150 were built. The Maratona model included a more aggressive aerodynamic trim package, lightweight Speedline wheels, clear engine view port, sunroof, wood steering wheel and shift knob, rear louvers and Carello fog lamps. All 150 cars were available only painted Silver and with a black leather interior; and came with "Maratona" badging on the rear decklid, front fenders and glove box door. (The most notable feature of the Maratona, its aerodynamic kit, was also available as a dealer-installed option on other GTV-6 models.)
Callaway Cars
, famous for their modified Camaro
, Impala SS
and Corvette
offerings modified between thirty and thirty-six (depending on whether one "counts" those cars with Callaway components which were not assembled by Callaway but, instead, had those components fitted by Alfa Romeo dealers) twin-turbocharged GTV-6s between 1983 and 1986, of which the first five (the cars produced between 1983 and 1985; these were sold and titled as 1985 model year cars, save for the first prototype which was sold and titled as a 1984) were prototypes. Callaway "production models" were otherwise listed as from the 1986 model year. In addition to numerous small component upgrades, the Callaway GTV-6s included a somewhat revised suspension (most notably eschewing the metric Michelin TRX
wheel/tire combination—then standard on the GTV-6—in favor of Pirelli or Goodyear tires on conventionally-sized BBS, Speedline or OZ lightweight alloys), improved brakes and, most importantly, a twin-turbocharger system, boosting performance to exotic levels. A different twin turbo GTV was also built briefly for the Australian market.
, initially with the normally aspirated engine from the earlier GTAm racer based on the 105 series coupe, for homologation under FIA
Group 2
. In this form they were rallied with moderate success in 1975, winning the Elba and Costa Brava rallies overall, as well as winning the Group 2 category in the World Rally Championship's Corsican event. The next year Autodelta shifted its focus to circuit racing the Alfettas, which won the under 2.5-liter Group 2 division of the European Touring Car Championship, scoring a remarkable second place overall at the 24 hour race at Spa-Francorchamps, as well as an overall win in the ETC race at Vallelunga. Despite such results, Autodelta's efforts with the Group 2 Alfetta were desultory, and ended prematurely.
At a single rally at the end of the 1975 season, Autodelta also rallied an Alfetta GTV with a 3.0 litre V8 engine, derived from the 2.6 litre V8 of the Alfa Romeo Montreal coupé and sharing the same mechanical fuel injection by SPICA
. It had been suggested to produce 400 roadgoing versions of this model for homologation but this plan was abandoned as well after the engine production line was disassembled too soon. Around twenty 2.6-litre V8 engined Alfetta GTVs were built by Autodelta at the request of the German Alfa importer in 1977, where they were sold for DM50,000, considerably more than the DM20,990 charged for a Alfetta GTV2000.
In 1980 the Alfetta GTV Turbodelta was already homologated in FIA Group 4
, since the required number of production cars had been built. A racing version was campaigned in rallies, but once more the effort was abandoned after a single season, despite scoring a win at the Danube Rally. In 1986 Alfa Romeo GTV6 was one of the fastest Group A
rally cars. At the end of 1986 the FIA re-assessed the GTV6 homologation and found it to be unsuitable for Group A and it was moved into group B and subsequently banned from the sport.
After that Alfa Romeo turned its Group A racing and rallying efforts to the 75/Milano sedans, which were based on the same rear transaxle chassis. However, 1986 also saw the GTV6 post one of its finest rallying victories when Yves Loubet's example won the Group A in the tragic 1986 Tour de Corse
and placed 3rd overall between Group B cars.
Alfa Romeo GTV & Spider
The Alfa Romeo GTV and Alfa Romeo Spider were two sports cars produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo from 1995 to 2006....
The Alfa Romeo Alfetta is an Italian rear-wheel drive executive saloon car and fastback
Fastback
A fastback is a car body style whose roofline slopes continuously down at the back. The word can also designate the car itself. The style is seen on two-door coupés as well as four-door sedans.-History:...
coupé
Coupé
A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...
produced from 1972 until 1987 by Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars...
. It was popular due to its combination of a modest weight with powerful engines, selling over 400,000 units until the end of its production run.
The Sedan had a body designed by Centro Stile Alfa Romeo, and the Alfetta GTV coupé (not to be confused with the more recent 1995 Alfa Romeo GTV
Alfa Romeo GTV & Spider
The Alfa Romeo GTV and Alfa Romeo Spider were two sports cars produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo from 1995 to 2006....
, or the classic Giulia GTV
Alfa Romeo Sprint GT (Veloce)
The Alfa Romeo 105/115 series Coupés were a range of cars made by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo from 1963 until 1977. They were the successors to the celebrated Giulietta Sprint coupé and used a shortened floorpan from the Giulia Berlina car....
), was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro
Giorgetto Giugiaro
Giorgetto Giugiaro is an Italian automobile designer responsible equally for a stable of supercars and several of the most popular everyday vehicles driven today...
. The Alfetta introduced a new drivetrain layout to the marque. Clutch and transmission were housed at the rear of the car, together with the differential for a more balanced weight distribution, as used on the Alfetta 158/159 Grand Prix cars. The Gold Cloverleaf (Quadrifoglio Oro) model was actually sold as the Alfetta 159i in some markets. The suspension relied on double wishbones and torsion bars at the front and a de Dion beam
De Dion tube
A de Dion tube is an automobile suspension technology. It is a sophisticated form of non-independent suspension and is a considerable improvement over the alternative swing axle and Hotchkiss drive types. A de Dion suspension uses universal joints at both the wheel hubs and differential, and uses a...
at the rear. The Alfetta was renewed in 1979 with a revised frontend, new wheel rims and new lights, as well as a diesel version.
| Version | Years | Produced |
|---|---|---|
| Alfetta | 1972-74 | 104,454 |
| Alfetta (RHD Driving on the left or right The terms right-hand traffic and left-hand traffic refer to regulations requiring all bidirectional traffic to keep either to the right or the left side of the road, respectively. This is so fundamental to traffic flow that it is sometimes referred to as the rule of the road. This basic rule eases... ) |
1972-78 | 2,011 |
| Alfetta 1.8 | 1975-83 | 67,738 |
| Alfetta 1.6 | 1975-83 | 77,103 |
| Alfetta 2000 | 1976-77 | 34,733 |
| Alfetta 2000 (RHD Driving on the left or right The terms right-hand traffic and left-hand traffic refer to regulations requiring all bidirectional traffic to keep either to the right or the left side of the road, respectively. This is so fundamental to traffic flow that it is sometimes referred to as the rule of the road. This basic rule eases... ) |
1977 | 1,450 |
| Alfetta 2000 L | 1978-80 | 60,097 |
| Alfetta 2.0 | 1981-84 | 48,750 |
| Alfetta 2000 LI America | 1978-81 | 1,000 |
| Alfetta 2000 Turbodiesel | 1979-84 | 23,530 |
| Alfetta Quadrifoglio Oro | 1982-84 | 19,340 |
| Alfetta CEM | 1983 | 991 |
| Alfetta 2.4 Turbo Diesel | 1983-84 | 7,220 |
| Total Note: Unofficial figures |
448,417 | |
It was available with two four-cylinder
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
DOHC engines with two valves per cylinder and a turbodiesel
Turbodiesel
Turbodiesel refers to any diesel engine with a turbocharger. Turbocharging is the norm rather than the exception in modern car and truck diesel engines...
engine supplied by VM Motori
VM Motori
VM Motori S.p.A. is a diesel engine manufacturing company in Cento, Italy, in Emilia-Romagna, an Italian region which is also home to Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and Ducati.- History :...
. The 1.6 and 1.8 L base models had two double-barrel carburettors, while the 2.0 DOHC received fuel injection
Fuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
in 1979. The diesel initially had 2.0 L, but was increased to 2.4 L in 1982.
The four-door Alfetta was sold in the USA from 1975 through 1977 under the name Alfetta Sedan. From 1978 to 1979 a mildly restyled version was sold under the name Sport Sedan. The four-cylinder coupe was available from 1975 to 1977 under the moniker Alfetta GT, renamed the Sprint Veloce for the final two years of production in 1978 and 1979. Finally, the V-6 version was marketed from 1981 to 1986 as the GTV-6.
The Alfa Romeo Alfetta became well known throughout the world since it was Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro
Aldo Moro
Aldo Moro was an Italian politician and the 39th Prime Minister of Italy, from 1963 to 1968, and then from 1974 to 1976. He was one of Italy's longest-serving post-war Prime Ministers, holding power for a combined total of more than six years....
's official escort car, when, in 1978, he was first kidnapped, then killed, by the Italian Terrorist left-wing organization The Red Brigades.
A fictionalised account of these events was produced as a critically well regarded Italian film, The Advocate, which also heavily featured Alfettas of all types, from Carabinieri 'Short Nose-Round Light' through to the Prime Minister's own 'Long Nose-Square Light' 2000 Super Saloon.
A special semi experimental version of CEM (Controllo Elettronico del Motore) was developed in 1981 in collaboration with the ' University of Genoa , it was made 10 examples derived from the "2.0", this engine could use two or four cylinder as needed in order to reduce fuel consumption. The cars were assigned to taxi drivers in Milan, to verify operation and performance in real-use situations. After the first trial, in 1983 , was produced a small series (991 examples), which were entrusted to a select clients. Despite this second experimental phase, the project had no further developments.
Design and dynamics
The rear transaxle found on the Alfetta and derivatives- GTV, 90 and 75- provided these cars with excellent weight distribution. The transaxle design, in combination with inboard rear brakes and a well-located de Dion rear suspension, resulted in excellent traction and handling.GT, GTV and GTV6
For information about the GTV (916) see Alfa Romeo GTV & SpiderAlfa Romeo GTV & Spider
The Alfa Romeo GTV and Alfa Romeo Spider were two sports cars produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo from 1995 to 2006....
| Version | Years | Produced |
|---|---|---|
| Alfetta GT (1.8) | 1974-76 | 21,947 |
| Alfetta GT (1.6) | 1976-80 | 16,923 |
| Alfetta GTV (2.0) | 1976-78 | 31,267 |
| Alfetta GTS (1.6) | 1976-80 | |
| Alfetta GTV Strada (2.0) | 1976-80 | |
| Alfetta GTV 2.6 V8 | 1977 | 20 |
| Alfetta GTV L (2.0) | 1978-80 | 26,108 |
| Alfetta GTV 2000 America | 1979-80 | |
| Alfetta 2000 Turbodelta | 1979-80 | 400 |
| Alfetta GTV 2.0 | 1980-83 | 10,352 |
| GTV 2.0 | 1983-87 | 7,296 |
| Alfetta GTV Grand Prix (2.0) | 1981-82 | 650 |
| Alfetta GTV 2.5 | 1980-83 | 11,468 |
| GTV 2.5 | 1983-87 | 10,912 |
| GTV 3.0 V6 | 1984-85 | 200 |
| GTV 2.5 Twin Turbo | 1985-86 | 36 |
In 1979, some minor revisions, including a revised engine with new camshaft profiles and a change to mechanical-and-vacuum ignition advance, saw the 2.0 litre redesignated the Alfetta GTV 2000L. Autodelta
Autodelta
Autodelta SpA was the name of Alfa Romeo's competition department. Established in 1961 as Auto-Delta, the company was started by Carlo Chiti, a former Alfa Romeo and Ferrari engineer, and Ludovico Chizzola, an official Alfa Romeo dealer. The team was officially made a department of Alfa Romeo on...
also produced a limited edition turbocharged model, named Turbodelta, for FIA Group 4
Group 4 (racing)
The Group 4 racing class referred to regulations for cars in sportscar racing, GT racing and rallying, as regulated by the FIA. The Group 4 class was replaced by Group B for the 1983 season.-Production requirements:...
homologation
Homologation
Homologation is a technical term, derived from the Greek homologeo for "to agree", which is generally used in English to signify the granting of approval by an official authority...
. This version used a KKK turbo which pushed power up to 175 PS (129 kW). The car also received a modified suspension layout. This was the first Italian production car with a turbocharger.
The styling of the GTV, while distinctive, can be seen to share many design features derived from the Montreal
Alfa Romeo Montreal
The Alfa Romeo Montreal is a 2+2 coupé automobile produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo from 1970 to 1977.-Concept car:The Alfa Romeo Montreal was introduced as a concept car in 1967 at Expo 67, held in Montreal, Canada. Originally, the concept cars were displayed without any model name,...
supercar, as translated down to a simpler and thus more marketable vehicle. Examples of this are the bonnet line, which while briefer, still has 'scallops' for the headlights, and the tail light clusters which resemble those of the Montreal. The door shape is similar, and in a sharing of parts, both vehicles employ the same door handles.
In 1981, the GTV received a restyling, with grey plastic bumpers and all matte-black trim replacing bright stainless steel, the 1.6 litre and 1.8 litre versions were discontinued and the Alfetta 2000 GTV became the base coupé model as the Alfa GTV 2.0. The Alfetta name was dropped, but the two-litre coupé retained its type designation of 11636 for left hand drive and 11637 for right hand drive. 15 inch alloy wheels were now standard, as opposed to the earlier cars' 14 inch pressed steel or optional 14 inch alloy.
GTV6
Later in the same year, the GTV-6, a version of the GTV with the SOHC V6V6 engine
A V6 engine is a V engine with six cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of three cylinders, usually set at either a right angle or an acute angle to each other, with all six pistons driving a common crankshaft...
2.5 L engine from the Alfa 6 luxury sedan, was released. As a result the hood received a bulge to clear the top of the intake and became its most pronounced feature. With Bosch fuel injection instead of the six downdraught Dell'Orto
Dell'Orto
Dell'Orto is an Italian company, headquartered in Cabiate, specialized in the construction of carburetors and electronic injection systems. The company was founded in 1933 as "Società anonima Gaetano Dell'Orto e figli"...
carburettors in the early Alfa 6 installation, the V6 was much easier to start and retained its state of tune much better. The V6 received rave reviews from the motoring press, which had previously lambasted the same engine in the Alfa 6 because of the carburettor problems. It found its true home in the GTV-6 where it could stretch its legs better than in the less sporting Alfa 6 sedan, including winning the European Touring Car Championship an unprecedented four years in succession (1982–85), the British Touring Car Championship
British Touring Car Championship
The British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s...
in 1983 at the hands of Andy Rouse
Andy Rouse
Andrew "Andy" Rouse is an English racing driver, most notably in the BTCC. He won the BTCC in 1975, 1983, 1984 and 1985....
, as well as many other racing and rallying competitions. The fuel injection installation eventually made it into the second series of the Alfa 6 as well. The GTV went through a number of revisions, including a new gear ratio
Gear ratio
The gear ratio of a gear train is the ratio of the angular velocity of the input gear to the angular velocity of the output gear, also known as the speed ratio of the gear train. The gear ratio can be computed directly from the numbers of teeth of the various gears that engage to form the gear...
s and an updated interior in 1984.
A grey GTV6 is featured for a short period in the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
movie Octopussy
Octopussy
Octopussy is the thirteenth entry in the James Bond series, and the sixth to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film's title is taken from a short story in Ian Fleming's 1966 short story collection Octopussy and The Living Daylights...
. Bond (played by Roger Moore
Roger Moore
Sir Roger George Moore KBE , is an English actor, perhaps best known for portraying British secret agent James Bond in seven films from 1973 to 1985. He also portrayed Simon Templar in the long-running British television series The Saint.-Early life:Moore was born in Stockwell, London...
) steals the parked car in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
while its owner uses a pay phone booth and makes haste towards Octopussy's Circus, where he de-fuses a bomb planted by the villainous Kamal Khan
Kamal Khan
Kamal Khan is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the James Bond film Octopussy. He is portrayed by Louis Jourdan.Khan is a suave exiled Afghan prince living in India in the Monsoon Palace. He has a penchant for fine food and liquor, priceless jewels, "hunting" humans, and atomic...
(Louis Jourdan).
The GTV6 was driven to victory by Greg Carr and Fred Gocentas in the 1987 Australian Rally Championship
Australian Rally Championship
The Australian Rally Championship is a 6 Round National motorsport Championship run in forested countryside throughout Australia.-Current Competition:...
.
South African models were first assembled at Automaker's Rosslyn plant, located outside Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
. These early, 1973 models, were manufactured alongside Datsuns. From 1974 South African Alfetta's were manufactured at Alfa Romeo's own Brits
Brits, North West
Brits is a large town and district situated in a fertile, citrus, vegetable and grain-producing area that is irrigated by the waters of the Hartbeespoort Dam in North West Province of South Africa. It is close to the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality in Gauteng, which includes Pretoria and...
plant. South Africa was one of two markets to have a turbocharged GTV6, with a Garrett
Garrett AiResearch
Garrett AiResearch was a manufacturer of turboprop engines and turbochargers, and a pioneer in numerous aerospace technologies. It was previously known as Aircraft Tool and Supply Company, Garrett Supply Company, AiResearch Manufacturing Company, or simply AiResearch...
turbocharger and a NACA intake. An estimated 750 were assembled before all production ceased in 1986. The South African market also introduced the 3.0 L GTV-6, predating the international debut of the factory's 3.0 L engine in 1987. Approximately 200 were built in South Africa for racing homologation. To this day, the GTV-6 remains the quintessential Alfa Romeo for South Africans.
Callaway Cars
Callaway Cars Incorporated
Callaway Cars Inc. is an engine design company who is notable for their modification of Chevrolet cars, the Corvette sport cars in particular, especially their twin-turbo kit that became a dealer option and their record breaking Corvette Sledgehammer car....
, famous for their modified Camaro
Chevrolet Camaro
The Chevrolet Camaro is an automobile manufactured by General Motors under the Chevrolet brand, classified as a pony car and some versions also as a muscle car. It went on sale on September 29, 1966, for the 1967 model year and was designed as a competing model to the Ford Mustang...
, Impala SS
Chevrolet Impala
The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced for the 1958 model year. Deriving its name from the southern African antelope, Chevrolet's most expensive passenger model through 1965 had become the best-selling automobile in the United...
and Corvette
Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
offerings modified between thirty and thirty-six (depending on whether one "counts" those cars with Callaway components which were not assembled by Callaway but, instead, had those components fitted by Alfa Romeo dealers) twin-turbocharged GTV-6s between 1983 and 1986, of which the first five (the cars produced between 1983 and 1985; these were sold and titled as 1985 model year cars, save for the first prototype which was sold and titled as a 1984) were prototypes. Callaway "production models" were otherwise listed as from the 1986 model year. In addition to numerous small component upgrades, the Callaway GTV-6s included a somewhat revised suspension (most notably eschewing the metric Michelin TRX
Michelin TRX
The Michelin TRX is a radial tire introduced by the Michelin Group in 1975. Its introduction as the first "low profile" tire marked an advance in tire technology....
wheel/tire combination—then standard on the GTV-6—in favor of Pirelli or Goodyear tires on conventionally-sized BBS, Speedline or OZ lightweight alloys), improved brakes and, most importantly, a twin-turbocharger system, boosting performance to exotic levels. A different twin turbo GTV was also built briefly for the Australian market.
GT and GTV racing versions by Autodelta
Racing versions of the Alfetta GT and GTV were built by AutodeltaAutodelta
Autodelta SpA was the name of Alfa Romeo's competition department. Established in 1961 as Auto-Delta, the company was started by Carlo Chiti, a former Alfa Romeo and Ferrari engineer, and Ludovico Chizzola, an official Alfa Romeo dealer. The team was officially made a department of Alfa Romeo on...
, initially with the normally aspirated engine from the earlier GTAm racer based on the 105 series coupe, for homologation under FIA
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is a non-profit association established as the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users...
Group 2
Group A
In relation to motorsport governed by the FIA, Group A referred to a set of regulations providing production-derived vehicles for outright competition. In contrast to the short-lived Group B and Group C, the Group A referred to production-derived vehicles limited in terms of power, weight, allowed...
. In this form they were rallied with moderate success in 1975, winning the Elba and Costa Brava rallies overall, as well as winning the Group 2 category in the World Rally Championship's Corsican event. The next year Autodelta shifted its focus to circuit racing the Alfettas, which won the under 2.5-liter Group 2 division of the European Touring Car Championship, scoring a remarkable second place overall at the 24 hour race at Spa-Francorchamps, as well as an overall win in the ETC race at Vallelunga. Despite such results, Autodelta's efforts with the Group 2 Alfetta were desultory, and ended prematurely.
At a single rally at the end of the 1975 season, Autodelta also rallied an Alfetta GTV with a 3.0 litre V8 engine, derived from the 2.6 litre V8 of the Alfa Romeo Montreal coupé and sharing the same mechanical fuel injection by SPICA
SPICA
SPICA S.p.A. was an Italian manufacturer of fuel injection systems.- History :The company was founded by Francesco Cassani in 1932. SPICA fuel injection systems were used in diesel and petrol engines....
. It had been suggested to produce 400 roadgoing versions of this model for homologation but this plan was abandoned as well after the engine production line was disassembled too soon. Around twenty 2.6-litre V8 engined Alfetta GTVs were built by Autodelta at the request of the German Alfa importer in 1977, where they were sold for DM50,000, considerably more than the DM20,990 charged for a Alfetta GTV2000.
In 1980 the Alfetta GTV Turbodelta was already homologated in FIA Group 4
Group 4 (racing)
The Group 4 racing class referred to regulations for cars in sportscar racing, GT racing and rallying, as regulated by the FIA. The Group 4 class was replaced by Group B for the 1983 season.-Production requirements:...
, since the required number of production cars had been built. A racing version was campaigned in rallies, but once more the effort was abandoned after a single season, despite scoring a win at the Danube Rally. In 1986 Alfa Romeo GTV6 was one of the fastest Group A
Group A
In relation to motorsport governed by the FIA, Group A referred to a set of regulations providing production-derived vehicles for outright competition. In contrast to the short-lived Group B and Group C, the Group A referred to production-derived vehicles limited in terms of power, weight, allowed...
rally cars. At the end of 1986 the FIA re-assessed the GTV6 homologation and found it to be unsuitable for Group A and it was moved into group B and subsequently banned from the sport.
After that Alfa Romeo turned its Group A racing and rallying efforts to the 75/Milano sedans, which were based on the same rear transaxle chassis. However, 1986 also saw the GTV6 post one of its finest rallying victories when Yves Loubet's example won the Group A in the tragic 1986 Tour de Corse
Tour de Corse
The Tour de Corse - Rallye de France is a rally first held in 1956 on the island of Corsica. It was part of the World Rally Championship from the inaugural 1973 season to 2008. The name "Tour de Corse" refers to the fact that in the early days it was run around the island; nowadays it only features...
and placed 3rd overall between Group B cars.
Engines
| Model | Engine | Volume | Power | Torque | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 | I4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... |
1,590 cc | 109 PS at 5,600 rpm | 142 newton metre at 4,300 rpm | |
| 1.8 | I4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... |
1,779 cc | 122 PS at 5,500 rpm | 167 newton metre at 4,400 rpm | |
| 2.0 | I4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... |
1,962 cc | 122 PS at 5,300 rpm | 175 newton metre at 4,000 rpm | |
| 2.0 | I4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... |
1,962 cc | 130 PS at 5,400 rpm | 178 newton metre at 4,000 rpm | |
| 2.0 Turbo | I4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... |
1,962 cc | 150 PS at 5,500 rpm | 231 newton metre at 3,500 rpm | GTV 2000 Turbodelta |
| 2.5 V6 | V6 | 2,492 cc | 160 PS at 5,600 rpm | 213 newton metre at 4,000 rpm | GTV6 |
| 2.5 V6 Twin Turbo | V6 | 2,492 cc | 233 PS at 5,600 rpm | 332 newton metre at 2,500 rpm | GTV6 Callaway |
| 2.6 V8 | V8 | 2,593 cc | 200 PS at 6,500 rpm | 270 newton metre at 4,750 rpm | GTV8, Autodelta limited edition |
| 2.0 Turbodiesel | I4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... |
1,995 cc | 82 PS at 4,300 rpm | 162 newton metre at 2,300 rpm | saloon only |
| 2.4 Turbodiesel | I4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... |
2,393 cc | 95 PS at 4,300 rpm | 196 newton metre at 2,300 rpm | saloon only |